Like Malayalam movies? 25 movies worth watching from the last 25 years

Kazcha (2004):

A masterpiece from director Blessy. Marked by excellent performance by MammoottyThe film had an unusual plot. Blessy, who was an assistant director for nearly two decades before making Kazcha, poured his soul into the film. The story focuses on a boy named Pawan who reaches Kerala after the Gujarat earthquake. Mammootty’s character (Madhavan) meets him on a road. Pawan becomes a part of Madhavan’s family and they form a close relationship. Eventually, due to changed circumstances the boy had to go back to Gujarat. It breaks your heart.

Tanmatra (2005):

Director Blessy’s second film, released just a year after Kazcha, was equally brilliant. Mohanlal gave his best performance in the film, in which he played the character of an Alzheimer’s patient. It details the emotional toll such an illness can take on a family. Top notch in all departments.

Classmate (2006):

Director Lal Jose’s Classmates was a murder mystery but that was not the reason for its popularity. It was about some college friends who meet for a reunion after many years. Prithviraj, Indrajith, Naren and Kavya Madhavan were in the cast. After the film’s release, hundreds of reunions took place across Kerala. In that respect it was a true trend setter.

Big B (2007):

Amal Neerad’s first film as a director. A stylish action flick, it rewrote the grammar of Malayalam cinema. Mammootty and all the other actors were presented with a light-hearted background score reminiscent of some Hollywood films. In subsequent years it became a reference point for all Malayalam action films and Amal Neerad became a household name for bringing swagger back to Malayalam films.

Pranchiyattan and the Saint (2010):

Director Ranjith came up with this gem, with Mammootty providing the necessary acting chops. Pranchi (Mammootty) plays a businessman who interacts with St. Francis of Assisi. Whether it is fictional or not is left to the audience to decide. Pranchi later became synonymous in Kerala with any rich person trying to ‘buy’ the respect of society.

Traffic (2011):

Many cinema lovers consider Traffic as the beginning of a new era of cinema in Malayalam. Directed by Rajesh Pillai, the film rewrote the genre of storytelling in Malayalam cinema. A girl is in urgent need of a heart transplant, whose only donor is several miles away. How a large team beats traffic to help with a heart transplant is the central theme. The story was unique and the presentation was even better.

Salt and Pepper (2011):

Director Aashiq Abu shows the world how a small film with the right content and expression can create a stir. Food is a central theme in the film. The cast including Lal, Shweta Menon and Asif Ali put up a captivating show as the core of the film is how relationships bond through food.

Ustad Hotel (2012):

With this film, director Anwar Rashid sat in the front row of Malayalam filmmakers. Ustad Hotel won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film. Ustad Hotel is known for the stellar performance of renowned actor Thilakan as a grandfather who runs a restaurant along the beach in Kozhikode. Dulquer fits the role of the grandson who has ambitions of working as a chef abroad but ultimately helps his grandfather. Great music, skillful story-telling and some ‘Sulaimani’.

Ayalum Njanum Thammil (2012):

Highly rated red jose special. Probably one of the finest portrayals of Prithviraj. The story talks about how an amateur doctor finds his purpose. Watch it for the excellence of content and performance. It is deep, touching and memorable.

Amen (2013):

Enter Lijo Jose Pellissery. No amount of explanation can do full justice to the plot, setting and performances of this film. Amen tells the story of a group of people surrounding an ancient Nasrani church in Kerala, located in a village called Kumarankari, where everyone is dressed in white. The film falls within the realm of magical realism, playing a game of hide-and-seek between fantasy and spirituality. The film features an array of interestingly drawn characters and they bear no resemblance to anything you may have seen before. A visual presentation accompanied by some great music.

Annayam Rasoolam (2013):

A text book for directors. Mastered by director Rajiv Ravi. The romantic plot absorbs everything that exists around it including Fort Kochi flavour, social themes, local culture and tension between different communities. When I met Fahadh Faasil in Bangalore during the shooting of 22 Female Kottayam, he said that he wanted Rajeev Ravi (who had made his big name in Bollywood as a cinematographer) to enter Malayalam films as a director. Rajeev stepped in to make this film and Fahadh’s measured performance as a taxi driver leaves an indelible mark in this romantic drama.

Drishyam (2013):

Director Jeethu Joseph reached the top league with Drishyam. The first half plays out like a typical family drama, but takes a sudden turn halfway through. Murder Mystery has been considered one of the best films ever made in Malayalam cinema and has been remade in several languages. Mohanlal is excellent in his role as a man who hides a family secret till the end despite the investigative pressure of the police machinery.

Premam (2015):

Alphonse Putharan appears with his mesmerizing creations. The OG of modern romantic films in Malayalam, Premam will always be remembered for how Alphonse wove magic around the character of George David played by Nivin Pauly, bringing together the subtle nuances of romance, witty dialogue exchanges, crisp editing and a memorable musical score. total package.

