Anjali Menon joins the 'where are women in Malayalam cinema' debate

Filmmaker Anjali Menon has expressed her support for the ongoing debate about the absence of strong female characters in recent Malayalam movies. In her Instagram story, she shared a news article and remarked, "Good to see these questions in the media."

The Malayalam film industry is going through an interesting phase at the box office as it continues to expand its gains and fan following across the world. Movies like 2018, Manjummel Boys, and Aavesham have made record-breaking collections worldwide. However, they are also devoid of significant female characters. This has sparked a huge debate in the media, with several celebrities expressing their opinions about it.

Anjali Menon is one of the leading female directors in the Malayalam film industry. Even though she makes male-centric movies, her films have offered several deeply meaningful, real, and strong female characters. Take, for example, her 2012 movie Ustad Hotel. The film explores the science, passion, and politics behind food. It mainly revolves around Dulquer Salmaan's Faizal and his journey of self-discovery through the culinary world. Yet, the film's female lead Shahana, played by Nithya Menen, still gets her due importance and opportunity to make an impression on the audience.

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Anjali's other coming-of-age story, Bangalore Days, offers equal space for her male and female characters to tell their stories. The film revolves around three cousins and their experiences living in Bengaluru. In Koode, she explored the trauma of sexual and domestic abuse through the lens of both male and female genders.

Her 2022 movie, Wonder Women, was a female-centric film, revolving around the varying experiences of women with pregnancy.

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