Best Movies Of Malayalam May 2026

Arguably the most artistically significant Malayalam film. Mohanlal plays Kunhikuttan, a lower-caste Kathakali dancer whose art is the only thing that gives him identity. The film explores caste discrimination, unrequited love, and the blur between performance and reality. It was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. The 2010s saw a seismic shift. Young directors stopped imitating Bollywood and started looking inward. 3. Drishyam (2013) - The Perfect Crime Director: Jeethu Joseph

For decades, if you asked the average Indian moviegoer about Malayalam cinema, they might have named a few slapstick comedies or the legendary actor Mohanlal. But over the last few years, the "Mollywood" industry has exploded onto the global stage. Netflix, Amazon Prime, and international film festivals have become the new launchpads for a brand of cinema that prioritizes raw human emotion over star power, and intelligent writing over gravity-defying stunts. best movies of malayalam

A newlywed couple gets robbed by a quirky thief on a bus. When they go to the police, the case gets stuck because the thief keeps changing his story. This courtroom/police drama is less about action and more about "whose truth is the real truth?" The climax, involving a missing gold chain, is a masterclass in writing. Director: Dileesh Pothan Arguably the most artistically significant Malayalam film