Jeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen had a quiet release on Neestream, an Over-the-Top platform for Malayalam content, on January 15. However, it didn’t take long for the film to become the talk of the town. With Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu in the lead, the film is about a young woman who marries into a prominent, upper caste, conservative family, and is expected to do all the housework with the men of the house being oblivious to her frustrations. The film also throws light on how religion sanctions misogyny.
Not just in Kerala, the film has touched a chord with viewers from across the country, especially women. While Nimisha played the nameless wife, Suraj was the indifferent husband. Their performances have won them critical acclaim and love from the audience.
If you haven’t watched the earlier films of these two talented actors, here’s a list of where you can watch them online.
Nimisha made her debut in 2017 and has only a handful of films to her name. However, her choice of scripts has ensured that she’s quickly established herself as one of the best actors of this generation in the Malayalam film industry. Here are our recommendations for Nimisha’s films:
Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum: Nimisha’s big break, interestingly, was with this Dileesh Pothan directorial which had her play wife to Suraj Venjaramoodu’s character, Prasad. She played the role of Sreeja, a young woman whose thaali maala is swallowed by a thief (Fahadh Faasil) on a bus. The film won three National Awards and two Kerala State Film Awards. It’s available on Disney+Hotstar.
Watch: Trailer of Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum
Eeda: In this B Ajithkumar film, a modern take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Nimisha played a young woman from a communist family who falls in love with a man (Shane Nigam) who comes from a family with RSS-BJP links. The intense love story is set in the political hotbed of Kannur. The film is available on Netflix.
Oru Kuprasidha Payyan: Directed by Madhupal, this film is based on a real life murder. It has Tovino Thomas play a young man who is framed for a murder. Nimisha plays the fiery lawyer Hanna who takes over the defence of the accused. Although the film received mixed reviews, Nimisha’s performance was appreciated by all. The film is out on Manorama Max.
Chola: Directed by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, this is a disturbing film that looks at ideas of chastity and sexual violence against women. Nimisha plays a schoolgirl who goes on a forbidden trip with her boyfriend and lands in trouble. The violence is quite graphic (the usually amiable Joju George is an absolute monster here) and difficult to stomach, but Nimisha’s searing performance makes it a must-watch for those who wish to follow her work. The film is available on Amazon Prime Video.
Suraj started his career as a mimicry artist and was known mostly as a comedian in Malayalam cinema. However, he made people sit up when he bagged the National Award for Best Actor for Perariyathavar. From a small-time comedian to an actor who headlines films, Suraj has come a long way. Here are some recommendations that are available online:
Action Hero Biju: Suraj only has a cameo in this film directed by Abrid Shine. However, his role as a father who wants the custody of his daughter was the most poignant scene in this film, which chronicles the life of a police officer (Nivin Pauly). The mainstream film revealed that Suraj is a versatile performer who can do roles beyond comedy. The film is available on Disney+Hotstar.
Android Kunjappan Ver 5.25: Suraj bagged the Kerala State Award for Best Actor for this film along with Vikrithi. Directed by Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval, the film has Suraj play a cranky elderly man whose son (Soubin) gets him a robot as a caregiver. The hilarious comedy is available on Amazon Prime Video.
Watch: Trailer of Android Kunjappan Ver 5.25
Vikrithi: Directed by Emcy Joseph, this film is based on the true life story of a man whose photograph in the Kerala Metro went viral with false assumptions. Suraj plays Eldho, a family man with hearing and speech disabilities. Soubin also plays an important role in the film. The film is available on Netflix.
Driving License: Directed by Lal Jr, this film has Suraj in the role of a police officer, the fan of a cinema star (Prithviraj), who turns against his icon after the latter insults him. The rest of the film follows the ego clash between the two men. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.