Move Over Bollywood! These 11 Regional Films Of 2021 Will Make You Proud Of Indian Cinema

Thanks to the OTT streaming services which are now giving a bigger platform to all kinds of content including regional cinema to reach a bigger audience. Malayalam, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali and many other regional languages are gaining immense popularity on the web.

Films like The Disciple and Court made international waves and also left the Indian audiences stunned. This year as well there are several marvellous regional-language films that caught our fancy and made us proud of Indian cinema.

1. Jai Bhim - Tamil

Based on real-life events and the struggle of a woman whose husband was arrested on charges of theft. Things became mysterious after he went missing from the prison. Did he run away or is the Police hiding something?

2. Koozhangal - Tamil

India's official entry for Oscars, Koozhangal is based on a real-life incident of director PS Vinothraj's family which inspired him to direct the film. The movie explored the relationship between an alcoholic, abusive husband and his wife, who deserts him. The story has been narrated from the point of view of their child. The father and the son travel to another village to bring back the mother/wife, and what happens on their journey is basically the crux of the film.

3. The Great Indian Kitchen - Malayalam

The film directed by Jeo Baby revolves around the controversial topic of entry of women in the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala. It also touched upon the stigma associated with menstruation. The film is about how suffocating a marriage turns for a woman who is stuck with her daily chores. No matter how good she tries to be, the traditional orthodox family isn't always happy. The film is not entirely about the kitchen.

4. Chhello Show - Gujarati

This Gujarati coming of age film is one of the films that was being considered as India's official entry for Oscars. The film revolves around the magic of cinema and is told from the viewpoint of a nine year old boy who gets introduced to the world of cinema through his friendship with a projectionist.

5. Mandela - Tamil

If you like political satires that accurately portray the current state of politics, Mandela is a must-watch for you. The story follows a local barber whose vote becomes a deciding factor in the village elections.

6. Nayattu - Malayalam

The political sattire is about cops Praveen Michael, Maniyan and Sunitha who get involved in an unforeseen incident just 4 days before the elections. They are being framed for a crime by corrupt politicians. How will they avoid getting arrested?

7. Master - Tamil

Starring Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi in the lead roles, Master revolves around an alcoholic professor at a juvenile school wh fights off a gangster who is using children for illegal and criminal activities. The film is a blockbuster.

8. Drishyam 2 - Malayalam

The film is a great watch and just like the first one, it will keep you on the edge of the seat until the very end. While most seqeuls are a disappointment, this one will leave you impressed.

9. Karnan - Tamil

Critically acclaimed Tamil film starring Dhanush won Best Indian Film award at the Innovative International Film Festival in Bangalore. Karnan is a story of a man determined to break the chains of caste discrimination. It is a tale of rising up against oppression.

10. Joji - Malayalam

This film starring Malayalam superstar Fahadh Faasil was praised by Hindi actors like Gajraj Rao who took a dig at how Bollywood concentrates on remakes and box office numbers and often compromises on quality. This crime drama will keep you hooked until the end. The twist, in the end, is a grand surprise.

11. Malik - Malayalam

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After the grand success of CU Soon, Fahadh Faasil will be back in this film written and directed by Mahesh Narayanana. Also starring Nimisha Sajayan, Joju George, Dileesh Pothan and Maala Parvathi, the crime thriller is based on the theme of land acquisition. "At its core, Malik is a political thriller. The story is relevant because in Kerala, there has been an increase of land acquisition cases, especially in sensitive coastal areas," the director told TOI.

Let us know in the comments sections if you think there's any other film we should add to the list.