Body Deep

Gulikan, born and brought up as a boy in a tribal settlement, has the body and soul of a girl. Dark skinned, fragile, introvert and vulnerable, he struggles to balance his life working as a coolie in the city. Displaced by drought, poverty and addiction, humiliated and abused in a racist society, his tribe is on the run. Udalaazham, the story of a tribal transgender, discusses how color of the skin, not the depth of one’s heart is an approved identity in a ruthless and cold blooded society.

Directed by Unnikrishnan Avala, Body Deep leans on a strong ensemble — Mani, Ramya Valsala, Anumol — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2018.