Top 5 Malayalam films based on politics

Most of the films based on politics are worth repeated viewings as they contain a mixture of various entertainment elements. Giving credence to this claim are the politically inspired Malayalam films. There are a number of movies which are based on political events or on the lives of politicians. Some have gone unnoticed, while the others have become cult classics. Let us look at some of the movies that have a slice of the political milieu of Kerala.

Lal Salam

The plot revolves around the early days of the Communist Part in Kerala. Mohanalal portrays the character Nettoor Stephan in this superhit political drama. The film is inspired by the lives of some towering figures in Kerala politics. ‘Lal Salam’ became popular for the fiery dialogues and power-packed performances by Murali and actress Geetha. This high pitch political drama shows how the communist party became a major political force in Kerala.

Sandesham

The film is a satire on contemporary Kerala politics where brothers turn local leaders of rival parties, causing distraught for their aged parents. This 1991 film directed by Sathyan Anthikad was released at a time when the youth of Kerela was trying to gain a strong foothold in politics. Sreenivasan wrote the script, which was aided by some brilliant bit of acting by Jayaram and Thilakan. A mix of comedy and serious scenes made this movie one of the cult classics in Malayalam cinema.

Vellanakalude Nadu

This Priyadarshan directed movie is all about politics, corruption, and crime cover-ups in the administrative machinery at the municipal level. The film takes a potent dig at the money munching municipal mafia stripping bare the rampant corruption at its core. Written by Sreenivasan, ‘Vellanakalude Nadu’ features Mohanlal and Shobahana in lead roles. The movie was remade in Hindi as ‘Khatta Meetha’ with Akshay Kumar and Trisha Krishnan.

Rakthasakhshikal Zindabad

Directed by Venu Nagavalli, the film pays tribute to the leaders of the Communist party. The story is set in the pre-independence era when communism came into picture. A political thriller released in 1998, the film had an ensemble star cast rolled into one. It included, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Murali, and Nassar in pivotal roles. What’s interesting is that the revolt scenes were directed by ace director Priyadarshan.

Pathram

The movie talks about the politics prevailing in Kerala and about the inside stories of the newspaper world. Considered as one of the best political dramas in Malayalam cinema, this film tops the charts as one of the highest grossing films of 1999. ‘Pathram’ is famous for its outstanding dialogues written by Renji Panicker and memorable performances from Manju Warrier, N.F Varghese, Murali, and Suresh Gopi.