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Neelima Menon

Neelima Menon

Mathrubhumi English

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Beyond the culture shock: Ranjini Haridas Then and Now

In the tightly contained world of the Malayalee imagination, where anything that strays from the accepted staples is met with suspicion, arrived a...

24.02.2026 9

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

The art of controlled chaos: Why Pearle Maaney’s interviews feel different

Pearle Maaney plays by her own rules. Her interviews are messy, personal, unpredictable and often delightfully funny. She creates moments where...

29.01.2026 20

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

The best performances that stayed with us in Malayalam Cinema, 2025

2025 reaffirmed Malayalam cinema’s faith in restraint. The year’s most compelling performances didn’t announce themselves; they unfolded slowly,...

28.12.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

Legacy, craft and risk: Why Mammootty remains a masterclass for actors

For decades, each time the Mammootty versus Mohanlal argument resurfaced, the debate always pivoted around an undisputed script. If Mohanlal was...

27.11.2025 8

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

When female actors face difficult choices in Malayalam cinema

When Christo Tomy’s Ullozhukku (2024) was released, it drew wide praise for its layered female portrayals — brought to life with quiet precision...

02.11.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

When female actors face difficult choices in Malayalam cinema

When Christo Tomy’s Ullozhukku (2024) was released, it drew wide praise for its layered female portrayals — brought to life with quiet precision...

29.10.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

Dulquer Salmaan: Redefining stardom with humility and grace

In an industry where allegiances shift overnight and public images are often carefully sculpted, Dulquer Salmaan has managed something rare—he makes...

17.09.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

Unfiltered and Ubiquitous: How Malayalam cinema stars navigate the new era of Promo interviews

In the early 2000s, snagging an interview with a Malayalam movie star was no easy feat. Promotions as we know them today barely existed, and any...

25.08.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

Redefining Masculinity: Mohanlal wears Gold, Mammootty embraces Queerness

As ad filmmaker Prakash Varma runs Mohanlal through the shot breakdowns on set, the atmosphere is abuzz with quiet anticipation. Assistants scurry...

23.07.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

Shahi Kabir's portrayal of police officers in Malayalam cinema

The unravelling of SI Yohannan (a terrific Dileesh Pothan) in Ronth, written and directed by Shahi Kabir, is subtle yet deeply affecting. Kabir, known...

28.06.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

The man no one saw, a tragedy in vesham: Revisiting Vanaprastham

"All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women are merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays...

29.05.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

Family ties and untied emotions: Exploring Narayaneede Moonaanmakkal

Peeling back the layers of Narayaneede Moonaanmakkal - how it presents a complex and nuanced portrayal of sibling bonds, generational differences, and...

01.05.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon

The most gripping villains in Malayalam cinema since 2020

2025 CI George Mathan ( Thudarum ): Considering Shanmugan (Mohanlal) already had a rocky encounter with SI Benny C Kurian (Binu Pappu) over his...

01.05.2025 10

Mathrubhumi English

Neelima Menon