Basil Joseph’s ‘Ponman’ gets rave reviews after OTT release: He went god mode

Basil Joseph has struck gold once again with ‘Ponman’, which is now receiving even greater appreciation following its OTT release. While the film had a decent theatrical run, it has found a new wave of admirers online, with audiences lauding Basil’s stellar performance.


One particular scene, where his character talks a man out of suicide by opening up about his own struggles, has deeply connected with viewers. A Twitter user praised, “Basil went god mode in this scene. What a fiery performance It is with Ponman that Basil proved he can do more than just comedy.”


Many have called Ponman one of Malayalam cinema’s finest. A fan tweeted, “#Ponman joins the elite list of ‘One of the finest Malayalam films ever done till date’ . Portraying all human emotions impactfully on a sensitive topic is a masterclass that only Malayalam cinema can do. Lifetime performance for @basiljoseph25. Must watch masterpiece!!”

The film is also winning over Tamil audiences. One viewer wrote, “இதுவரைக்கும் நான் பாத்த Basil-oda படங்களிலே இதான் best மிரட்டி விட்டான். வாய்ப்பு கிடைச்சா எல்லாரும் இந்த படத்தை பாருங்க.” (This is the best Basil Joseph film I’ve seen so far. He has nailed it. Don’t miss it if you get the chance.)

Another Tamil viewer commented, “ரிசன்ட் ஆ வந்த இவர் படங்கள் எல்லாமே பார்த்திருக்கேன் வேற லெவல் யா #BasilJoseph அதும் இந்த scene சராசரி மனிதனுடைய கோவத்தை காட்டி இருப்பாரு ….” (I’ve watched all his recent films. #BasilJoseph is on another level! Especially in this scene, he brings out the anger of the common man.)

Many found ‘Ponman’ deeply relatable, especially for middle-class struggles. A tweet read, “Literally Me Situation for every Middle Class Guy! ‘I will Enjoy Every Situation, Battle through Hard Situations’ #Ponman. What an actor you are, Basil Joseph.”

Another added, “The most relatable scene from Ponman—a moment that resonates with everyone who has risen from the scratch. ‘ഒറ്റക്ക് വഴി വെട്ടി വന്നവനാടാ.’”

Some are even drawing comparisons with other film industries. A comment read, “While Hindi cinema keeps churning out whatever it is that they keep churning out, Malayalam cinema is hitting it out of the park, week after week. #NarayaneenteMoonnaanmakkal #Ponman.”

Praising the film’s writing, another user tweeted, “#Ponman is a big WOW! The script is wonderfully written and the performances are top-notch. #BasilJoseph takes a huge leap as an actor—brilliant! It’s also great to see the talented Lijomol in such good characters.”

With Ponman finding love across languages and regions, it’s evident that Basil Joseph has delivered one of his career-best performances this year.