Minnal Murali actor Tovino Thomas: Regional cinema was always Indian Cinema

I became a part of the Malayalam film industry almost a decade ago. If someone would have told me that a day will come when our films will be watched around the world, I wouldn’t have believed them. Cut to today, our film Minnal Murali has been released on Netflix and reaches audiences around the world, in over 190 countries. This is huge, not just for all of us who gave our heart and soul to the film and its making, but for Malayalam cinema that I am proud to represent.

I often say that the finest Malayalam films haven’t reached audiences beyond Kerala. Until now, we have rarely got a chance to showcase our films to people in India, let alone the world. But that’s changing. Streaming services, like Netflix, have been a great addition to the Indian entertainment industry.  There shouldn't be a language barrier when it comes to cinema. Cinema being a visual medium is in itself a global medium. It's high time we start owning our work up as Indian Cinema rather than diving it into regional, mainstream, and whatnot. It's Indian Cinema. The best of its kind. All that matters is the story. It’s about the film itself, and how it’s made. It’s about filmmaking. The acting. The direction and more. It’s not about what language the story is told in or which part of the country it’s come from. Regional Cinema was always Indian Cinema. Let’s call it what it is.

Minnal Murali is streaming on Netflix with dubs and subtitles in several Indian and International languages. At the heart of it, it’s a superhero film set in a village in Kerala. A story of a man who is struck by lightning and gets superpowers. A story that the audiences will find funny and full of humour when they watch it in Malayalam or in English. That’s what stories are. They are universal.

Streaming services are liberating. For viewers, this means that they have even more choices to discover stories from different parts of the world, stories that can give them a glimpse of other cultures. For actors like me, we can focus on my strengths and be authentic, without trying too hard to be something or someone who has traditionally been more acceptable. I am proud to be identified as a national actor now, and not just a regional actor. And finally, for filmmakers, they can choose a subject that they are passionate about and be free to tell that story in a manner they want.

We are fortunate to be a part of this golden age of entertainment in India, where we can share our joy for good storytelling across regions, countries, cities, and languages. We really hope that with our film, Minnal Murali, we are able to set an example, act as a steppingstone and inspire many Malayalam filmmakers to reach out to the world with their stories.