Plot Summary – Post her marriage, a woman tries to fit into the conventional mould that society has prescribed for married women. But somewhere along the way, she starts feeling that this is not the life she wants.

Language – Malayalam

Where to Watch – Amazon Prime Video (with English subtitles)

★★★★★ 

Watched on 29 Jun 2021

This is my new favourite film of 2021. Absolutely everything about this film was absolutely perfect. The way it portrays its message is so effective and if you have a heart, it will evoke a reaction out of you. Especially for urban people, we often don’t realize the patriarchy happening in our own families back in the village and this film shows it in a brutal light. None of the characters are named showing the fact that this is a universal story that can happen to anyone. It is not a critique of one family, one culture or one religion, it just uses the example of one woman’s story and her surroundings to show a larger critique of patriarchy as a whole and the way it does it just too effective to ignore. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful, how it contrasts the beautiful food cooked to the filth and waste of the kitchen is just so well done. The direction and writing work in perfect harmony to show the slow degradation of a newly-wed young woman as she is mistreated more and more by this terrible aged system. The fact that the film is dedicated to science, in the beginning, is so important as we see most films begin with a dedication to god (which is in no way wrong, as a religious person myself, I would probably do the same but in the context of this film, it’s very visceral to see that). Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu are absolutely brilliant as a pivotal couple of the film and the universality of the story is very well portrayed by them. But T Suresh Babu has to be the standout actor in the film as his role as the father-in-law is one of the scariest and most real villains I’ve seen in a film as I scarily saw shades of my own relatives in him. I recommend The Great Indian Kitchen to all human beings, especially Indians, this is the most important film I’ve watched in a long time.