Virus

Virus, directed by Aashiq Abu, is a Malayalam film about the real 2018 Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala and the healthcare workers who fought to contain it. In the actual outbreak, 17 of the 19 infected patients in Kozhikode died; the film's nurse character is based on real life nurse Lini Puthussery, who cared for an infected family through the night and died of the virus herself on May 21, 2018. The director and crew spent months researching, meeting with officials, medical professionals, and Kerala's real health minister, all portrayed in the film; while names were changed, the chain of transmission and case numbers closely follow the real outbreak. The film was released almost exactly a year after the outbreak was officially declared over, and won seven awards. Who it's for: anyone curious about an Indian film that carefully reconstructs the chronology of a real epidemic, researched through interviews with the actual healthcare workers involved, brought to screen within about a year. Who it's not for: those wanting a fictional disaster thriller, since the film avoids speculative dramatics and stays close to verifiable epidemiological facts.