Kaathal – The Core

A subject far ahead of it's time. At least in a place like that.  The context is intentionally slow, to showcase the life - 'The Great Indian Kitchen' type. 

Kaathal – The Core is a 2023 Indian Malayalam-language drama film[2] directed by Jeo Baby and written by Adarsh Sukumaran and Paulson Skaria. Produced by Mammootty Kampany, the film stars Mammootty and Jyothika.

Mathew Devassy lives with his family of four - his wife, Omana, daughter, Fenny, and father, Devassy, leading a respectable life in his village. Thanks to his father's contribution towards the CR Party, Mathew is given a chance to contest the Local Village Body elections. One evening, he comes to know that Omana has filed a divorce petition against him. Upon confronting that it might hinder his election candidature, Omana says that she had filed it two months ago. They approach a speedy trial in the Kerala High Court, where Omana had filed a petition alleging that he has not fulfilled her marital and sexual desires, but was perfect in raising a family. The respondent lawyer asks her the number of times they had intercourse, to which she replies four - in their entire twenty years of marital life.

Upon questioning the need for a divorce then, the representent lawyer argues that and Mathew would have committed a crime according to the then existing law. Mathew claims that he has no knowledge of his homosexuality and Thankan, his alleged partner accused in the case, during the cross-checking by the prosecution. Thankan, who owns a driving school, expresses anguish that his sexual orientation is different and that his school is flooded by only women. Meanwhile, the party is puzzled about Mathew's campaigneering.

As the case proceeds, Devassy is called upon as a direct witness and accepts that his son has been a homosexual since his childhood and marriage was pressurized due to the society. That night, Devassy bursts into tears and agrees that he was responsible for the mishappenings of his son's life. Mathew apologises to his Omana and implores that he was afraid to come out. Omana says that she wanted a divorce to rescue them both; they both shed tears. The next day, as they sign the divorce papers, Mathew comes-out as a gay man and proceeds to campaign for the elections.

Post the elections, the victorious Mathew is seeing a potential groom for Omana, with Thankan as his partner.