Hridayam: Breaking The Common Stereotypes Of Malayalam Movies!

It was inspiring to watch Hridayam portray how studying, working hard and accomplishing goals make one genuinely happy from within.

Hridayam is a 2022 Malayalam movie directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan, starring Pranav Mohanlal, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Darshana Rajendran that’s running successfully all over the world!

I have been sick and tired of watching Malayalam movies that usually showcase ‘alcoholism’ and ‘misogyny’ as something great. This movie rubbishes both these concepts. The movie depicts alcoholism as a habit that is associated with being a rebel or depressed.  It was so refreshing to see that it is not something that deserved bragging rights! In most other Malayalam movies, gulping down alcohol by the prominent characters on screen is considered a flaunting act, presumably sponsored by the alcohol lobby in Kerala.

It was inspiring to watch the movie portray how studying, working hard and accomplishing goals make one genuinely happy from within. Even if one young-adult changes his/her perspective after watching this movie, it’s a huge achievement!

I also loved the way how Hridayam portrayed the people of our neighbouring state, the Tamilians! While most Malayalam movies I have seen refer to a Tamilian by the nickname ‘pandi’ and look down on them, Hridayam brings out the core values of a Tamilian, that are so unique and distinct to their culture, undeniably making them very pleasant to hang out with. All my friends who are Tamilians for sure are humble, hard-working, compassionate, extremely down to earth and not at all egoistic! I felt this movie was a tribute to their true nature.

Last but not the least, the movie had a wonderful depiction of its female characters. Both the female leads, Nithya (Kalyani) and Darshana (Darshana) are genuinely realistic. At least for me, it has always been hard to connect with any of the Malayalam movie heroines even the so-called popular ones because either they are shown as drinking/smoking/swearing when they are ‘feminists/modern’, or they are always cooking for their husbands when they are ‘nice’. I could never connect with either of these genres. The character played by Kalyani was real, someone with whom I (or most present-day women) could connect. Even the other female lead, Darshana is a strong character, who is shown to have zero tolerance for being lied to or taken for granted. I liked them both.

Overall, the movie was a pleasant watch. Hopefully, movies like this pave the way for some much-needed changes in the industry. Kudos to Vineeth Srinivasan and his team!

Image Credits: A still from the movie, Hridayam. 

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About the Author

Manju Nambiar

Manju Nambiar hails from the southern state of Kerala, India. A computer engineer by profession, she now works in one of the leading firms in San Jose, California where she lives with her husband and read more...

12 Posts | 41,530 Views

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