The Malayalam film industry has been without a doubt the best in India when judging by the calibre of films produced ever since the genre underwent a renaissance in the last ten years, with the influx of new-age filmmakers producing some ground-breaking work. If the 2000s were the worst decade for Malayalam films, the best decades were unquestionably the 1970s and 1980s, when the New Wave and Middle cinemas rose to prominence.It can be difficult for many Malayali film buffs to choose just ten outstanding Malayalam films from a genre in which veteran directors like Priyadarshan alone have produced more than 60 Malayalam films, many of which are classics.This ranking aims to include the top mainstream and independent films I’ve seen over the years. It is not ranked in any particular order; rather, I’ve combined the work of directors whose films are included here more than once. Please take note that even though many directors have produced multiple masterpieces, I’ve limited them to two per director. The goal is to include as many outstanding filmmakers as possible on this list and pique readers’ curiosity about seeing more of their work.
1. Vidheyan (1994)
Director: Adoor Gopalakrishnan
The novel Bhaskara Pattelarum Ente Jeevithavum by Malayalam author Paul Zacharia was adapted for the big screen. Patela Shekhara Gowda, also known as Shiradi Shekhara, was a real-life person who served as the model for Zacharia’s novella. In a South Karnataka setting, “Vidheyan” examines the master-slave relationship and is an excellent psychological study of the subject.The lead roles of the master and slave are played by Mammootty and M. R. Gopakumar, respectively. Possibly the best portrayal of a villainous character in Indian film is Mammootty’s performance. As a ruthless landlord who does as he pleases and totally owns his slave, the actor is dreadful and menacing.As the movie goes on, Adoor deftly analyses how the dynamics between the master and slave change. Both the Best Actor Award for Mammootty and the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam went to the movie. All of Adoor’s films, including “Mathilukal,” “Kodiyettam,” “Mukhamukham,” “Kathapurushan,” and “Elippathayam,” are excellent and must-sees.
2. Esthappan (1980)
Director: G. Aravindan
The movie weaves together Esthappan’s mysterious life with the Biblical account of Christ’s deeds and how society reacted to them. Esthappan, a resident of a seaside settlement, is a fisherman. He tells his story through the accounts of other fishermen who witnessed his miraculous deeds. A mystical image of Esthappan emerges from these people’s conflicting statements.Once more, the viewer is enchanted by Shaji N. Karun’s ethereal pictures. Aravindan poses existential queries about life, death, and everything in between via the prophetic dialogues in the movie and the mysticism theme.The Kerala State Film Awards went to “Esthappan” for Best Film and Best Director. If at all possible, readers of this list should watch every movie that Aravindan has ever made. He was an exceptional artist whose strikingly lovely mise en scenes displayed his creativity.
3. Pokkuveyil (1982)
Director: G. Aravindan
One of India’s best film directors is Govindan Aravindan. The films of Aravindan, arguably the nation’s most poetic director, are admired for their visual lyricism and minimalism. His cinematographer Shaji N. Karun deserves a lot of credit for creating a transcendental world through his exquisite images.Both artists are at the height of their abilities in “Pokkuveyil,” a haunting masterpiece. It is a stunning, melancholy work of art that features some of the best natural scenes ever photographed. The film’s central theme is the indefinability of the human mind.The audio for Aravindan was first recorded as a piece for flute by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and sarod by Rajeev Taranath.Without a script, the images were ‘composed’ in accordance with musical notations. The movie was awarded the Rajat Kamal for 1982’s second-best movie in the nation. It was shown at a number of world film festivals, including Cannes.
4. Piravi (1989)
Director: Shaji N. Karun
Shaji decided to become a director after having a successful career as one of India’s best cinematographers and providing some of Malayalam cinema’s most poetic images, mostly in the films of G. Aravindan. And what a debut, too! “Piravi” was the recipient of numerous accolades at prestigious international film festivals, including the Camera d’Or at Cannes, in addition to the National Award for Best Feature Film.The movie is based on the life of professor T. V. Eachara Warrier, whose son, a student at Regional Engineering College in Calicut, was murdered by police while being held captive in 1976 during the National Emergency Period. Premji, who was awarded the National Award for Best actor , has brilliantly captured the sorrow of a father who waits interminably for his son to return.Pathos abounds in Shaji’s films, which are as authentic as cinema can be. Among the best filmmakers we’ve seen, uncompromising. The last Indian film to compete for the Palme d’Or at Cannes was his second film, “Swaham,” which debuted in 1994.
5. Vanaprastham (1999)
Director: Shaji N. Karun
The pinnacle of Mohanlal’s acting career is “Vanaprastham,” for which he received yet another National Award. Many people regard his tragic performance as the height of acting. The movie follows the life of Mohanlal, a lower-caste Kathakali artist who achieves great success in his professional life but suffers from constant rejection and abandonment in his personal relationships.This movie, like the majority of Shaji N. Karun’s, is dripping with suffering. Vanaprastham, an Indo-French production, is a masterwork across the board. Zakir Hussain’s soul-stirring soundtrack is truly world-class, and the cinematography is superb.The movie, which was Shaji’s third to screen at Cannes, is rightfully regarded as one of the best Indian productions. After the film’s premiere, the French government awarded Shaji the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. It received numerous national awards.
