The films in the Malayalam film industry, which pertain to ghosts and spirits, mostly feature women in supernatural roles. Female ghosts were a common trope in older horror movies, and you’d hardly find male ghosts in Malayalam cinema. It characterized the spirits as women who either killed themselves because of the involvement of another person or were killed by someone else. Their ultimate aim would be vengeance. We often see them as adorning the usual white saree, sometimes with vampire-like teeth, and most commonly, the ghostly smile.
But eventually, the audience saw the emergence of a decent number of male ghosts in Malayalam cinema. Unlike the usual white garments that the female spirits wore, the movies showed them wearing the same clothes during the time of their death.
Given below is a list of male ghosts featured in Malayalam cinema. Spoiler Alert: We recommend you skim through the titles if you haven’t watch the movies yet.
Pappan from Pappan Priyappetta Pappan
Rahman plays the role of Pappan, a singer who dies in an accident. Lord Yama, on realising that there are a few more days left in his life, offers Pappan a proposal. He’s given the chance to enter the bodies of other dead people. He thus enters the bodies of a rich old man, a thief, and a police officer. This makes his life more interesting. The audience found the movie interesting as the deeds that Pappan does in different bodies were joyful to watch.
Raghuram from Aparichithan
Mammootty plays the role of Raghuram, a photographer. When he is first encountered, he befriends three girls, who are the protagonists of the story. They later realize that he was already dead. He was a spirit whose aim was to avenge the death of a girl, whom he considered as his sister. The three girls in the movie had used an Ouija Board to communicate with the spirit. When the movie hit the theatres, this board fascinated many of us.
Abraham Ezra from Ezra:
Ezra is one of the many movies in Malayalam cinema that showcases male ghosts. Sudev Nair plays the role of the Jew named Abraham Ezra, whose father put his soul in a dybbuk box after his death. If someone opened the box, the spirit would come out and possess the mentally weak. The film shows the male protagonist, played by Prithviraj, being possessed by the spirit.
Manav Mathew from Pretham 2
The film is the sequel to Pretham. It follows the story of a team of filmmakers who experience paranormal activities in an old mansion. With the help of John Don Bosco, a mentalist, they come to know that the spirit is of Manav Mathew (played by Minon John). Manav, an introvert, got into a trap as a financial scam. His father gets arrested and commits suicide because he couldn’t bear the remorse. His aim was to find the real culprits behind his death.
Antony from Anugraheethan Antony:
Antony (played by Sunny Wayne), died in an accident, as he was on his way to meet the girl he loved. The movie stresses the common belief that the souls of dead people remain on earth for seven days before ascending to heaven. Being invisible to others, and with seven days left on earth, Antony tries to inform the girl he loves about his death.
By showcasing several male ghosts, the Malayalam cinema has changed the cliche concepts of ghosts. Many of the films featuring such male ghosts have become great entertainers rather than the usual scary trope. When the number of male ghosts in the Malayalam cinema gradually increases, it will definitely fascinate the Malayali audience who always look for something different.
