Ozhimuri

Ozhimuri (transl. divorce record) is a 2012 Indian Malayalam-language period drama film directed by Madhupal and written by Jeyamohan. The film stars Lal, Mallika, Asif Ali, Bhavana, and Shwetha Menon. The music was composed by Bijibal. The film received critical acclaim but underperformed at the box office. It was selected for the Indian Panorama section at the 43rd International Film Festival of India. It has been described by critics as one of the notable films of the Malayalam New Wave cinema movement. The film is based on the book Uravidangal by Jeyamohan. It explores the matrilineal system that existed in the Nair community in the former region of Travancore. In this system, property and lineage were historically traced through women, and divorce was formally recorded using documents known as ozhimuri, or divorce records written on palm leaves. The narrative examines the transition from a matrilineal to a patrilineal social structure in the mid-20th century and its impact on gender roles and family systems in the region.