'Ritu' to '2018': Malayalam actor Asif Ali's notable films
Malayalam actor-producer Asif Ali stepped into showbiz in 2009 with Ritu, where he played a landmark gay character. Known for experimenting with his roles, Ali has spent over a decade honing his craft in Malayalam cinema. Last seen in A Ranjith Cinema, he will next be featured in Thalavan. On his 38th birthday, take a look at some of his most noteworthy movies.
'Ritu' (2009)
Ritu is hailed as one of those films that altered the course of Malayalam cinema and ushered in a "new wave." In his debut project, Ali played Sunny, one of the three friends the story is centered around. Directed by Shyamaprasad and penned by Joshua Newtonn, it also features Nishan KP Nanaiah, Rima Kallingal, Vinay Forrt, and Jaya Menon.
'Kadha Thudarunnu' (2010)
Ali was paired against Mamta Mohandas in this Sathyan Anthikad directorial, and they played an inter-religious couple in this intense family drama. IMDb describes the drama as, "Vijayalakshmi struggles to lead a normal life after the sudden death of her husband. However, meeting Preman, an auto-rickshaw driver changes her life for the better." Haven't watched it yet? Stream the film on Disney+ Hotstar.
'Traffic' (2011)
Traffic is constructed in a hyperlink format, so multiple stories intertwine in this multistarrer film featuring Ali, Sreenivasan, Rahman, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Anoop Menon, and Sai Kumar, among others. Considered a modern-day cult classic, it is counted among one of the finest films of the Malayalam New Wave cinema. It has an 8.1/10 on IMDb and can be watched on Disney+ Hotstar.
'2018' (2023)
Ali is one of the ensemble members of Jude Anthany Joseph's survival thriller film 2018, based on the severe floods that ravaged large parts of Kerala in 2018. He played a fisherman's son named Nixon, who courageously goes against the grain of his family restrictions and bats for his career choice as a model. Led by Tovino Thomas, 2018 is streaming on SonyLIV.
