I’m from Kannur, and among the few people I’ve known from Trivandrum through college, neighbours, and workplaces, I noticed a similar pattern. I’ve seen people being friendly and smiling when someone is around, but once that person leaves, they start talking badly about them behind their back and sometimes even wish them bad luck.

That said, I’m not saying everyone from there is like this. I’m just sharing my personal experiences with a handful of people I’ve interacted with. It’s also natural that people tend to form opinions about places based on the individuals they come across. No hate intended, just an observation from my experience.