Aliyar

Aliyar’s got a filmography that’s honestly kind of wild if you look at the range. Minnal Murali (2021) is the one everyone talks about lately. It’s this superhero flick, but not in the typical sense—set in a small Kerala town, you’ve got Jaison, a regular guy who gets struck by lightning and suddenly, boom, superpowers. But instead of running off to save the world, he’s just trying to figure out what the hell happened to him, dodging his ex and dealing with a bunch of hilarious, sometimes touching small-town dramas. It’s packed with that local flavor, sharp humor, and moments that sneak up and sucker-punch you with feels. Now, if you wind back a bit, The Book of Iyob (2014) is a whole different beast. This one’s about power, revenge, and legacy—think gritty, Shakespearean family drama but with South Indian spice. Iyob, the patriarch, basically rules his patch of land with an iron fist, and the story spirals as his sons start tearing each other—and him—apart. The movie’s got these sweeping landscapes and moody shots that stick with you. It doesn’t hold your hand, either. You just get tossed into this world and have to hang on. Then there’s Dhruvam (1993), a total classic in Malayalam cinema circles. Action, drama, and vengeance—this movie’s got it all. It’s about Narasimha Mannadiar, a guy who’s practically a legend in his village, standing up against corruption and evil with this old-school sense of justice. There’s a rawness to it, nothing sugarcoated, and you can tell it’s from that era when movies weren’t afraid to go hard. Aliyar’s name tied to these films? That’s a badge of versatility, no doubt.