If there is a particular industry that captivates the attention of widespread audiences solely on the basis of nuanced and complex storylines, it is the Malayalam industry. So much so, that even remakes of some films from the industry have been lauded critically.
Most recently, ‘Kishkindha Kaandam’, a gripping 2024 thriller, which successfully blended elements of police procedural with crime drama, garnered severe critical acclaim for its poignant yet slow-burn plotline. Sure, even though this film did well at the box-office, with a box-office collection grossing Rs. 40 Crore worldwide, it did not do as well as it would have if it were made in a more mainstream industry.
However, on the other hand, Payal Kapadia’s upcoming narrative drama ‘All We Imagine As Light’, fresh off of its historic win at Cannes, although is a worldwide sensation, is a Malayalam-language feature. Which just goes to say, that it will undoubtedly be debuting to high viewing and box-office numbers.
It is also not a stretch to assume that ‘All We Imagine As Light’ will become one of the highest grossers of this year. Which is to say, it will become one of the rare gems that become mainstream and deservedly so. However, fans of true cinema can only hope that plotlines like ‘Kishkindha Kaandam’ reach a wide set of audiences.