Jude Anthany Joseph’s directorial debut, Ohm Shanthi Oshaana on Wikipedia, subverted traditional romantic comedy tropes by centering the narrative entirely around a female protagonist. Nazriya Nazim delivers a career-defining performance as Pooja Mathew, an ecstatic young woman chasing her first love, Giri (Nivin Pauly). The film won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Popular Film and remains a comfort-watch classic.
Unpredictable plots, rain-drenched frames, and heroes who lose as often as they win. Skip if: You need item songs or flying motorcycles.
If you look at Malayalam cinema’s celebrated “New Wave,” 2014 doesn’t get the same hype as 2011 ( Indian Rupee , Traffic ) or 2013 ( Drishyam , Memories ). But rewind the reel: 2014 was the quiet bridge between old-school star vehicles and content-driven gems. It was the year when scripts began to outshine swagger.
Directed by Anjali Menon, Bangalore Days on Wikipedia became a cultural phenomenon and one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time. The story beautifully captures the lives, heartbreaks, and aspirations of three cousins—played by Nazriya Nazim, Nivin Pauly, and Dulquer Salmaan—who relocate to Bangalore. Supported by brilliant performances from Fahadh Faasil and Parvathy, the movie dominated the 45th Kerala State Film Awards , securing wins for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. Ohm Shanthi Oshaana