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Banner showcasing 6 must-watch Malayalam web series (Photo Credit – Zee5/Sony Liv)

Malayalam movies are well-known both in India and abroad, but have you ever watched a Malayalam web series? If you’re not a Malayali, the answer is probably no, and you’re missing out. We’ve handpicked six fantastic web series for you to enjoy, four of which come from the House of Mouse. So, let’s dive right in and explore these gems without wasting time.

Manorathangal

Available on: Zee5

Manorathangal is an anthology series based on nine short stories by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, spread across nine episodes. Each episode features significant actors, with stars like Mohanlal, Mammootty, Indrajith Sukumaran, Asif Ali, Biju Menon, Fahadh Faasil, and others taking turns in the spotlight. The quality of each episode varies, making it a mixed bag, like what Forrest Gump’s momma said about a box of chocolates.

Jai Mahendran...

Mammootty is celebrating his 73rd birthday with an exciting announcement for his fans. On his special day, the first poster of his upcoming film Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse was unveiled. Directed by Gautam Vasudev Menon, the intriguing poster features Mammootty in a bathrobe, with much of the focus on a board filled with pictures and connections, possibly hinting at his role as a detective. A purse is also seen in the room, adding to the mystery surrounding the film’s title and plot.

Sharing the poster on social media, Mammootty captioned it, “Presenting the First Look Poster of Dominic and The Ladies’ Purse Directed by @menongautham & Produced by @MKampanyOffl.”

In addition to his new project, Mammootty has been making headlines for his support of the Hema Committee report, which details the rampant sexual abuse and poor working conditions faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. He expressed his...

Manorathangal (Mindspace), an anthology series in Malayalam, is an assortment of nine segments, by nine different directors, based on the short stories by the literary giant, Mt Vasudevan Nair, who has also written each of them. Veteran actor, Kamal Hasan, introduces us to each of these stories that capture the depth of human relationships, the clash between tradition and modernity, and the poignancy of life’s fleeting moments. In the introduction, Hasan informs us that the Malayalam film Kanyakumari (1974), which was written by Nair, played a crucial role in his career. While adapting each of the stories for the screen, the period in each of them has not been altered from the original text. It is a creative choice that preserves the authenticity of Nair’s work, and enhances the nostalgic essence of the narrative, and temporal nuances as they were originally intended. But barring a few of the stories,...

Olavum Theeravum, directed by Priyadarshan, is the first short film of the Manorathangal anthology. After watching the entire anthology, it is safe to say that Olavum Theeravum is the most commercial, or, for lack of a better word, the most mainstream story of the lot. It critiques the customs of a society, how women were (and are) treated unfairly, and how patriarchy and misogyny made sure to absolve the men of all their sins while putting the blame entirely on the women. It is the disheartening story of a woman who deserved all the happiness in the world, but she ended her life because society made her think that she was unworthy of living.

Spoiler Alert

Mohanlal, who plays the character of Baputty, was the larger-than-life hero who defied the odds, went against the established norms, and did what he felt was right. Baputty had a friend named Abdukka, who,...

Kadalkkaattu, the seventh short film in Mt Vasudevan’s Manorathangal, is a story of infidelity and the kind of maturity shown by a woman stuck in a toxic relationship. Now, unlike Sudha in Kazhcha (the 3rd short film of the anthology series), in this story, the female protagonist, named Bharathi, overlooks the mistakes made by her husband, and patiently waits for him to realize that what he was doing was not right, and in the end decides to be with him. I agree that everybody has their own set of ideologies and principles, and they have every right to stick to their opinions. This time around, I did not concur with the actions of the character, and I felt like Mt Vasudevan was trying to glorify something that should have been vehemently condemned. That protagonist didn’t have the right to walk in as and when he pleased, treat his...

We were made privy to another dysfunctional marriage in Vilpana, the fifth film of the Mt Vasudevan Nair anthology, Manorathangal. I say “another” because it is similar to the central theme of this story we saw in Kazcha, too, where Sudha decided to separate from her husband. One major difference between the protagonists of the two films was that Sudha was financially independent and had a lot of other things in her life to look forward to, whereas the protagonist of Vilpana, Mrs. Parekh, was a homemaker, and her boredom drove her even more mad.

Spoiler Alert

A man named Sunil Das, who was a journalist, got to know about a sale where furniture and other items were being sold. He called the number given in the newspaper advertisement, and the lady who picked up the phone at the other end seemed to be very rude and not at all...

The eight episode of Manorathangal, titled, Abhayam Thedi Veendum (once again in search of refuge) is probably one of the most abstract stories in the anthology series. Mt Vasudevan Nair leaves it up to the imagination and perspective of his readers to decipher the essence and the meaning of the narrative.

Spoiler Alert

A man came to a village situated in the middle of nowhere. He looked frightened as if he feared that something bad would happen to him. Nobody knew where he came from or what the purpose of his visit was. The man found a bunch of people sitting in the village, and he went up to them to ask if there was any place he could rent to stay the night. They were skeptical of who he was, and they suspected that he was probably a law enforcement officer who had come there to conduct a secret investigation.

