Mammootty to Tovino Thomas, 5 Malayalam film stars who chose unconventional roles and succeeded

Like the past 4-5 years, Malayalam cinema continued to experiment in terms of themes and narratives, and also made more and bigger attempts at big-scale mainstream movies. However, what really stood out this year was the plethora of big industry stars attempting unconventional and experimental roles that helped expand the horizons of stardom in the industry. Here’s looking at the most exemplary performances by leading Malayalam actors in unconventional roles:

Darshana Rajendran

After a stellar performance as the gentle giant protagonist in Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey, Darshana Rajendran subverted all the expectations by choosing a character with broad negative shades in Purusha Pretham, playing a middle-aged woman who decides to hatch a detailed plan in order to hide her criminal past.

What further established Rajendra’s credentials as a performer is how she had equal conviction in the more dramatic and mainstream elements of her character, like the transformation or character-elevation moments. 

Nivin Pauly

After establishing himself as a remarkable talent with films like Bangalore Days, Nivin Pauly had a couple of tough years in Malayalam cinema, struggling to deliver a good film. However, his performance in Thuramukham marked a true comeback for the Moothon actor. Playing an apathetic character who ends up against his own brother on the opposing side of law, Pauly displayed great command on his character which was very different from most film Pauly has been part of in his career. 

Tovino Thomas

With the inventive superhero movie Minnal Murali, Tovino Thomas achieved nation-wide fame. It would have an easy pick for the actor to cash on his newly found mainstream image. Going against all expectations, Tovino Thomas headlined two of the most experimental Malayalam movies of the year - Neelavelicham and Adrishya Jalakangal. While he also led the film 2018: Everyone is a Hero which emerged as the highest grosser of the industry and also was picked as India’s official entry for the Oscars, it’s his performances in Neelavelicham and Adrishya Jalakangal that truly capture the artistic potential and individuality Thomas carries in his work. Particularly in Adrishya Jalakangal, Thomas’ command over body language and mannerisms was nothing short of exemplary. 

Mammootty

The superstar began his year with Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam which is one of the most avant-garde films to have emerged out of Indian cinema in last few years. Mammootty’s calibre shows in how unassumingly the star immersed himself in a free-flowing narrative like that, embracing the character’s mundaneness and inner life with great precision.

If that wasn’t testament enough to the actor’s experimentation at this stage of stardom, his performance in Kaathal: The Core put all doubts to rest. Mammootty played a closeted middle-class man, capturing his anxieties and turbulence with great control.

Azees Nedumangad

After being stereotyped in slapstick comedy parts for many years, Azees Nedumangad finally broke out of the mould in Kannur Squad, playing a member of the protagonist’s team in the Mammootty starrer Kannur Squad, where his character had great shades of intensity and drama - and the popular comic actor rose to the occasion.