Listed below are the 25 Greatest Malayalam movies of all time. Since its resurgence in the last decade, with an influx of new-age filmmakers producing some original work, Malayalam cinema has been the most important film industry in India as measured by the quality of films produced. The 1970s and 1980s were definitely the best decades for Malayalam films, with the development of New Wave and Middle cinema, respectively.
This is an attempt to construct a list of the greatest mainstream and independent films I've seen. It's not in any specific sequence; instead, I've grouped the work of directors who have more than one film in this collection. Many directors have made several masterpieces, but I've limited each director to two. The goal is to include as many amazing filmmakers as possible in this list and pique readers' curiosity in learning more about them.
SUDANI FROM NIGERIA (2018)
DIRECTOR: ZAKARIYA MOHAMMAD
This Malayalam feature film, which won a National Award, is one of the best feel-good movies of all time. It has a big heart and will make the eyes of even the sternest people light up. As they discuss their own life experiences, Majeed and his mother develop a strong bond with Samuel. Even the locals and neighbors warm up to the kind stranger who doesn't speak their language.
This National Award-winning Malayalam feature film is one of the finest feel-good films of all time. It has a large heart and will make even the most serious individuals smile. Majeed's (Soubin Shahir) best international player Samuel "Sudu," gets injured in an accident and is forced to recover in Majeed's house. Majeed,his mother, forms a great relationship with Samuel as they talk about their own life experiences. Even the residents and neighbors warm up to the kind visitor from another country.
KUMBALANGI NIGHTS (2019)
DIRECTOR: MADHU C. NARAYANAN
'Kumbalangi Nights,' directed by Madhu Narayanan, is one of the greatest mainstream films of the last decade, diving into cultural taboos and breaking stereotypes while never losing sight of the entertainment value.. So-called alpha males crying their hearts out, bringing home the widow and child of a killed best friend, and then a mute brother falling in love with a black American girl are all progressive subjects for the middle-class milieu.
'Kumbalangi Nights,' directed by Madhu Narayanan, is one of the greatest mainstream films of the last decade, diving into cultural taboos and breaking stereotypes while never losing sight of the entertainment value. Progressive issues for the middle-class milieu include so-called alpha guys bawling their hearts out, bringing home the widow and kid of a dead best friend, and a mute brother falling in love with an American black lady.
MUNNARIYIPPU (2014)
DIRECTOR: VENU
Venu's second film follows a young female journalist who sets out to write a biography on life-sentenced prisoner C. K. Raghavan (Mammootty), who says he never committed the crimes for which he is receiving a life sentence.
'Munnariyippu' is a complicated film that deconstructs the narrative and rejects certain conventions, culminating in a fascinating visual experiment. The film's quality is improved by Mammootty's excellent performance and subdued mannerisms. He sheds all vestiges of his superstar stardom and methodically adopts Raghavan's whole personality.
The film avoids the highs and lows of conventional drama and instead takes a more measured and mature approach to its storytelling. The major point that 'Munnariyippu aims to convey to the audience through Raghavan is that the perception of freedom or exemption is entirely subjective to the individual in question. Viewers who are willing to engage in the story will be rewarded.
THE GREAT INDIAN KITCHEN (2021)
DIRECTOR: JOE BABY
The sarcastically named picture provides a dreadful buffet of patriarchy, male chauvinism, and hypocrisy and lets the spectator carefully consume it by repeating the chores and tribulations of its female heroine, making it one of the best Malayalam films to come out in recent years.
A must-see for all moral guardians who have preconceived beliefs about gender roles in the home. The film follows a newlywed woman (Nimisha Sajayan) trying to be the obedient wife that her husband (Suraj Venjaramood) and family demand of her. Millions of housewives will recognise the unfairness women have been suffering for millennia while performing their anticipated position as duty-bound housewives as they drudge through everyday domestic activities that have been accepted by society.
If 'The Great Indian Kitchen' can even affect one married family for the better, the film has done its mission. That would be the film's highest honor.
JALLIKATTU (2019)
DIRECTOR: LIJO JOSE PELLISSERY
'Jallikattu,' India's official Oscar submission, confirms Lijo Jose Pellissery's status as one of our generation's best auteurs. The film's raw, throbbing energy makes for a thrilling trip that reveals the innate monstrous nature hidden underneath the veneer of civilization.
'Jallikattu' is a modern-day masterpiece with an original narrative, a diverse cast of characters, and an ominous background soundtrack. The film's barbarous tone is matched by Lijo's fascination with close-up views of meat slaughtering and meal preparation.
