Year |
Film |
Director |
Major Cast |
|
1928 |
Vigathakumaran |
J. C. Daniel |
J. C. Daniel, Rosy |
First Malayalam film. The first Indian film, Raja Harishchandra was produced in 1912. |
1933 |
Marthanda Varma |
P. V. Rao |
Jaidev, Devaki, Padmini |
Second and last silent film. First historical drama film and novel to film adaptation. |
1938 |
Balan |
S. Nottani |
Kamalan, Laxmikutty |
First talkie. |
1948 |
Nirmala |
P. J. Cherian |
Joseph Cherian , Baby Joseph |
First film produced by a Malayali. Also the first film with songs. Lyrics were by noted poet G. Shankara Kurup. |
1951 |
Jeevithanauka |
K. Vembu |
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair |
First superhit. Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair becomes the first superstar. |
1954 |
Neelakkuyil |
Ramu Karyat, P. Bhaskaran |
Sathyan, Miss Kumari |
Considered as the first mature film in Malayalam. The film in excelled in direction, screenplay, acting and music. |
1955 |
Newspaper Boy |
P. Ramadas |
Master Moni |
Considered as the first neorealistic film. |
1961 |
Kandam Bacha Coat |
T. R. Sundaram |
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Prem Nawaz, Ambika |
First colour film. |
1964 |
Bhargavi Nilayam |
A. Vincent |
Madhu, Prem Nazir, Vijaya Nirmala, P.J. Antony |
First horror film. Story snd screenplay was by renowned writer Vaikom Muhammed Bashir. |
1965 |
Chemmeen |
Ramu Karyat |
Madhu, Sathyan, Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, Sheela |
First South Indian film to win the National Film Award for Best Film. |
1965 |
Murappennu |
A. Vincent |
Prem Nazir, P.J. Antony, Adoor Bhasi, Sharada |
First film to shoot extensively outdoors. It was the first film venture of writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair. |
1966 |
Iruttinte Atmavu |
P. Bhaskaran |
Prem Nazir, Santha Devi |
Noted for being the first serious attempt at sensitive story telling. Considered as the masterpiece work of P. Bhaskaran and Prem Nazir. |
1972 |
Swayamvaram |
Adoor Gopalakrishnan |
Madhu, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Sharada |
First film to participate in an International film festival. It was the debut film of the director and it is also the first Malayalam film to win National Film Award for Best Directing. |
1975 |
Prayanam |
Bharathan |
Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair |
Considered as the starting point of middle-stream cinema, a mix of serious themes and mass appeal. It was the debut of director Bharathan and screenwriter Padmarajan. |
1978 |
Avalude Ravukal |
I.V. Sasi |
Soman, Sukumaran, Seema |
This movie is the first “A” certificate movie in Malayalam. One of the bold movies of all time.. I.V Sasi the experimental and the most popular director at that time tried to highlight on a theme which most mainstream directors are scared to get into. |
1978 |
Thacholi Ambu |
Appachan |
Prem Nazir, Jayan |
South India’s first CinemaScope film. |
1982 |
Padayottam |
Jijo Punnoose |
Prem Nazir, Madhu, Mammootty, Mohanlal, Lakshmi |
India’s first indigenously produced 70 mm film. |
1984 |
My Dear Kuttichathan |
Jijo Punnoose |
Arvind, Sonia |
India’s first 3D film. |
1987 |
New Delhi |
Joshi |
Mammootty, Sumalatha, Urvashi |
This film creates most number of remakes to other languages by same director with same title. The film was remade to Kannada, Bengali, Tamil, Hindi and Marathi although criticism were that the film was only a low class commercial movie. |
1988 |
1921 |
I.V. Sasi |
Mammootty |
First Malayalam movie to make a war based movie “1921” written by T.Damodaran (also, 1921 was the first ever Malayalam movie to be nominated in the Italian Film Festival) |
1988 |
Piravi |
Shaji N Karun |
Premji |
This film bags the most number of international awards in the history of Malayalam cinema. |
1989 |
Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha |
Hariharan |
Mammootty, Suresh Gopi |
Wonderful classic film scripted by M.T.Vasudevan Nair |
1989 |
Mathilukal |
Adoor Gopalakrishnan |
Mammootty |
This film was shown in (42) most number of international film festivals in the history of Malayalam cinema. |
1991 |
God Father |
Siddique-Lal |
N. N. Pillai, Thilakan, Mukesh, Kanaka |
The film to that got the longest theatrical run. |
1996 |
Mayoora Nritam |
Vijayakrishnan |
Vikram Kennedy, Mohini, Indrans |
The first Malayalam film’s trailer shown in television. |
2000 |
Kinnarathumbikal |
R. J. Prasad |
Shakeela |
This superhit low-budget theatrical softporn film inspired a series of similar productions in the next few years, which adversely affected the core industry’s quality and reputation. |
2006 |
Moonnamathoral |
V.K. Prakash |
Jayaram, Samvrutha Sunil, Jyothirmayi, Sherin, Vineeth |
The first Malayalam Film to be distributed in digital format. |
2008 |
Twenty:20 |
Joshy |
Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi |
First film to star almost all actors in the industry since serious film-making started. The film was produced for raising funds for the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes. |
2013 |
Drishyam |
Jeethu Joseph |
Mohanlal, Meena |
The first Malayalam film to collect Rs 50 crore from box office. |
2016 |
Pulimurugan |
Vysakh |
Mohanlal, Kamalini Mukherjee, Jagapati Babu |
The highest grossing Malayalam film with over Rs 150 crores collection worldwide. Also the first film to mark 100 crore. |
2016 |
Veeram |
Jayaraj |
Kunal Kapoor |
The most expensive Malayalam film with reported budget of Rs. 35 crores. |