PremiumMukundan Unni Associates, Rorschach to Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey: Best Malayalam films of 2022 streaming on Hotstar
From Mohanlal’s Bro Daddy to Mammootty’s BheeshmaParvam, Disney+ Hotstar snapped the OTT rights for Mollywood’s best films last year
Last Updated: 05.30 PM, Jan 09, 2023
The year 2022 might not have been that stellar for the Malayalam film industry, but it did have some superhits that are sure to remain in the hearts and minds of the audience for a long time. From superstars such as Mohanlal and Mammootty to Kunchacko Boban, Basil Joseph, Darshana Rajendran and Vineeth Sreenivasan, most of the top actors had popular films coming and Disney+ Hotstar had snapped the rights of most of these.
With Vineeth Sreenivasan’s dark comedy Mukundan Unni Associates set to begin streaming on the platform from January 13, we take a look at some of the other gems of 2022 from the Malayalam film industry that are currently streaming on the OTT platform.
Bro Daddy
Mohanlal might have had a forgettable 2022 and his collaboration with Prithviraj Sukumaran, Bro Daddy, which released directly on Disney+ Hotstar, was the lone saving grace for the superstar. The feel-good entertainer, which marked the duo’s second collaboration since Lucifer, revolved around a father and son who faces some unusual predicaments at the same time. The movie also has Meena, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Lalu Alex and Unni Mukundan.
Bheeshma Parvam
Those awaiting Big B duo Mammootty and Amal Neerad’s collaboration were thrilled with the gangster drama, which was also the highest-grossing Malayalam film of 2022. The movie, which revolved around a Godfather-like Michael Anjootti who has tackle threats from his family as well as outside, had Mammootty is his most ‘massy’ avatar for a while. The movie also had an ensemble cast featuring Soubin Shahir, Sudev Nair, Sreenath Bhasi, Lena and Jinu Joseph.
Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey
Director Vipin Das’ comedy entertainer Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey was last year’s surprise hit. The movie, which revolved around a relevant topic of how women are often treated in patriarchal households, turned its genre on its head and literally kicked it out of the park. The film, which had Darshana Rajendran and Basil Joseph in lead roles, was among the top six highest-grossing movies of 2022 and also one of the most loved.
Rorschach
Mammootty wasn’t joking when he said that he has had a change of heart in terms of his choices since the pandemic. The Nissam Basheer thriller is arguably one of the most stylish films to come out in Malayalam last year. With an edgy script and brilliant music to boot, this clever thriller about a stranger who turns up at a village to extract vengeance from a dead man and his family also had Jagadeesh, Bindu Panicker, Sanju Sivram and Sharafudheen in pivotal roles.
Nna Thaan Case Kodu
Kunchacko Boban’s satire took on Tovino Thomas’ youth-centric entertainer Thallumaala at the box office and still went head to head. In fact, if the family audience were to pick their favourite Malayalam film of 2022, it could very well be this satire, helmed by Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval. The movie revolves around a former thief out to prove his innocence and how he wages a legal battle against some of the most powerful in the society.
Hridayam
Vineeth Sreenivasan once again proved he’s the man with the Midas touch. Starring Pranav Mohanlal, Kalyani Priyadarshan and Darshana, the coming-of-age romantic drama showcased two phases of its protagonist Arun’s life – his time in college and the years after that. Boasting some charming performances from its lead cast and music that is sure to stay popular for years, this movie was a winner of hearts and also at the box office.
Mukundan Unni Associates
Debutant director Abhinav Sunder Nayak’s dark comedy thrilled fans of the genre and also provided a totally different experience for the theatre-going audience. Placing a protagonist, who is narcissistic and has not moral compass, at its core, the movie revolves around his efforts to be successful – irrespective of the methods he has to adapt or the people he has to manipulate. Vineeth Sreenivasan, Arsha Baiju, George Kora and Suraj Venjaramoodu star in the movie, which will be streaming on Disney+ Hotstar from January 13.