Lijo is one of today's most intriguing directors, capable of experimenting with form, treatment, and subjects in each new project. With the exception of 'Double Barrel,' Lijo's films are all decent to excellent. In Kerala, films like 'Ee.Ma.Yau' and 'Angamaly Diaries' are regarded cult classics, and with the tremendous success of 'Jallikattu,' there is high anticipation for Lijo's next film, 'Churuli.'
VADAKKUNOKKIYANTRAM (1989)
DIRECTOR: SREENIVASAN
'Vadakkunokkiyantram' is one of Indian cinema's best dark comedies. Sreenivasan's astute reflections on the masculine ego fears and inferiority complex show through in both his acting and directing.
As a jealous and suspicious husband, he continues to distrust his wife since she is more attractive and intelligent than he is. This eventually leads to marital strife and him seeking treatment for his issues. The film has held up well over time and is usually included in lists of the best Malayalam films of all time.
It was remaked as 'Dindigul Sarathy' in Tamil, 'Nanjangudu Nanjunda' in Kannada, and 'Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh' in Hindi. 'Chinthavishtaya Shyamala,' Sreenivasan's other directorial effort, likewise casts him as the main character and is a superb black comedy about a lazy and irresponsible husband who neglects his family.
AMMA ARIYAN (1986)
DIRECTOR: JOHN ABRAHAM
Despite the fact that he only created four feature films before dying in an accident in 1987, John Abraham is regarded as one of the best Malayalam directors. And 'Amma Ariyan' is without a doubt his best and most complicated effort.
The tale centers around the events surrounding the death of a young Naxalite, whose friends journey to his mother's hometown to notify her of the loss of her only son, which was featured in the BFI's Top 10 Indian Films list.
It is considered one of Indian cinema's most experimental masterpieces, and its multi-layered story continues to be debated. Abraham graduated from FTII with a gold medal and began his career assisting Mani Kaul on 'Uski Roti.' His film 'Cheriyanchante Kroorakrithyangal' is excellent, criticizing the feudal system and police brutality. Take time to see his Tamil film Agraharathil Kazuthai,' which is based on Robert Bresson's 'Au Hasard Balthazar.'
MAHESHINTE PRATHIKAARAM (2016)
DIRECTOR: DILEESH POTHAN
According to Fahadh Fassil, who portrays Mahesh in the film, Dileesh Pothan's directorial debut is a "serious comedy." He is pushed down while attempting to calm a quarrel between his friend and a bunch of children. Unable to defend himself, Mahesh openly declares that he will not wear his slippers again until he avenges his humiliation.
Rather than depending on the normal combination of hatred and rage for vengeance, writer Syam Pushkaran cleverly employs humor to elicit emotions from the characters and produce a riveting, amusing script (which won the National Award).
Over the years, 'Maheshinte Prathikaaram' has attained cult status, and it has been recreated in Tamil as 'Nimir' by Priyadarshan and in Telugu as 'Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya' by 'C/o Kancharapalem' director Venkatesh Maha. Dileesh joined up with Fahadh again in his second movie, 'Thondimuthalam Driksakshiyum,' and his third film, 'Joji,' to make some excellent cinema. Both films are entertaining and provide pertinent societal critique.
NADODIKKATTU (1987)
DIRECTOR: SATHYAN ANTHIKAD
Sathyan Anthikad is a commercially successful Malayalam filmmaker who has perfected the knack of satirising societal concerns and presenting them in fun packages. Anthikad and Sreenivasan's director-writer duo is responsible for some of Malayalam cinema's most popular comedies.
Mohanlal and Sreenivasan play Ramdas and Vijayan, respectively, in 'Nadodikkatu.' They decide to travel to Dubai to build their fortunes after losing their employment in Kerala. However, they are duped and wind up in the adjacent Tamil Nadu, where a bunch of traffickers mistakes them for two criminal investigators.
'Nadodikkattu' was inspired by societal issues that plagued Kerala in the 1980s, such as rampant unemployment and poverty. This caustic Malayalam satire depicts the challenges of unemployed millennials seeking work in the Middle East, and it takes a stinging look at the eccentricities and inferiority complexes of middle-class culture. It is one of the most well-known Malayalam comedies.
THALAYANA MANTHRAM (1990)
DIRECTOR: SATHYAN ANTHIKAD
Another super-hit comedy from the Anthikad-Sreenivasan stable is 'Thalayana Manthram.' The film centers on Sreenivasan's character's selfish, insecure, and jealous wife, who cunningly causes a wedge between her husband and his family.
She wishes to live a life of luxury beyond their resources, which causes serious problems in their life. The film is jam-packed with humorous moments and scenarios. Much of the comedy stems from Sreenivasan's impotence and the difficulties he faces as a result of his wife's requests.
Urvashi, who plays Sreenivasan's wife, was praised for her portrayal of a selfish and cunning lady. There are other films by Sathyan Anthikad that ought to be seen, including 'Varavelpu,' 'T. P. Balagopalan M. A.,' and 'Achuvinte Amma.'
