With its more grounded narratives and realistic representations on screen, Malayalam cinema has maintained its distinctiveness from other film industries for a long time. The Malayalam film industry includes mass films as well. But even in the midst of a plethora of masala amusement and fanboy flicks, there are movies like Basil Joseph-starrer Ponman and director Shahi Kabir's Ronth, which remain grounded in reality. Narivetta, which stars Tovino Thomas, is the most recent addition to the list.

Tovino Thomas' Narivetta

The dramatic incidents surrounding a tribal protest are covered in Anuraj Manohar's 2025 Malayalam movie, Narivetta. In the film, Tovino Thomas portrays Varghese, a police officer who goes to Wayanad after the State chooses to suppress the demonstrations. Despite the fact that the young Varghese also disagrees with the agitation, he quickly begins to comprehend the other side of the situation as he comes to understand the oppression the tribal population has been through.

The movie makes obvious references to a related demonstration in Kerala, the infamous Muthanga rebellion of 2003, which resulted in the death of several people. The film's resemblance to events in Kerala that have occurred in the past is difficult to ignore, despite the filmmakers' claim that it is not modeled after any particular incident.

This film, which is a genuine depiction of a fight against injustice, was written by Abin Joseph. In addition to the plight of the oppressed, the movie also explores power politics and the psychology of law enforcement officers, who frequently find themselves used by those in positions of authority.

The environment, from the police troops to the hilly terrain, also seems real. The tense mood of the precarious circumstance is also captured in the shots of filmmaker Vijay.

Additional genuine depictions

A more recent example is Ronth, which follows two police officers on patrol. The movie, written and directed by former police officer Shahi Kabir, depicts the reality of cops who face personal challenges while remaining dedicated to their professional responsibilities.

The predicament of underprivileged families as they attempt to provide dowries in order to get their daughters married is also portrayed in Ponman, which was published earlier this year. In the movie, Basil Joseph, an actor-director, plays a gold dealer, highlighting the tenacity of individuals who refuse to give up. JioHotstar offers Ponman streaming through OTTplay Premium.

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