Thudakkam
2026 · The Hindu
If not for the thoughtful weaving in of Vismaya's martial arts skills, Thudakkam would have ended up as just another generic revenge thriller. She manages to kick it up into average territory.
Pluto
2026 · The Hindu
Other than the attempts at humour, the makers of Pluto stick to the usual alien storyline we have seen so many times across languages. The light humour, which works only occasionally, might have just carried the film all through if it had better writing to go with it.
Vaazha 2
2026 · The Hindu
Vaazha 2 improves upon the flawed original, managing to pack in a lot that a young crowd can identify with. The way it tackles the current trend of migrating for higher studies to the United Kingdom or other countries and the gap between dreams and harsh realities, will resonate with quite a large number of youngsters.
I, Nobody
2026 · The Hindu
Things are quite taut till the halfway point, with the movie taking us to all the unimaginable directions that Rajeevan's mind can travel to. However, the film becomes quite a different, messed up beast post-interval, and in its final act, I, Nobody fumbles a bit with a contrived redemption arc and closing scenes that leave one wondering what the film really wanted to convey.
Baby Girl
2026 · The Hindu
What ultimately brings it down is the treatment, which has 'dated' written all over it, be it in the visual style or the editing patterns or the background score. With the thriller track losing steam by the halfway mark, the rest of the film plods along with the aid of the emotional drama and a few convenient contrivances. But the dated approach ensures that much of this does not create the intended impact.
Patriot
2026 · The Hindu
Despite its predictable narrative, Patriot is an engaging and even brave film on a pertinent issue. It is not often that a questioning 'dissident' gets the central role in an Indian film these days.
Uyir
2026 · The Hindu
The treatment of the film is such that at no point in the story does any of the revelations hit you hard, even when some of them are shocking enough. With its unimaginative and dated approach, Uyir does not break any ground and ends up as a run-of-the-mill police procedural.
Unmadham
2026 · The Hindu
Kabir, who is usually on a sure footing, struggles to maintain balance between different genres in Unmadham. The mixing of crime with psychological and supernatural elements works wonders in certain portions. But it also comes across as convenient for the writer in some difficult phases.
Officer on Duty
2025 · The Hindu
With Officer On Duty, Shahi Kabir conjures up yet another gripping police tale which works despite faltering at some points.
Sarvam Maya
2025 · The Hindu
Akhil has the support of a set of actors who are able to lift this thin, and sometimes shallow material, to heights it could not have touched without them. Even considering the flaws, Sarvam Maya will be remembered for giving Nivin the space to rediscover his mojo after so long.
Identity
2025 · The Hindu
If someone were to narrate the story of Identity, directed by Akhil Paul and Anas Khan, chances are that halfway through, the person will get lost in a maze of complicated side stories. Several of these plotlines are convoluted. It would require immense amounts of patience to untangle all the motives of the multiple villains in the narrative.
Ponman
2025 · The Hindu
Ponman could have easily turned into another film with a progressive message against dowry and the unhealthy obsession with gold. But what we get instead is an engrossing, non-judgemental study of characters, most of whom are victims of social malaise. Ponman is worth its weight in gold.
Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil
2024 · The Hindu
Although all the over-the-top portrayals gives one the feeling of something cooked up just for the purpose of the rich humour that such a pair can produce, it somehow works in the context of this movie. Yet, when this bromance loses steam halfway through the proceedings, the film also loses its way a bit. Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil, which initially rides high on the novelty of the bromance and their humorous exchanges, finally ends up as quite average fare.
Varshangalkku Shesham
2024 · The Hindu
Vineeth Sreenivasan, from the wealth of his experience, appears to be acutely aware of the barbs that would be coming his way after a film's release. In Varshangalkku Shesham, his sixth directorial, he launches a preemptive strike at such barbs by indulging in some uncharacteristic self-mockery. But then, let that not fuel expectations of Vineeth charting a fresh path.
Kannur Squad
2023 · The Hindu
Despite a few familiar, generic elements, Kannur Squad manages to become an effective procedural drama. He does pull it off well. Thankfully, the film does not go overboard with the latter and sticks to the police procedural sans any glamour for the most part.
Neru
2023 · The Hindu
After the forgettable 12th Man and the passable Drishyam 2, Jeethu has found his mojo in Neru. The entire act of chipping away at the lies and obfuscations of a powerful defendant and navigating the sometimes torturous process of seeking justice, which forms the better part of the film, almost delivers a cathartic high.
Journey of Love 18+
2023 · The Hindu
Arun. D. Jose manages to come up with only some average fare from the thin plot of Journey of Love 18+, despite all the progressive sprinkling. The sheer lack of material to sustain the narrative is painfully evident at some points, while at others, the exuberance of the predominantly young cast carries the day for the movie.
Minnal Murali
2021 · The Hindu
Despite banking on familiar superhero tropes at times, the film has a character of its own. The best of the superhero sequences are these initial ones and the one where he lets go at some policemen, successfully imbibing the spirit and appearance of the good old Malayalam comics.
Bethlehem Kudumba Unit
2026 · The Hindu · Aug 2026
Girish AD does something similar with the audience. He places us firmly amid this bunch of closely-knit characters, all with relatable qualities, quirks and failings, making us feel as if we are among a group of our own friends. It is a joy to watch a filmmaker, writers, and a set of actors so in sync with each other that they play off each other's strengths.
Khalifa: The Ruler
2026 · The Hindu · Aug 2026
The narrative lacks the intended emotional pull or the expected thrills. Apart from its novel depiction of the ways smugglers operate and a few reasonably executed fight sequences, little else seems to work in Khalifa. If only a few late cameos could save every shoddily-written movie.
Pinneyum
2016 · The Hindu · Apr 2017
Pinneyum is almost an anachronism in 2016 and lacks everything that makes his old classics an engaging watch even today.