Kuruthi

Manu Warrier's 2021 Malayalam film follows one night in the house of Ibrahim, who lost his wife and child in a landslide. A policeman arrives at his door with a young killer he has arrested and they are forced to stay by the storm; before long the boy's family are at the house. The film takes place in one location and draws its tension from religion, revenge and the relations between neighbours. Its courage is refusing to make anyone entirely right: every character has a reason and all of them are dangerous. Prithviraj's role sits outside the familiar heroic template. The subject addresses religious polarisation in Kerala directly and caused argument. The violence is harsh. Who it's for: viewers who like Malayalam thrillers and single-location stories. Who it's not for: anyone avoiding violent content, or the subject of religious tension.