'Machante Maalakha' review | This Soubin Shahir, Namitha Pramod movie offers a fresh perspective on domestic abuse

The suffering central character in films focusing on domestic abuse is often a woman—an ailing mother, a long-suffering wife, or the newlywed daughter-in-law whose acquired family shows no kindness. 'Machante Maalakha', directed by Boban Samuel, is unique in that regard. The movie points the lens at a male victim in the context of a newlywed couple who moves into the wife's home after marriage.

If the villains in The Great Indian Kitchen are the oblivious, neglectful, and demanding male members of the family, in Machante Maalakha, the antagonist, Kunjimol (Shanthi Krishna), is a highly unreasonable woman who will go to any lengths to get her way. She has no sympathy for her husband or her newly ‘adopted’ son-in-law (Soubin Shahir), who marries her only daughter (Namitha Pramod), a woman with her own eccentricities. If the gist of the plot reminds you of the 1989 Rajinikanth film Mappillai, you’re not alone.

However, unlike The Great Indian Kitchen, 'Machante Maalakha' focuses on a minority experience and may not reflect what most men undergo. Still, it deserves applause for highlighting issues that warrant discussion. The film essentially advocates for men’s rights without turning into a ‘men’s movie.’ That said, the makers could have toned down the film’s black-and-white portrayal of the mother-in-law’s villainy for the sake of narrative depth.

Soubin Shahir, Namitha Pramod, Manoj K U, and Dileesh Pothan deliver solid performances, with Shanthi Krishna standing out. Meanwhile, Ouseppachan’s melodic score plays a crucial role in elevating the film’s mood at key moments.