6. Vaishali (1988)
Director: Bharathan
In Malayalam cinema, “Vaishali” is regarded as a contemporary masterpiece. The movie is a retelling of a portion of the Mahabharatha epic that Vedavyasa told King Yudhishtira. It tells the tale of Vaisali, a devadasi girl tasked with luring Rishyashrungan, Maharshi Vibhandakan’s son, to Chambapuri so he could perform a mahayagam to bring rain.’Vaishali’ and ‘Amaram’, in which Bharathan worked with renowned cinematographer Madhu Ambat, set a new standard for cinematographic excellence in Malayalam and Indian cinema. Many of Bharathan’s films are renowned for their fearless treatment of sexual themes. His films frequently flouted social norms and conventions regarding man-woman relationships.While “Chamaram” focused on the turbulent relationship between a student and his college lecturer, “Rathinirvedam” was a story about the sexual coming-of-age of a teenager and an older woman. It is worthwhile to read “Kattathe Kilikkoodu” and “Kaathodu Kaathoram,” both of which explore adulterous relationships.
7. Peruvazhiyambalam (1979)
Director: P. Padmarajan
P. Padmarajan was a highly accomplished author in addition to being one of Kerala’s best filmmakers. He is credited with helping to establish a new school of filmmaking in Malayalam cinema in the 1980s, alongside K. G. George and Bharathan. Padmarajan and his contemporaries produced ground-breaking films that received positive reviews from both audiences and critics.He is renowned for his skill as a screenwriter. Based on his novel of the same name, “Peruvazhiyambalam” marks both his directorial and Ashokan’s acting debuts as Raman, the movie’s main character.The movie is a sharp analysis of how totalitarianism or violence functions in our society; it addresses troubling issues regarding masculinity and how people simultaneously adore and dread it.The movie was hailed as one of the best Malayalam films by The Hindu. It was listed among the top 100 Indian films of all time by IBN Live and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam. The master also produced some excellent films like “Innale,” “Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal,” and “Thinkalaazhcha Nalla Divasam.”
8. Thaniyavarthanam (1987)
Director: Sibi Malayil
This was the first movie that marked the beginning of the Malayil-Lohithadas collaboration. Superstition and orthodoxy in rural Kerala, attitudes towards mental illness, the disparity in attitudes between generations, and the decline of once-proud Nair “joint families” are just a few of the subjects covered in the movie.In addition to the main plot involving Balan (Mammootty), the film also provides a nuanced portrait of life in a “matriarchal” society. Balan’s uncle (played by Thilakan) has such sway over family matters that he serves as a catalyst for Balan’s slow but sure descent into madness.Thilakan had suggested Mammootty for the lead position. The writer-director team is responsible for some of the Malayalam film industry’s well-known classics, such as “Dasharatham” and “Bharatham,” for which Mohanlal won a National Film Award for Best Actor. The film’s performance by Mohanlal was listed among the “25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema” by Forbes India.
9. Sexy Durga (2019)
Director: Sanal Kumar Sasidharan
Modern Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan is raising the bar for experimental filmmaking. With each new film since his 2014 debut feature, “Oraalppokkam,” Sanal has experimented with the subject, story, and form.Sexy Durga, which won the Hivos Tiger Award for best Indian film at the 2017 International Film Festival Rotterdam, is arguably his best work. Although the movie’s plot is fairly straightforward, it explores some dark themes like oppression, patriarchal attitudes, hypocrisy, etc.A young woman and her lover encounter a cross-section of Indian male society while riding at night. What begins as an attempt to flee turns into a trip through hell, from which there appears to be no way out. Films by Sanal that have won widespread praise include “Chola,” “Ozhivudivasathe Kali,” and “Unmadiyude Maranam.” The audience can count on him to deliver something distinctive and avant-garde in each of his films.
10. Jallikattu (2019)
Director: Lijo Jose Pellissery
“Jallikattu,” India’s official Oscar entry, establishes Lijo Jose Pellissery as one of the greatest auteurs of our generation. The movie’s raw, pulsating energy transports viewers on a wild ride that reveals the beastly nature that lurks beneath the veneer of civilization.’Jallikattu’ is a contemporary classic thanks to its clever plot, plethora of characters, and eerie background score. The film’s barbaric theme fits with Lijo’s obsession with close-up shots of food preparation and meat butchering.One of the most intriguing filmmakers of our time, Lijo is capable of experimenting with form, treatment, and themes in each new project. Every Lijo movie, with the exception of “Double Barrel,” falls somewhere between good and very good. Due to the phenomenal success of “Jallikattu” and the fact that “Ee.Ma.Yau” and “Angamaly Diaries” are regarded as cult classics in Kerala, there is high anticipation for Lijo’s upcoming movie, “Churuli.”