Just watched the Malayalam film EKO and wow, it was amazing. The twist at the end blew my mind. South Indian cinema truly shines, yet it rarely gets the spotlight even within India because of language barriers. I've come across several underrated gems from the south, and EKO is the latest. I highly recommend you give it a go and support South Indian cinema with the love and recognition it deserves. Movies like Iratta and EKO hardly draw crowds, while films like Saiyara fill theatres, and then we complain about Bollywood's lack of quality.
Every genre has its own box‑office expectations. So why the complaint?
Malayalam cinema is booming post‑COVID, with so many good films. My two personal favourites are *Ee.Ma.Yu* directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery – you can find it on YouTube – and *Solo* by Bejoy Nambiar. Do check them out.
I get that you mean well, but calling it "South Indian cinema" is a bit off. Each South Indian state has its own film sensibility, so it's better to name the specific industry next time.
It earned over 50 cr on a 5 cr budget – definitely not unnoticed.
Watch *Sambhavam* ASAP.
Malayalam movies focus on storytelling rather than just chasing box‑office numbers. Sure, some are average, but the standout ones succeed because of strong narratives. My first watch this year was EKO, and I haven't seen another thriller that grips the soul as much in any other Indian language. While I don't love comparing across languages, I do feel Malayalam cinema goes beyond other South Indian industries and even the Hindi film world.
I couldn't stop thinking about it for a few days and read every discussion and interpretation.
Malayalam films are among India's finest, in my opinion. *Mumbai Police* and *Ronth* are other great titles that come to mind.
Malayalam cinema = content first, hype later. Strong writing + realistic stories beat big‑budget fluff. It just needs better reach beyond the region.
It was just okay for me, but you should watch *Kishkindha Kandham* – it's really good.