Eight favorite Malayalam movies of Kamal Haasan
Big names in Tamil cinema rarely cross over so easily into other industries, yet Kamal Haasan did. His presence resonates strongly with audiences across Kerala too. Early in his journey, he acted in several Malayalam movies. At some point, he listed eight Malayalam films close to him. One pick stood out - Thaniyavarthanam. Mammootty led that project, guided by director Sibi Malayil. The screenplay came from Lohithadas, marking his debut effort back in 1987. It tackles awareness around mental well-being while showing how each person plays a role. Anger builds slowly, even if ghosts never show up. Actor Mammootty delivered something fierce, sharp, real. A movie from 1965 named Chemmeen came alive through Ramu Karyat’s eyes, shaped from words written by Thakazhi Sivasankarapillai. Kamal Haasan once put it plainly - this one began in Malayalam yet spread wider, becoming something southern roots hold dear. Notes from Salil Choudhury floated through scenes, cuts were handled by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, vision guided by Ramu Karyat. Now? It feels quiet, almost too plain. A fine experience though. (3)Swapnadanam - K.G. That film called Swapnatanam came out in 1975, made by George. For his debut direction, the cast included Rani Chandra alongside Dr. Mohandas, also M.G. Soman, Mallika, and P.K. Venukuttan Nair in central roles. Psychodrama - that was how Kamal Haasan labeled it once. (4)Kodiyetam - At awards time, Kodiyetam earned Bharat Gopi the National Best Actor honor, while Adoor Gopalakrishnan took home the State prize for directing. A story shaped by Adoor Gopalakrishnan both behind the script and camera arrived into theaters in 1997. Not long after, an actor called it among the director’s strongest work.
One day I saw Nirmalyam, a picture shaped by MT Vasudevan Nair’s hand. It came out when clocks still ticked slow in ’73, picked up honors big and small across regions. Just wow - watched it twice without pause, back to back like breathless pages. Hard to imagine any soul in Malayalam film taking that risk now. A quiet temple forgotten by time holds space at its core, where lives tied to dust and prayer barely survive. Then there is Anubhavam Panchakkal, built from words once lived inside Thakazhi's book. This one surfaced earlier, in 1971, guided forward under K.S. One of Ulakanayakaner’s top picks came through Sethumadhavan’s direction. Inside prison walls unfolds the plot, gripping from start to finish. Two major figures of Malayalam film led this project together. Tension built steadily throughout, thanks to how deeply it looked into people's minds (7). A pairing between Mammootty and IV Shashi brought forth Ee Naad - a creation shaped by their joint effort. Politics stood at the core when Ee Naad arrived in theaters back in 1982. According to Kamal Haasan, nothing else by IV Shashi matches up quite like this work (8). Mohanlal starred in Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal, which later became widely known among his successes. Back in 1986 came a movie crafted by Padmarajan, who both wrote and took charge behind the camera. Watching it, Kamal Haasan admitted a pang of envy - this one stood out despite its quiet manner. Simplicity carried it, yet it left a mark just the same.
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