What are some common misconceptions/prejudices perpetuated by Malayalam cinema?

As a non-Malayalee who regularly watch Malayalam movies,I love their themes,story line,direction,acting,script etc.much more than Tamil movies.However,I do feel more than fit to reveal a lot of prejudices perpetuated in these movies that ethnic Malayalee movie-watchers may miss to spot out.

Here are some of my interesting observations:

• Anti-Christian attitude

Kerala is one State in India where Christians are a dominant section of the society.Christians of Kerala are the earliest Christians of not only India but of the world. In fact,Saint Thomas,a direct disciple of Jesus landed in Kerala by 52 A.D. Kerala Christians gave education,self-dignity,social status etc. to the Keralites who were toiling under an oppressive caste system of the Brahmins.So,they have a significant role in shaping up the present Kerala.Moreover,they have contributed to the growth of India as well.Verghese Kurien ,founder of the legendary Amul,P.C.Alexander,Governor of Tamil Nadu ,P.J.Thomas,1st Chief Economic Advisor to GOI,Anna Malhotra,1st female IAS officer of India,Admiral Ronald,Chief of Navy,are a few examples that springs up in my mind.

Despite such achievements,it’s sad to note that many Malayalam movies portray the Kerala Christians in bad light.They show them as criminals,top bureaucrats in collusion with politicians,under world goondas etc. One movie,’Christian brothers’,a Mohanlal film,shows the entire family as criminals.None will dare to name a film as ‘Hindu brothers’ and show the family as criminals!DGP is named as Thomas Chacko and he will be shielding a criminal. An upright officer always carrying a Hindu name,say Neelakantta Mara or Ashok Nariman will be assigned to outsmart the Christian DGP!Sethuram Iyer will be the CBI detective and Matthai will be under him ,trying to please him !Pastors/Fathers are made a subject of jokes. In one movie,a Father in tunic is shown as running here and there for a toilet. In another,Father trainees are talking about Nayantara. Love scenes are shot inside the holy church which is against Christian way of life.

• Tamil Nadu speaks Malayalam !

Lot of Malayalam movies dwell around cities in other States.For example,’Bangalore Days’ is shot in Bangalore city. In such movies the local characters like Police are shown to speak in local language Kannada.Similarly in Mumbai based movies ,Hindi is shown as local language with Malayalam translations appearing simultaneously at the bottom.However,in a good number of movies which revolve around Ooty,Kodaikkanal of Tamil Nadu ,all local characters like the Police,Doctors,street walkers etc.SPEAK ONLY MALAYALAM ! In one movie ,all staff of Vijaya Studios,Chennai are shown to speak in Malayalam only ! In another,a Mammooty film,riot control Police in Ooty instruct in Malayalam !Malayalam movies are otherwise known for their realistic portrayal.Despite such a wrong portrayal,if a beggar or a servant character is shown,even in Kerala,they invariably speak in Tamil only!Tamil seems to be avoided at all costs even where it is essential and wherever shown,it’s shown in poor light.

In most Malayalam movies,Tamilians are called as Paandi ,shown as beggars,servants,criminals,rowdies,money-lenders and north Indians speaking Hindi are shown as respectful. In one Mohanlal starrer, a Thoothukudi based container company with Tamil name ,is shown as smuggling Kerala teenagers abroad in containers!No Tamilian ever involves in such heinous crimes and no such news report is on record so far. In another Urvashi movie,a Tiruppur textile man is shown as exporting little girls to Mumbai flesh market!

Tamil language is also ridiculed often forgetting that Tamil is the known mother of Malayalam. In one movie,a Tamilian asks a Malayalee to move a little so that he can pass through.He says’Thallu’in Tamil.The comedian pushes him down and laughs as’Thallu’ means ‘push’ also .It may be observed that no Tamil movie makes fun of Malayalam words though the scope is plenty.

• Everone from Kerala is from a tharavadu !

Most of the movies revolve around rich Nairs and Namboothiris if not Christian.Such movies talk about the pride of the tharavadu,secrets,murders,greed etc.

(Quora Answer Reproduced)