Iru, the 2023 Malayalam film that opened and closed quietly in theatres, is finally getting its right place on OTT. directed by Fr. Varghese Lal, Iru has landed on Amazon Prime Video, and viewers are finally engaging with its grounded themes of caste, identity, and student politics.
Filmed completely on the Mahatma Gandhi University campus, the film adapts Shakespeare's Othello to a contemporary Indian setting — with fearless storytelling that's finding new audiences on the digital platform.What makes Iru stand out is its powerful representation of marginalized voices and nuanced campus dynamics. The movie didn't get much attention during its theatrical run, but on OTT, it's reaching more viewers who are appreciating its strong performances and thought-provoking plot. As with many films that miss the commercial radar in theatres, Iru has found a second life online — and deservedly so.
A Shakespearean Drama Retold in a Kerala Campus
Iru is the first-ever Malayalam adaptation of Othello set in a university backdrop. The movie revolves around Rishi (a lower-caste orphan) and Priya (an upper-caste postgraduate research student) whose inter-caste love becomes the point of interest in the narrative. The title Iru itself is metaphorical — named after one of the most unused letters of the Malayalam alphabet, symbolizing the outcast status of Rishi both in society and within the university life.
The narrative goes into three love stories across caste and identity lines — a Dalit boy and an upper-caste girl, a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl, and another within the same group. Across this backdrop, Iru looks at how love becomes political when bridged by privilege and identity. These intersecting stories are overlaid with colourism, college politics, and betrayal — just like in its Othello roots.
A Fresh but Faithful Adaptation of Othello
Critics have praised Iru for its fresh localisation of Othello. While it retains the emotional gravity and betrayal of the source material, it localises the play around Kerala's college politics and caste system. The climax, from initial Prime viewers, is at once faithful to Shakespeare and chillingly relevant to present-day India.
The film's script, written by MG University professor Dr. Jose K. Manuel, complements the lived experiences of Kerala youth, and cinematographer Siddharth Shiva, an alumnus of one campus himself, renders the imagery simple and recallable. The actors are ably supported by seasoned ones from Rajeev Rajan, Nayana Elsa, Dane Davis, Anjali Nair, and Malayalam cinema icon Renji Panicker. Suraj S. Kurup's composition lends a creepy element to the narrative, and the vocals of Vineeth Sreenivasan and Manjari.
OTT Details
The movie Iru quietly got released to Amazon Prime Video last week. Check the movie and share your review.
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