KIREEDAM (1989)
DIRECTOR: SIBI MALAYIL
Sibi Malayil and A. K. Lohithadas are responsible for some of Malayalam cinema's most financially and critically successful films. "For depicting a young man's misery and pain brilliantly and in unique way," Mohanlal earned the National Film Award – Special Mention for his performance in "Kireedam."
The story follows a young kid whose life is turned upside down when he intervenes in a quarrel in order to save his father (a cop) from a violent local bandit. The heartbreaking theme of this Malayalam classic is an unintended outburst of fury and the succession of unforeseen consequences that follow.
Sibi Malayil creates a melancholy portrayal of a troubled young man entangled in the web of a complex father-son relationship, violence, and psychological flaws. 'Kireedam' was reproduced in six other languages, including Telugu as 'Rowdyism Nasinchali' (1990), Kannada as 'Modada Mareyalli' (1991), and Hindi as 'Gardish' (1993).
THANIYAVARTHANAM (1987)
DIRECTOR: SIBI MALAYIL
This was the first collaboration between Malayil and Lohithadas. The video covers a wide range of subjects, including superstition and orthodoxy in rural Kerala, attitudes toward mental illness, generational differences in attitudes, and the downfall of once-proud Nair "joint families."
Apart from the primary plot involving Balan (Mammootty), the film also provides a nuanced depiction of living in a "matriarchal" culture. Balan's uncle (played by Thilakan) has so much power in the family that he becomes a trigger for Balan's gradual but steady descent into madness.
Mammootty was recommended for the lead part by Thilakan. The writer-director pair is responsible for some of Malayalam cinema's most celebrated masterpieces, including 'Dasharatham' and 'Bharatham,' for which Mohanlal won the Best Actor National Film Award. Mohanlal's performance in the film was named one of the "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema" by Forbes India.
PERUVAZHIYAMBALAM (1979)
DIRECTOR: P. PADMARAJAN
P. Padmarajan was a highly talented novelist as well as one of Kerala's best directors. He is recognized for developing a new school of filmmaking in Malayalam cinema in the 1980s with K. G. George and Bharathan. Padmarajan, like his predecessors, made pioneering pictures that were both well-received and highly appreciated.
He is well-known for his screenplay abilities. 'Peruvazhiyambalam,' based on his novel of the same name, is his directorial debut and Ashokan's acting debut as Raman, the lead character.
The video examines how authoritarianism and violence function in our culture, raising unsettling questions about masculinity and how people revere and fear it. The Hindu claims that the film is one of Malayalam's greatest. After winning the National Film Award for Finest Feature Film in Malayalam, it was selected to IBN Live's list of the 100 best Indian films of all time. 'Thinkalaazhcha Nalla Divasam,' 'Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal,' and 'Innate' are among the master's greatest flicks.
THOOVANATHUMBIKAL (1987)
DIRECTOR: P. PADMARAJAN
Padmarajan's novel Udakappola inspired the film in part. It follows Jayakrishnan (Mohanlal), who has feelings for two women: Radha (Parvathy), a distant relative, and Clara (Sumalatha), a town escort.
The film's rich film score and songs, dialogues and characters, intricate storyline, and Mohanlal and Sumalatha's performances have all been praised. Rain is a reoccurring subject in the film, and it is practically presented as a character. In several sequences set in Thrissur, the film depicts the traditional Malayali bachelor lifestyle. Mohanlal's invitation to Ashokan for a lemonade drink and subsequent entry into a city bar has become an iconic call sign for a drink offer amongst Malayalis.
Many people believe 'Thoovanathumbikal' to be the most romantic film ever made in Malayalam cinema. The film is about love and desire, two of the most powerful human emotions. Years after its premiere, the film has become a cult classic, particularly among young people. IBN Live ranked it as the eighth-best Indian film of all time in a 2013 online vote.
VAISHALI (1988)
DIRECTOR: BHARATHAN
'Vaishali' is recognised as a modern-day Malayalam film classic. The movie is based on a narrative related by Vedavyasa to King Yudhishtira in the Mahabharatha epic. It tells the account of Vaisali, a devadasi girl tasked with seducing Rishyashrungan, Maharshi Vibhandakan's son, and transporting him to Chambapuri to conduct a mahayagam to bring rain.
Films like 'Vaishali' and 'Amaram,' in which Bharathan partnered with famed cinematographer Madhu Ambat, set a new standard for cinematography in Malayalam and Indian film. Bharathan's films are recognised for their controversial depictions of sexual topics. His films frequently violated social norms and traditions around man-woman interactions.
