A new hero has arrived in town and his name is Sulaiman aka Ali Ikka. If you have not met him yet, he is the protagonist in Fahadh Faasil’s latest film Malik. The much-anticipated Malayalam film, which was on everyone’s watchlists, caused a lot of craze when it was released on Amazon Prime Video. At that point, one could only imagine what kind of storm it would have caused if it had been released in theatres (especially considering that the film was made for a theatre audience). The story of a young Muslim man in Kerala who fights all social evils in his area, from corruption to communal differences, this movie is very emotional at its core. And there is a whole genre of such political thriller movies that you can watch if you have loved Malik.
If you’re done watching Malik, odds are you would have loved it. And while the amazing feeling that hits you at the climax might remain with you for a few days, here are some political movies that you should watch if you loved Malik.
#1 The Godfather (1972)
When Malik was released, many comparisons were made with the famed classic, The Godfather. If you look at the protagonists too, there are a lot of similarities between Sulaiman and Michael Corleone. Obviously, Malik is much more grounded in its depiction and only represents the story of a powerful man in a small village. But if you loved the righteousness ,and the daring, of Ali Ikka in Malik, there’s a good chance you’d love The Godfather as well.
Where to watch – YouTube (Buy or Rent)
#2 Nayakan (1987)
Nayakan is another classic movie that Malik has much in common with. Right from the opening scene where Ali Ikka is arrested, you get a Nayakan deja vu. This 1987 Tamil film, directed by Mani Ratnam, was a major hit and earned Kamal Haasan a National Award. If there’s any movie that Malik can look up to, it is Nayakan. If you loved Malik, Nayakan is one of the political movies you just can’t afford to miss and have to watch sometime.
Where to watch – Amazon Prime Video
#3 Lal Salam (1990)
If there is one Malayalam actor who has nailed the political drama genre, other than Fahadh Faasil, it’s Mohanlal. Over his lengthy film career, he has done a lot of political films and two of them appear on this list. The first one is Lal Salam which follows the early days of the Communist Party in Kerala. The protagonist is Nettoor Stephen, an activist who rises in power and brings communism to Kerala. The movie was a big hit on its release and ran for more than 150 days in theatres.
Where to watch – YouTube
#4 Agneepath (1990)
With roles like Don (1978), Agneepath (1990) and Sarkar (2005), Amitabh Bachchan was the one who heralded the gangster hero in Bollywood. Especially in Agneepath, he was a teacher’s righteous son who fought for the less-privileged people’s lives against an evil don. The movie immortalised the name, Vijay Dinanath Chauhan. It earned Amitabh Bachchan his first National Award. The protagonist’s father is important to the plot in both Agneepath and Malik, even though he dies right at the beginning. The death of their fathers made Vijay and Ali Ikka what they are.
Where to watch – Amazon Prime Video
#5 Thalapathi (1991)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC5yWXqb8Ys
Rajinikanth fans might love Malik for one reason – it’s another story of a boy rising from nothing to become a powerful person. Much like Thalapathi, where a slum dweller grows intolerant of injustice and eventually finds an ally in his fight. With Mammootty in a supporting role and Arvind Swami as the villain, there are many reasons why Thalapathi was such a big hit. And these are also reasons for you to watch this movie.
Where to watch – Amazon Prime Video
#6 Sarkar (2005)
Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) is known for his excellent crime movies and Sarkar is one of them. Starring Amitabh Bachchan as the titular character, this movie is about a local don in Mumbai who is a benevolent person and looks after his own. This crime thriller is so good that it was archived by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and also kicked off a trilogy of movies. It is one of the memorable roles of Amitabh Bachchan and a must-watch movie for those who love the crime genre.
Where to watch – YouTube
#7 Nene Raju Nene Mantri (2017)
While it is a romantic drama at its heart, Nene Raju Nene Mantri has elements of a political movie. It follows the rise of a simple moneylender called Jogendra to become a powerful politician with his wife Radha at his side. This was Rana Daggubati’s first film after the highly successful Baahubali series and his popularity could be seen when the movie became a box office success.
Where to watch – Amazon Prime Video
#8 Lucifer (2019)
Before Malik, the last Malayalam political drama you might have watched is Lucifer. This Prithviraj Sukumaran directorial is about massive political chaos in Kerala when a political party loses its leader. Then, our hero, Mohanlal’s Stephen steps in and exposes the depths of corruption in the Indian political system. In the ways they tackle the subject of corruption, Lucifer and Malik are very different but the two movies are similar in their two protagonists, Stephen and Sulaiman.
Where to watch – Amazon Prime Video
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