Must-watch Malayalam gangster movies

Gangster movies always make for interesting plots in cinema and have an appeal among the audience for its scope of tense narratives. Malayalam cinema also has produced some stylish gangster movies over the years and have captured the imagination of gang wars portrayed by Hollywood movies. Here we look at some successful movies based on gang warfare.

Undoubtedly a trendsetter in M-Town, Amal Neerad's 'Big B' introduced to Malayalam cinema the scope of stylish cinematography. The movie, adapted from Hollywood movie 'Four Brothers', is set against the backdrop of Fort Kochi. The plot revolves around the revenge of four brothers against their mother's murderers. Mammootty, Manoj K Jayan, Bala play important characters in the movie. The crisp dialogues, stylish intros, BGM and approach made 'Big B' an all-time favorite gangster movie in Mollywood. Mammootty's makeover and performance as the character Bilal John Kurushingal revealed another facet of the actor's range.

A high paced gangster movie directed by Lijo Jose Pallissery, 'Angamaly Diaries' was highly rated by critics and film lovers. Lijo maintains his signature style of filmmaking by bringing the culture of the characters in the movie to the forefront. The movie tells the fight between two gangs in Angamaly. All the actors in the movie were newcomers and yet the director was able to extract from his actors' brilliant performances, especially the negative characters played by Sharath and Tito Wilson. The raw and natural way of narrative and Lijo's experimental style of filmmaking made 'Angamaly Diaries' a cult hit.

The debut movie of young superstar Dulquer Salmaan, 'Second Show', directed by Srinath Rajendran was well received at the box office for its interesting narrative. The movie revolves around Hari and his friend Kurudi (Sunny Wayne), who are carefree aimless youth who do anything for a livelihood. The duo slowly builds into a mafia gang and turns against a dangerous smuggler Vishnubuddhan. The movie narrates how Hari establishes himself as a mafia head. Casually narrated, 'Second Show' is an easy watch without much complications and sometimes feel amateur in approach, yet the movie is engaging.

Directed by Ranjith, Black tells the story of Karikkamuri Shanmugham, a heartless hitman played by Mammootty. The movie tells the inside story of a brutal mafia set up run by David John Padaveedan, a criminal lawyer, played by Lal. Shanmughan, a close associate and the head of Padaveedan's underworld gang, decides to lead a normal life after he finds out that he is the father of a physically disabled child. The cold-blooded attitude of Shanmugham is maintained throughout the movie. The movie is a decent crime thriller told in a raw manner. Mammootty and Lal play their roles to perfection in the movie.

A timeless classic, 'Abhimanyu' directed by Priyadarshan is among all-time greatest gangster movies made in Malayalam. Set in the backdrop of Mumbai's slums, 'Abhimanyu' tells the story of a migrant named Hari and his rise to power as a gang leader and finally his fall. The subplot of Hari's affection towards a sex worker Kiran, played by Geetha, adds fuel to the narrative. As Hari becomes Harianna, a popular gang leader, he also earns the enmity of a few mafia heads on his course to become Harianna. The climax of the movie shows Hari and Kiran's futile effort to escape from police who surrounds them as per information from Hari's close associate Manikandan. The name 'Abhimanyu' thus becomes meaningful when Hari finally gets trapped without a way out like the mythological character 'Abhimanyu' of Mahabharatha who gets killed inside 'Chakravyuha'.