Right-wing historians have demanded a ban on the show’s third episode, which portrays a Brahmin advisor conspiring against the local assembly. The creators maintain it is based on the Purananuru ’s lesser-known verses. Verdict: A national award contender. 2. The Kunjali Marakkar Chronicles (Netflix – February 2026) The Plot: We have seen the Marakkar as a heroic admiral. This four-part docu-drama hybrid flips the script. It follows the fourth Kunjali, not against the Portuguese, but against the Zamorin who betrayed him.
Newcomer Azeem Nadir plays the young Kunjali with a quiet rage. The series' most haunting image is the signing of the 1599 treaty—a still frame where the Zamorin’s hand refuses to touch the Kunjali’s. Verdict: A masterclass in visual storytelling. 3. The Lucifer of Malabar (Amazon Prime Video – January 2026) The Plot: The most audacious release of the year. It reimagines the 1921 Malabar Rebellion not as a religious riot, but as a proto-Marxist peasant uprising. The title is ironic—referencing the British moniker for Variamkunnath Kunhamed Haji. released shows malayalam history 2026
By Our Film Correspondent April 14, 2026 Right-wing historians have demanded a ban on the
Shot entirely in ARRI IMAX, the naval battle sequences are being compared to Master and Commander . But the show's soul is its interrogation of caste. For the first time, a historical show explicitly details the Mappila-Muslim maritime lineage and their conflict with the Nair feudal lords. It follows the fourth Kunjali, not against the
Director Lijo Jose Pellissery (returning after the experimental Malaikottai Valiban ) employs a "punk" aesthetic. The first twenty minutes are silent, black-and-white, depicting the feudal torture of the Mappila farmers. When color explodes during the attack on the Tirurangadi police station, audiences reportedly gasped.