A new hope for female representation in Malayalam cinema

Malayalam By Arjun Ramachandran Jun 19, 2024 Read the article

The ongoing debate about the lack of female characters in recent Malayalam hit movies is going viral after filmmaker Anjali Menon posted in her Instagram story.

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Against this backdrop, here’s a quick rewind of films with strong female characters that left an impact on audiences:

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Kani Kusruti hogged the limelight with her performances in Biriyaani (2020), Maharani web series (2021), and Poacher web series (2024).

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Similarly, Nimisha Sajayan has done some exceptional roles in films like The Great Indian Kitchen (2021), Malik (2021), Nayattu (2021), Chithha (2023), and Poacher (2024).

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Darshana Rajendran drew applause for her inspiring role in Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (2022). The Vipin Das film was criticised for showcasing domestic violence though.

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Divya Prabha played an impactful role in Malik and Ariyippu (2022). Though she mostly plays serious roles, the actor revealed in an interview that she was keen to do comedy films, too.

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The year 2024 started with the sensational film Aattam, which was received well both by the audience and critics.

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The recent Malayalam blockbuster movie Premalu (2024) featured two women characters, who got equal screen time, Mamitha Baiju’s Reenu and Akhila Bhargavan’s Karthika.

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