The Best Malayalam Movies of 2014

               It’s that time of the year again when we take stock of the best and the worst of the year which is passing by.In the first of a series of posts, here we are looking at the best Malayalam Movies of 2014.I would like to remind you all that this list is not solely based on the boxoffice performance of the movie.Infact,this one only features the top ten movies which managed to impress nikhimenon.

10. Ithihaasa (Binu S)-

Actually no-one thought that this movie would do well in the Kerala boxoffice.It turned out to be a surprise hit, thanks to the some what innovative theme(though borrowed from Hollywood flicks like ’The Hot Chick’)and the uninhibited performance by it’s leading lady,’Anushree’.The movie had an entertaining first half but somewhere in the middle it fizzled out.It was a promising debut by Binu and the other youngsters who worked behind it.Also gave a big break to it’s hero,’Shine Tom Chacko’.

 9.Om Shanthi Oshaana (Jude Anthony Joseph)-

Though this  Nazriya-Nivin Pauly starrer which told the story of a love struck teenage girl was in the line of movies like ‘FirstLove’(Thai,2010),it had an original and imaginative screenplay by debutant Midhun Manuel Thomas.Beautifully picturised songs composed by Shaan Rahman and a spirited performance from it’s leading lady made it a big commercial success.

8.1983 (Abrid Shine)-

Sports based movies are very rare in Malayalam,thanks to their bleak boxoffice prospects.Abrid Shine’s 1983 was a competently crafted flick which told the tale of a dutiful father’s struggles to materialise his son’s dreams of becoming an international cricketer.Though the movie reminded me of Prakash Raj’s ‘Dhoni’ at times, the less-sentimental approach chosen by the debutant director and the sincere performance by Nivin Pauly elevated the movie to a different level altogether.Not to forget the soothing melody,’Oolenjali Kuruvi’ rendered by P.Jayachandran and P.Susheela.

7.Iyobinte Pusthakam (Amal Neerad)-

This period movie features in this list mostly because of it’s beautiful frames and some decent performances from it’s cast.The movie tried to tell too many things at the same time and lost it’s steam somewhere in the second half.An honest effort by Jayasurya,Lal and it’s lead actor-producer ‘Fahad Faazil’; some brilliant frames by  Amal Neerad makes ‘Iyobinte Pusthakam’ quite different from the usual run-of-the mill stuff which gets released every other weekend.

6.Homely Meals (Anoop Kannan)-

I don’t know how many of you have seen this small film directed by Anoop Kannan which had new comer Vipin Atley in it’s lead role.Loosely based on Vipin’s real life experiences,’Homely Meals’ had some really nice moments here and there.But Malayalee audience were largely apathetic to this small flick at the time of it’s release and the movie was a commercial failure.May be a little bit of editing in the second half might have brightened it’s boxoffice prospects.

(The second part of this post can be read here)

-nikhimenon