A Journey Through The Wit, Warmth & Human Stories Of Sathyan Anthikad’s Cinema

FOR OVER FOUR DECADES, Sathyan Anthikad has been one of Malayalam cinema’s most consistent storytellers. His films, often rooted in the everyday lives of the middle class, blend humour, emotion, and social observation in ways that feel both timeless and deeply local. Whether working with long-time collaborators like Sreenivasan or branching out into new genres, Anthikad has shown an uncanny ability to balance satire with sentiment. With his latest collaboration with Mohanlal, Hridayapoorvam, releasing on August 28, here are a few of his memorable works that continue to resonate across generations.

Nadodikattu

In this seminal collaboration with writer Sreenivasan, Sathyan Anthikad crafts a satire that dissects unemployment, aspiration, and misplaced pride through the lens of two unforgettable characters — Dasan (Mohanlal) and Vijayan (Sreenivasan). Dasan’s intellectual vanity, rooted in his “BA first class degree,” constantly rubs against Vijayan’s grounded pragmatism, creating a dynamic that is both humorous and poignant. Their botched escape to Dubai, which leaves them stranded in Chennai, becomes less about geography and more about survival, dignity, and friendship. What keeps us invested is the writing, which is endlessly witty, yet capable of piercing through with moments of quiet pathos.

Gandhinagar 2nd Street

Perhaps few collaborations have captured the anxieties and humour of Kerala’s middle class as effectively as the Anthikad–Sreenivasan–Mohanlal partnership. Here, the familiar terrain of unemployment is filtered through Mohanlal’s endearing con-man act — posing as a Nepali Gurkha despite his comically flawed Hindi. The deception allows the film to explore questions of identity and survival within a microcosmic neighbourhood teeming with eccentricities. Romance, satire, and humour blend seamlessly, while a delightful Mammootty cameo reinforces the film’s cult charm. It remains a testament to how simple premises, executed with wit and warmth, can achieve timelessness.

Pattanapravesham

As a sequel to Nadodikattu, this film takes Dasan and Vijayan into the unfamiliar world of law enforcement, turning them into CIDs who wear their new titles with misplaced pride and absolute cluelessness. Dasan’s pompous reliance on his “degree” and seniority clashes wonderfully with Vijayan’s scepticism, amplifying their odd-couple dynamic. What unfolds is a comedy of errors, populated by eccentric characters who heighten the absurdity of the central pair. Though lighter in tone and less satirical than its predecessor, Pattanapravesham thrives on its buoyant humour and remains one of Malayalam cinema’s most entertaining sequels.

Kalikkalam

Departing from his middle-class comedies, Anthikad collaborates with crime specialist SN Swamy to explore the morally ambiguous figure of a Robin Hood–esque conman. Mammootty’s performance anchors the film — he invests the character with a laid-back confidence, never overplaying his skills, while letting a quiet sadness seep through the bravado. The narrative’s allure lies not just in the ingenious disguises or swindles, but in the tonal balance: moments of tenderness and romance punctuate the intrigue, ensuring the film never slips into formula. Kalikkalam showcases Anthikad’s versatility, marrying thriller tropes with human emotion.

Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu

The film carries all the recognisable markers of Anthikad’s cinema — a rustic village setting, eccentric supporting characters, humour tinged with naivety. However, what elevates it is the intricately structured screenplay, which seamlessly stitches together a multitude of lives into a vivid, living world. At the centre stands Bhaskaran (Sreenivasan), the goldsmith whose love for his neighbour Snehalatha (Urvashi) drives him to gift her a gold chain in the hope of securing her affection and her father’s approval, only to be discarded for a wealthier match. From that heartbreak flows a narrative steeped in wit, irony, and pathos, where betrayal and redemption sit side by side. Like many of Anthikad’s best works, it is a film that makes you smile even through the ache, affirming his rare ability to extract lightness from life’s cruelties.

Sandesham

Written by Sreenivasan, Sandesham can be called Anthikad’s most incisive look at politics, and yet it is strikingly apolitical in intent, choosing satire over sermon. The narrative examines the absurdities of party loyalty through two brothers who join opposing political camps, less out of ideology and more as a convenient way to shirk responsibilities. What ensues is chaos, with the household itself becoming a microcosm of Kerala’s political culture. Their retired father, initially proud of his sons’ involvement, gradually confronts the hollowness of their choices. Blending sharply etched characters with situational humour, Sandesham functions both as a timeless comedy and a biting commentary that continues to resonate in today’s political climate.

Sandesham is streaming on JioHotstar, now available with your OTTplay Premium subscription.

Thalayana Manthram

In Thalayana Manthram, Anthikad departs from his usual male-centred narratives and crafts a story around Kanchana (Urvashi), a homemaker whose flaws make her both relatable and fascinating. Having lived within the confines of a joint family, Kanchana’s insecurities sharpen with the arrival of a new bride, prompting her to manipulate situations and engineer rifts between brothers. Her longing for upward mobility and material comforts, while deeply human, spirals into self-destructive choices. The film, though problematic in its reinforcement of patriarchal values and its dismissal of female agency, is redeemed by Urvashi’s powerhouse performance. She imbues Kanchana with a rare originality, creating a character who is selfish, vulnerable, comic, and tragic all at once.