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Malayalam cinema has always stood apart for its bold storytelling, emotional depth, and artistic honesty. Across decades, certain scenes went beyond entertainment and quietly changed how stories were told, how characters were written, and how audiences connected with cinema. Here are 10 such moments from Malayalam cinema over the years that changed the storytelling style.
Kireedam (1989): When the hero breaks
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“Ninte achan aada parayunnath… Kathi Thaazhe ideda” (Your father is pleading; please throw away your knife, son). Who will be able to forget this iconic scene and the dialogue? The climax of Kireedam remains one of the most painful and powerful moments in Malayalam cinema. Mohanlal’s Sethumadhavan, a young man dreaming of becoming a police officer, slowly collapses under circumstances beyond his control. The climax sequences between Mohanlal and Thilakan offered a different kind of anticlimax for the audiences who were used to witnessing the hero’s victory over the villain in the ending.
Manichitrathazhu (1993): Redefining horror storytelling
At a time when the Malayalam cinema was caught up with several supernatural stories, ‘Manichitrathazhu’ infused a logical explanation for such stories by entering the psychological area.
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The revelation sequence featuring Shobana as Ganga and Nagavalli changed how Malayalam cinema approached horror. Instead of relying on cheap scares, the film explored psychology, trauma, and repression. Shobana’s transformation during the climax was chilling yet deeply human.
Drishyam (2013): Intelligence over power
Not only the climax sequence, but Jeethu Joseph’s thriller ‘Drishyam’ has indeed rewritten the future of movies under the same genre. Mohanlal’s Georgekutty, an ordinary man with no special power, defeats the system using intelligence and planning.
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While the majority of the thriller movies till then used a suspense-reveal-style climax, Jeethu Joseph crafted something unique, which is a perfect example of ‘show, don’t tell.’ The police station climax in ‘Drishyam’ rewrote the rules of thrillers.
Mathilukal (1990): Love without sight
Although there are several criticisms for using KPAC Lalitha, a voice familiar to the audiences, as the unknown woman in Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s ‘Mathilukal,’ the movie rewrote romantic sequences that existed at that time.
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Mammootty’s Basheer and the unseen Narayani speak through prison walls, never once seeing each other. Even a single still of Mammootty talking over the wall instantly reminds you of Mathilukal, highlighting just how iconic and groundbreaking the scene is.
Vanaprastham (1999): Art becomes life
The final Kathakali performance in Vanaprastham blurred the line between the performer and the man. Mohanlal’s Kunju Nair pours his personal pain into art, creating a haunting climax that earned global acclaim. This scene redefined performance-driven cinema. It also proved that Malayalam films could speak a universal language of emotion.
Manjummel Boys (2024): Survival and brotherhood
Coming to recent times, one such groundbreaking scene is from Manjummel Boys. Rescuing Subhash from the pit is portrayed like a rebirth sequence, where a baby is pulled out from inside the mother’s womb. The pit rescue climax in Manjummel Boys became a defining moment for modern Malayalam cinema.
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Mumbai Police (2013)—A bold attempt
The Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer Mumbai Police begins like a regular thriller, but everything changes just before the climax. While audiences have often seen lead characters turn villains at the last moment, Mumbai Police offered something entirely different. The scene in which Jayasuriya’s character reveals that his friend and colleague, Antony Moses, was the real culprit—and that the crime was committed to hide Prithviraj’s character’s sexual orientation—was something audiences had never witnessed before.
‘Aparan’ (1988)
Jayaram’s debut film, ‘Aparan,’ has a groundbreaking climax shot, which introduced the dual personality concept to the Malayali audiences way before ‘Manichitrathazhu.’ Jayaram’s character is accused of some crimes that a person who impersonates him is actually committing. But in the climax, Jayaram’s character Vishwanathan witnesses what appears to be his own funeral rites. He hands over money to his father (Madhu), walks away declaring he must live as the “aparan,” and ends with a sinister smile.
Perumthachan (1990)
Another such groundbreaking scene is from the Thilakan starrer ‘Perumthachan.’ Thilakan’s master carpenter faces his son’s superiority. Flooded with ego and a superiority complex, when his own son masters his skills and impresses, a father deliberately drops his chisel from atop the temple structure onto son Kannan’s neck below, killing him instantly. Such a sinister sequence, isn’t it?
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Maheshinte Prathikaram (2016) Maheshinte Prathikaram, directed by Dileesh Pothan, is packed with subtle, realistic moments. One scene in the movie perfectly showcases the use of the ‘butterfly effect.’ During a funeral, Mahesh, who is a photographer, is offered a banana, which he eats and comments on. This simple comment leads to a fight between two people about who was asked to look after the land, which in turn leads to a big conflict that affects Mahesh himself. If you are watching the movie again, just look closely at the funeral sequences and how everything that happens later is tied to the climax. Who knew a simple ‘banana eating’ sequence could be groundbreaking?
