Malayankunju

Sajimon Prabhakar's 2022 Malayalam film tells the story of Anikkuttan, an ill-tempered electronics technician living with his mother, in two distinct parts. The first half is a character portrait built on caste prejudice; the second turns into an account of being buried after a landslide. Its bold choice is making its protagonist unlikeable: Anikkuttan keeps a caste-based distance from his neighbours, and the film shows this without correcting it. The underground section in the second half is technically impressive; the sound design and use of confined space carry the tension. A. R. Rahman's music gives the film weight. The transition between the halves is abrupt and will feel disconnected to some viewers. Who it's for: viewers who like Malayalam cinema and survival thrillers. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a single consistent genre, or distressed by confined spaces and scenes of being buried.