The disappearing Woman in Malayalam cinema, through the lens of 'Thudarum' and 'Chhota Mumbai'
The summer of 2025 was a great one for Mohanlal, whose fans have been showering him with adoration after a torrid few years at the box office. It started with Tharun Moorthy's 'Thudarum' which saw crowds throng their nearest theatres to witness what they were convinced was Mohanlal's 'comeback' film. The sobriquet "Malayalathinte Mohanlal" (Malayalam's Mohanlal) and the phrase "Mohanlal Thudarum" (Mohanlal will continue) spread like wildfire on social media. This celebration was further accentuated with the re-release of the cult classic film 'Chhota Mumbai', with visuals of fans going wild in the theatres gaining attraction. Amidst the festive spirit, there were a few things that irked me about the reaction to the films, which I realised was a worrying trend that has plagued the Malayalam industry since the turn of the century.