'Rathinirvedam' was a sexual coming-of-age narrative about a teenager's romance with an older lady, while 'Chamaram' was about a student's stormy affair with his college instructor. 'Kattathe Kilikkoodu' and 'Kaathodu Kaathoram' are also worth watching since they deal with unfaithful relationships.
YAVANIKA (1982)
DIRECTOR: K. G. GEORGE
K. G. George is well-known for his unorthodox work, which includes extensive psychological research and character studies of the human mind in his films. With 'Swapnadanam' (1975), he made his directorial debut and became a prominent figure in Kerala's new film movement, which erupted in the early 1970s.
'Yavanika' is one of the most commercially successful and artistically excellent films of the 1980s. It covers the backstage turmoil of a travelling theatrical troupe in the manner of a detective thriller. The narrative revolves around the search for the troupe's unpopular tabla musician, who mysteriously vanishes.
The film is often recognised as Malayalam cinema's best mystery or investigative thriller. Bharat Gopi and Thilakan provide outstanding performances in one of Malayalam cinema's best scripts. Thilakan was awarded the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film, Best Story, and Second Best Actor.
IRAKAL (1985)
DIRECTOR: K. G. GEORGE
'Irakal' is regarded as the first dark film in Malayalam and one of K.G George's greatest works. The film offers an in-depth examination of the psychology of violence, with overtones depicting the country's political situation at the time, especially The Emergency.
Though George didn't state it, Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi are claimed to be symbolically presented by Thilakan and Ganesh in the film. In terms of concept, Dileesh Pothan's 'Joji' is reported to have drawn influence from the film.
Second Best Film and Best Story were awarded to the film by the Kerala State Film Awards. Malayalam film has benefited greatly from George's contributions. 'Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback' (1983), 'Adaminte Vaariyellu' (1983), and 'Panchavadi Palam' (1984) are three films that cinephiles should surely check out.
VANAPRASTHAM (1999)
DIRECTOR: SHAJI N. KARUN
'Vanaprastham' is Mohanlal's highest achievement as an actor, for which he received yet another National Award. Many believe his heartbreaking portrayal to be the peak of acting. The film follows the lives of a lower-caste Kathakali artist (Mohanlal), who achieves tremendous success in his profession but is plagued by rejection and desertion in his personal life.
This film, like other Shaji N. Karun flicks, has anguish written all over it. 'Vanaprastham,' an Indo-French production, succeeds in every aspect of filmmaking. The photography is stunning, and Zakir Hussain's soul-stirring soundtrack is simply outstanding.
The film was Shaji's third to be exhibited at Cannes, and it is widely recognised as one of India's best. It received several national honours, and the French government awarded Shaji the title of Ordre des Arts et des Lettres following the film's premiere.
ANANTARAM (1987)
DIRECTOR: ADOOR GOPALAKRISHNAN
Adoor Gopalakrishnan, often regarded as the finest living Indian director, is Malayalam cinema's crown gem. With his debut film 'Swayamvaram' in 1972, he established the new wave in Kerala. With many documentaries and 12 feature films under his belt, practically every one of his works may be found here.
His finest work is likely 'Anantaram.' In fact, it is my all-time favorite Indian film. It stars Ashokan and Shobhana in the key roles, with Mammootty appearing in a cameo appearance. The movie is set up like a monologue. It progresses through the protagonist's first-person criticism of himself.
"Anantara is primarily about perceptions," Adoor stated in an interview. A story about a young, impressionable youngster who is unable to function. Despite the fact that my life was unfamiliar, I was looking for the usual experience of growing up and navigating life and relationships. What's in the frame and what's just outside the frame... or, to put it another way, it's about tuning in to reality beyond perception. Although we don't study it, this is a part of our daily lives."
VIDHEYAN (1994)
DIRECTOR: ADOOR GOPALAKRISHNAN
The film is a cinematic adaptation of Malayalam writer Paul Zacharia's novel Bhaskara Pattelarum Ente Jeevithavum. Patela Shekhara Gowda, alias Shiradi Shekhar, a real-life figure, inspired Zacharia's tale. 'Vidheyan' is a remarkable psychological study of the master-slave relationship set in a South Karnataka context.
Master and slave are played by Mammootty and M. R. Gopakumar, respectively. Mammootty's portrayal of a malicious character is possibly the best in Indian film history. As a tyrannical landlord who does as he pleases and entirely dominates his slave, the actor is frightful and menacing.
As the video unfolds, Adoor skillfully investigates the changing dynamics between the master and slave. The film earned the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam and Mammootty's Best Actor Award. Adoor's flicks 'Mathilukal,' 'Kodiyettam,' 'Mukhamukham,' 'Kathapurushan,' and 'Elippathayam' are all must-sees.
Labels: Malayalam Movies, Movie Blog
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