Aattam's big win at National Film Awards 2024 and the rise of Malayalam cinema
As Aattam continues to garner accolades, it stands as a testament to the creativity and storytelling prowess that has propelled Malayalam films to new heights on the national stage.
Updated : August 16, 2024 04:24 PM ISTAs Aattam continues to garner accolades, it stands as a testament to the creativity and storytelling prowess that has propelled Malayalam films to new heights on the national stage.
Aattam poster
The critically acclaimed Aattam shined at the 70th National Film Awards by winning top honours, including the coveted Best Film Award. Written and directed by debutant Anand Ekarshi, the film secured the awards for Best Feature Film and Best Screenplay. Additionally, the film's editor, Mahesh Bhuvanend, won the award for Best Editing.
Aattam was a big hit on the festival circuit. It had its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles in 2023 and was also the opening movie at the 53rd International Film Festival of India.
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Touted as being inspired by the Hollywood classic Twelve Angry Men, Aattam revolves around a team of theatre artists. The drama troupe is composed entirely of men, with just one female member. The movie is a procedural drama that delves into the risks women face when they speak out against sexual violence. The film explores the trauma that survivors of sexual crimes endure. Instead of providing them justice, the investigations only aggravate their pain and further intimidate them.
Aattam stars Vinay Forrt, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Zarin Shihab, and Aji Thiruvamkulam, among others. The film is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
The rise of Malayalam cinema
The spectacular success of Aattam at the National Film Awards has added momentum to the continued rise of the Malayalam film industry. The year so far has been very rewarding for the industry in terms of both commercial and critical success. While Malayalam movies have always been recognized for their excellence, commercial success had often eluded them. The high praise for Malayalam cinema from across the country seldom translated into ticket sales. However, that changed in 2024, with the Malayalam film industry emerging as the biggest box office winner this year.
While its neighboring industries struggled to capture the imagination of audiences, Malayalam cinema thrived at the box office—not just in Kerala or its traditional markets, but also in states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The growing popularity of Malayalam films was so significant that stakeholders in the exhibition business vied for the distribution rights to capitalize on the industry’s rising appeal among the masses.
While films like Premalu, Manjummel Boys, and Aavesham were pathbreakers in expanding the fan base of Malayalam cinema, movies like Aattam showcased the ingenuity of storytelling talents in the industry.