‘Dorothy’ sparks debate, but Malayalam stars have played queer characters before

Karthik Subbaraj’s ‘Dorothy’ has sparked discussion over its portrayal of queer characters, with the film receiving both praise and criticism. Starring Rishikanth and Sananth alongside Keerthy Suresh, the film has particularly drawn attention for its depiction of a relationship between two men, including an on-screen kiss.

While some viewers have appreciated the film’s portrayal of queer love, a section of people have criticised its depiction of homosexuality and transgender identity. But this is certainly not the first time Malayalam or Tamil cinema has explored homosexual characters. In fact, some of Mollywood’s biggest stars have played such roles over the years.

From Prithviraj Sukumaran’s closeted police officer in ‘Mumbai Police’ and Nivin Pauly’s character in ‘Moothon’ to Mammootty’s Mathew Devassy in ‘Kaathal – The Core’, Malayalam cinema has seen leading actors take on characters dealing with same-sex identity and love. Here are some of the notable films that explored the subject.

‘Deshadanakkili Karayarilla’
Long before homosexuality became an openly discussed subject in mainstream Malayalam cinema, Padmarajan’s ‘Deshadanakkili Karayarilla’ offered a remarkably unusual portrayal of female friendship and intimacy. Starring Shari and Karthika, the film follows two schoolgirls who meet a young man during an adventurous journey.

The relationship between the two women is never explicitly defined as romantic. Yet the emotional intimacy and affection between them stand apart from the conventional depiction of female friendship in films of that period. For a film made at a time when such relationships were rarely explored on screen, the suggestion itself was striking.

‘Mumbai Police’
Years later, ‘Mumbai Police’ took the subject into mainstream commercial cinema, and placed a superstar at its centre. In Rosshan Andrrews’ film, written by Bobby-Sanjay, Prithviraj Sukumaran plays ACP Antony Moses, a macho police officer whose carefully constructed identity begins to unravel after a traumatic incident. The film’s climax reveals that Antony is a closeted gay man.

The decision to make Prithviraj’s character homosexual was something the writers were initially apprehensive about, particularly because the actor had built a strong image through macho and action-oriented roles. Writer Sanjay had previously told Onmanorama about their concerns, while director Rosshan Andrrews encouraged them to go ahead with the idea.

What made the portrayal particularly significant was that the film did not turn Antony’s sexuality into a caricature. His homosexuality was instead integral to the mystery and his character arc. The film also stopped short of explicitly depicting a physical relationship, leaving much of Antony’s sexuality within the realm of suggestion.

‘Moothon’

If ‘Mumbai Police’ demonstrated that a mainstream Malayalam superstar could play a closeted gay character, Geetu Mohandas’ ‘Moothon’ went considerably further. Nivin Pauly plays Akbar, a character who becomes part of an underworld story while carrying a deeply personal past. In Mumbai, he is known as Bhai, but the film gradually reveals his relationship with Ameer, played by Roshan Mathew.

Unlike the restrained treatment in ‘Mumbai Police’, ‘Moothon’ openly depicts intimacy between two men. The relationship is not merely a plot device or a twist; it is an important emotional part of the protagonist’s life.

The film, with Rajeev Ravi’s cinematography, presented queer love with an intimacy and visual sensitivity that was still relatively uncommon in Malayalam mainstream cinema.

‘Kaathal – The Core’
Mammootty’s ‘Kaathal – The Core’ marked another important moment because it placed homosexuality at the very heart of a family drama. Mammootty plays Mathew Devassy, a middle-aged man whose wife Omana, played by Jyotika, seeks divorce after years of marriage. The film gradually reveals the truth about Mathew’s sexuality and the life he has kept hidden.

Director Jeo Baby does not treat Mathew simply as a closeted gay man whose secret must be exposed. The film explores the emotional consequences of living within a heterosexual marriage while concealing one's sexual identity, and the complicated responses of his wife, family and community. For Mammootty, whose career has encompassed some of Malayalam cinema’s most conventional masculine roles, playing Mathew was significant precisely because the character was so far removed from the stereotypical image associated with a superstar hero.

‘Her’
Parvathy Thiruvothu also played a queer character in the anthology ‘Her’, directed by Lijin Jose. Her segment explores a woman’s experience of love and sexuality, adding another dimension to the growing representation of queer women in Malayalam cinema.