In Harihar Nagar

The 1990 film by the pair Siddique and Lal is among the most rewatched works in Malayalam comedy. Four unemployed men in Harihar Nagar compete to impress the young woman who moves in across the road. Then a mysterious man arrives asking about a missing box, and the story turns entirely. The structure runs comedy and thriller together and manages the shift skilfully. The first half is pure humour; in the second it becomes clear how dangerous the situation the four men are in actually is, and the humour mixes with fear. The rapport between Mukesh, Siddique, Jagadish and Ashokan carries the film. Its lines passed into everyday speech in Kerala and the series continued with three more films in later years. Who it's for: those who love Malayalam comedy and genre mixing. Who it's not for: viewers expecting light comedy throughout; the film builds serious tension in its second half.