Aattam

Aattam
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Anand Ekarshi
Written by	Anand Ekarshi
Produced by	Ajith Joy
Starring	Zarin Shihab Vinay Forrt Kalabhavan Shajohn Aji Thiruvamkulam Jolly Antony Madan Babu K. Nandhan Unni Prasanth Madhavan Sanosh Murali Santhosh Piravom Selvaraj Raghavan V. R. Sijin Sijeesh Sudheer Babu
Cinematography	Anurudh Aneesh
Edited by	Mahesh Bhuvanend
Music by	Basil C. J.
Production company	Joy Movie Productions
Distributed by	Reliance Entertainment
Release dates	13 October 2023 (2023-10-13) (IFFLA)[1] 5 January 2024 (2024-01-05)
Running time	139 minutes
Country	India
Language	Malayalam
Box office	₹ 1.5 crore[2]

Aattam (transl. The Play) is a 2023 Indian Malayalam-language thriller film written and directed by Anand Ekarshi. The film was produced by Ajith Joy through Joy Movie Productions.

The film won the 2023 Grand Jury Award at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.^[3] It was also chosen as the opening feature film at the 54th International Film Festival of India held at Goa,^[4] and won best film at 70th National Film Award for Best Feature Film.^[5]

The story of Aattam follows Anjali, the only female actor in an all-male theater troupe, as they grapple with a serious accusation. After a party, Anjali alleges that she was sexually harassed while she was asleep. This claim shocks the troupe, and an emergency meeting is called—excluding the accused—to address the issue.

What begins as a discussion of right and wrong quickly unravels into chaos, revealing hidden prejudices, insecurities, and power struggles among the members. Anjali faces skepticism and insensitivity, even from those who claim to support her. As tensions rise, the group is divided between belief in her account and doubt, reflecting broader societal issues like victim-blaming and toxic masculinity.

The meeting exposes long-buried grievances, threatening the bonds within the troupe. The film avoids offering clear answers or resolutions, instead leaving the audience to wrestle with the complexities of truth, morality, and justice. Aattam provides a powerful critique of gender dynamics and challenges societal norms, making it a gripping and thought-provoking narrative.

After screenings at IFFLA, IFFI and IFFK, Aattam was released in theaters on 5 January 2024 to acclaim from audiences and critics.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]} On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 7 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.5/10.^[12]

• Aattam at IMDb