Bangalore Days (2014):

Director Anjali Menon has emerged to portray the Bangalore dream of Malayalees. A fun-filled journey, the film is about three cousins ​​who come to Bangalore to find themselves. Dulquer Salmaan lived up to his role as Aju, with Fahadh Faasil, Nivin Pauly, Parvathy Thiruvothu and Nazriya Nazim forming the ensemble cast. The film largely expanded the Malayalam cinema audience to other southern Indian states.

Maheshinte Pratikharam (2016):

The beginning of ‘Potheton Brilliance’. Director Dileesh Pothan has taken Malayalam cinema to a new level with a film that can be ranked among the best films of all time. Fahadh Faasil brought alive a unique character as Mahesh in the film. A photographer (Mahesh) finds his life taking a turn for the worse when a group of strangers beats him up in public. Humiliated, he vowed never to wear shoes again until he took revenge. The detail in the film is astonishing and the visuals are complete and entertaining, culminating in its National Award win for Best Feature Film in Malayalam. Shyam Pushkaran’s writing abilities elevated not only this film, but the entire industry, and won national and state awards for his brilliant screenplay.

Thondimuthalam Driksakshiyum (2017):

Just a year after Maheshinte Pratikharam, Dileesh Pothan made 2011-20 his decade by coming up with another local subject with universal appeal, establishing him as one of the finest directors in the country. Shyam Pushkaran supports him here too with this vivid screenplay, creating a film with many layers both socially and psychologically. A small-time thief snatches a woman’s gold chain while on a bus journey and this incident changes the lives of the woman, her husband and the thief, played by none other than the supremely talented Fahadh Faasil.

Sudanese from Nigeria (2018):

A unique story about the relationship between an African football player who comes to play sevens football in Kerala and a local football club manager in Malappuram. A good example of a hyperlocal theme achieving global appeal, Nigeria’s Sudanese is a heart-warming presentation of human relationships across all geographies. Director Zakaria and lead actor Soubin Shahir can be proud of this.

Kumbalangi Nights (2019):

A Malayalam film which was seen all over India. For those who had never seen a Malayalam film before, Kumbalangi Nights was a ticket to a new cinematic world. Six years after the release of Kumbalangi, director Madhu C Narayanan is yet to make another film and the market is eagerly waiting for his next effort. Fahadh Faasil (as the perfect Shammi!) made his role great. This film turns the concept of a good or broken home on its head.

The Great Indian Kitchen (2021):

A film with high social relevance, directed by Jio Baby, the film is about a woman who is bound by her kitchen responsibilities after marriage. The film made a deep impact and Jio Baby was highly praised for his directorial skills. Both Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu gave career-defining performances.

Nanapakal Nerathu Mayakkam (2022):

Lijo Jose Pellissery worked closely with Mammootty. James (Mammootty) wakes up on the bus, believing he is Sundaram, a man who went missing from his village years ago. The film is not ordinary and challenges you to see the details. Pellissery is in his element and Mammootty delivers another memorable performance.

Autumn (2023):

Anand Ekarshi’s film is a classic film in itself. This lesser-known film, made on a very low budget, is about how human behavior conveniently changes depending on the circumstances. With sexual harassment as a central theme the film highlights how people change in a private setting as opposed to a group environment. Aattam won the Best Feature Film award at the National Film Awards.

Manjummel Boys (2024):

Written and directed by Chidambaram, the film is based on a real-life incident that took place in the Guna Caves in 2006. The director is in top form in this thriller and so is music director Sushil Shyam. It became the first film in Malayalam cinema to earn more than Rs. 200 crores at the box office.

Kishkinda Kaandam (2024):

Director Dinjith Ayyathan and screenwriter Bahlul Ramesh lit up the silver screen. The plot is about a series of strange events that occur in a village inhabited by monkeys. A newly married couple and a team of forest officials set out to solve this mystery. The climax is one of the best scenes ever in Malayalam cinema.

Poneman (2025):

The highlight of this directorial debut of Jyotish Shankar is Basil Joseph’s brilliant performance. Dowry is the central theme of the film, which was shot extensively around the sights of Kollam. Ajesh (Basil Joseph), is a jewelery salesman and a stoic character, but as the film progresses, his role becomes endearing to the audience. The film doesn’t seem to appreciate any of the characters, all of whom are shades of grey.

Echo (2025):

Dinjeet and Bahl come together again to create some more cinematic magic. The search for a mysterious dog breeder continues, uncovering many mysteries. Written and brilliantly cinematography by Bahl, this film has the potential to win hearts globally. Dinjeet has elicited excellent performances from almost all the actors. The film is mysterious, surprisingly intelligent and the director-writer duo makes no attempt to spoon-feed the audience at any level. The Sandeep Pradeep starrer is available on Netflix from December 31.