Perhaps the biggest surprise for Malayalam cinema in 2023 was Jeo Baby’s ‘Kaathal: The Core’, featuring Mammootty as a gay man trapped in a heterosexual marriage, which garnered substantial success at the box office.
Lineage can offer a backdoor entry, and maybe a longer rope, but Malayalam cinema has made it clear that a director’s longevity rests on their craftsmanship, an urge to do something radical, exciting, bold, and original.