Manorathangal episode 9 titled, Swargam Thurakkunna Samayan, which translates to When the Doors of Heaven Open, is a gut-wrenching story of a father who realizes that he is nothing but a burden for his kids. The irony of the stories written by Vasudevan Nair is that though they have a certain degree of abstractness to them, somehow they manage to deliver the message that they want to give in a very objective manner. This weird combination of coming to a definitive conclusion after meandering through various philosophical notions is what makes the stories so impactful.

Spoiler Alert

Madhavan, an elderly man living in Kizhakkumuri, fell ill all of a sudden, and Kutty Narayanan rushed to his house as he suspected that the former was going to draw his last breath sooner rather than later. Now, Kutty Narayanan was a specialist when it came to aiding people approaching their deaths. Basically, he...

Shilalikhitham (or Stone Inscriptions in English), directed by Priyadarshan, is the fourth short film of the anthology, Manorathangal. It surprises me how a writer can leave you with so many thoughts to ponder over in just a few pages. Every story that is a part of the anthology series has the potential to be transformed into a complete novel or a feature film, and that’s the genius of Vasudevan Nair. The anthology is filled with intriguing characters and complex plot points.

Spoiler Alert

Mt Vasudevan Nair takes us to a small village in Kerala where a son has come to meet his mother, not out of love, not out of affection, but to have a difficult conversation, which his wife has asked him to do. Gopalankutty moved out of his village after he started working in Kozhikode in the archaeology department. Every middle-class man has a dream of having his own house one day,...

Kazhcha (translated as “Vision” in English), the third short film of the Zee5 Global anthology, Manorathangal, opens with Kamal Haasan telling us how, back in the day, during the Travancore dynasty, there was a matrilineal system that was followed in Kerala. Now, according to that system, the nephew of the king, i.e., the son of his sister, was the heir to the throne and not his own son. Also, the sister was considered to be the queen, and not his wife. What it meant was that a woman was given as much preference as her male counterpart, if not more. It made us realize that society was much more fair than what it is today.

Spoiler Alert

On that note, as Manorathangal episode 3 began, we were made privy to a woman named Sudhakutty, who called her husband from a phone booth and told him that she was leaving for Kerala that night.

The Malayalam film industry has been having a splendid 2024 on the big screen so far. They started things off with Aattam, which showed that 12 Angry Men can be remade in the 21st century, and it’ll still be relevant. Abraham Ozler wasn’t a critical success, but it did quite well at the box office. Meanwhile, Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Malaikottai Vaaliban didn’t make a dent at the box office, but personally speaking, it was nothing short of a visual masterpiece. Anweshippin Kandethum, featuring Tovino Thomas, was a massive success, given its budget. Then there was the Barbenheimer of the Year, Premalu and Bramayugam, which impressed critics and brought in the big bucks. Manjummel Boys knocked it out of the park by bringing forth an unbelievable story. The same can be said about Aadujeevitham. Aavesham is currently the frontrunner for the “Movie of the Year” title. Ullozhukku and Paradise were well-received,...

There have been only a few anthologies in the Malayalam cinema space that have distinguished themselves from the usual cinema we watch on the big or small screens. Kerala Café and 5 Sundarikal are among them as they contain stories that are still a part of the discourse years after being released. Adding to that is the up-and-coming Zee5 Global Malayalam film anthology, Manorathangal, which could be loosely translated to “chariots of the mind.” This one is special. For the first time, all the best directors, storytellers, and actors from the Malayalam industry come forward to pay tribute to one of the most legendary novelists and screenplay writers, Mt Vasudevan Nair.

To those who are unaware of Mt Vasudevan Nair’s bibliography and filmography, the stories he has written over the years have been adapted into countless films. The standout ones are Nirmalyam (1973), Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989), Sadayam (1992), Parinayam (1994), and Oru Cheru...

South Asia-focused streaming platform ZEE5 is set to launch “Manorathangal,” a nine-part Malayalam-language anthology series premiering August 15. The project celebrates the 90-year legacy of literary icon M.T. Vasudevan Nair and brings together top South Indian talent.

Penned by Nair himself, the series explores human duality against Kerala’s backdrop. Kamal Haasan introduces the anthology in which each story probes the interplay between noble and primal human impulses.

The anthology boasts a roster of A-list actors and directors. Mohanlal stars in “Olavum Theeravum” (“Ripples and the River Bank”), directed by Priyadarshan. Mammootty leads “Kadugannava Oru Yathra Kurippu” (“Kadugannava: A Travel Note”), helmed by Ranjith. Priyadarshan also directs “Shilalikhitam” (“Inscriptions”) featuring Biju Menon. Parvathy Thiruvothu stars in Shyamaprasad’s “Kazhcha” (“Vision”), while Aswathy Nair directs Madhoo and Asif Ali in “Vilpana” (“The Sale”).

Fahadh Faasil leads Mahesh Narayanan’s “Sherlock.” Jayarajan Nair directs an ensemble cast, including Kaillash, Indrans and Nedumudi Venu,...