Changing trends: LGBTQ+, bold themes explored in Malayalam cinema in 2024

Malayalam cinema is often praised for its ability to explore various themes and create content that resonates with the audience. In 2024, too, filmmakers attempted to tell stories differently while catering to storytelling's commercial aspect. Films on LGBTQ+ relationships were one of the themes explored in the year gone by, with a handful of movies hitting both theatres and OTT platforms.
Before listing the recent films of 2024 that explored such a theme, let us recall how 2023 will always be remembered for Mammootty's daring experiment 'Kaathal-The Core', which examined a married man's helplessness and the shift in family dynamics as he comes out as gay.
Malayalam cinema first experimented with the theme in 1978, through the late director Mohan's work 'Randu Penkuttikal', which followed a romantic relationship between two school students.
Though Padmarajan's 'Deshadankkili Karayarilla', which hit theatres in 1986, did not explicitly focus on or name the protagonists' relationship with each other as they flee from school during a trip, it gently nudges you in that direction.

Though films like 'Moothon' and 'Mumbai Police' came as a breath of fresh air every now and then, 2024 saw a shift with four films alone exploring this theme. In Sanal Kalathil's anthology work 'Soul Stories', released on Manorama Max, we are introduced to a caretaker of a flat who has an intimate relationship with a housemate. Sanal told Onmanorama that such themes have begun to resonate well with the younger audience. “In the past, people took a lot of time to accept change, but youngsters nowadays are different. They are willing to embrace relationships differently and the changes around them quickly. I do not want to comment on whether this is a positive or negative change, but society has undergone a shift. I have only translated that into my art,” he said.

Lijin Jose whose work 'Her' featuring Parvathy Thiruvothu, Remya Nambeesan, Urvashi, Aishwarya Rajesh and Lijomol Jose, explored a same-sex relationship angle said such themes are not taboo in cinema anymore. However, society still needs to open up. “Art can bring about this change and I think such movies will help generate that awareness. Overall, our aim was to be more inclusive, which is why we brought in the queer angle in our film,” he told Onmanorama.

He also said the theme was used as a cinematic devise to create an element and suspense. MC Jithin has also explored such a theme in the hit movie 'Sookmadarshini'.
Aby Treesa Paul and Anto Jose Pereira's 'Little Hearts' featuring the hit pair Shane Nigam and Mahima Nambiar also opened discussions on homosexuality. Overall, it is heartening to see Malayalam films explore such themes, thereby generating a lot of discussion in this direction.