Malayalam cinema, is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven realistic plots. In 1982, Elippathayam won the Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival, and Most Original Imaginative Film of 1982 by the British Film Institute. Rajiv Anchal's Guru (1997), Salim Ahamed's Adaminte Makan Abu (2011) and Lijo Jose Pellissery's Jallikkattu (2019) were Malayalam films sent by India as its official entries for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards.
Sathyan Anthikad is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and lyricist who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. In a career spanning five decades he has directed more than 50 films, been the lyricist for 12 films and been the scriptwriter for 6 films. He is the recipient of several accolades including a National Film Award, five Kerala State Film Awards and three Filmfare Awards. He received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Humour in 2019 for his book, Eeswaran Mathram Sakshi.
Sreenivasan is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, dubbing artist and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. Sreenivasan has starred in over 225 films. Considered among the best screenwriters of Malayalam cinema, he is known for his rich and detailed screenplays based on the social and political milieu of Kerala. Sreenivasan wrote the screenplays of films such as Odaruthammava Aalariyam (1984), Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam (1986), Gandhinagar 2nd Street (1986), Nadodikkattu (1987), Pattanapravesham (1988), Varavelpu (1989), Thalayanamanthram (1990), Sandesam (1991), Midhunam (1993), Mazhayethum Munpe (1995), Azhakiya Ravanan (1996), Oru Maravathoor Kanavu (1998), Udayananu Tharam (2005), Katha Parayumpol (2007), and Njan Prakashan (2018) among which the latter is one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time. He has won two Kerala State Film Awards for Best Screenplay, for Sandesam and Mazhayethum Munpe.
Udayananu Tharam is a 2005 Indian Malayalam-language black comedy satire film directed by Rosshan Andrrews and written by Sreenivasan from a story by Andrrews. The film stars Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Meena, Mukesh and Jagathy Sreekumar. The songs featured in the film was composed by Deepak Dev, while Ouseppachan provided the background score. Udayananu Tharam presents the Malayalam film industry through a satirical viewpoint.
Vineeth Sreenivasan is an Indian playback singer, actor, film director, screenwriter, producer, lyricist, music composer, creative director and dubbing artist. He predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. Vineeth is son of the actor-screenwriter Sreenivasan.
Lal Jose is an Indian film director and producer who works in Malayalam film industry.
Mazhayethum Munpe is a 1995 Malayalam romantic drama film directed by Kamal and written by Sreenivasan. The film stars Mammootty, Shobhana, Annie and Sreenivasan in the lead roles. The plot is centered upon a college professor named Nandakumar, his fiancée Uma Maheshwari, and his student Shruthi.
Azhakiya Ravanan is a 1996 Malayalam romantic drama film directed by Kamal and written by Sreenivasan. The film stars Mammootty and Bhanupriya in the lead roles. Supporting cast includes Sreenivasan, Innocent, Biju Menon, Rajan P. Dev, and Cochin Haneefa. The music was composed by Vidyasagar, his debut Malayalam movie. The 2015 film Chirakodinja Kinavukal is a spin-off to this film.
Peruvazhiyambalam is a 1979 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by P. Padmarajan, based on his novel of the same name. The film was Padmarajan's directorial debut and the acting debut of Ashokan, who played the central character, Raman. The film is an incisive examination of how violence or totalitarianism works in our society; it dealt with disturbing questions relating to masculinity and how people adore and dread it at the same time. It was one of the last black-and-white Malayalam films.
Raamanam is a 2009 Malayalam film directed and produced by M. P. Sukumaran Nair. Jagathy Sreekumar plays the lead character in this film. The film is a re-depiction of Smarakasilakal, a celebrated Malayalam novel by Punathil Kunhabdulla.
Oppol is a 1981 Malayalam-language drama film, produced by Rosamma George under the banner of JMJ Arts, directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan and written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. The film stars Balan K. Nair, Menaka and Master Aravind in the lead roles. The film features original songs composed by M. B. Sreenivasan. The film was based on a short story of the same name written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair in 1975. The film revolves around Malu and her brother Appu. Malu gets married to Govindan and shifts to his house along with her brother. Appu however, gets jealous of Govindan when he starts thinking that he will isolate him from his sister. The rest of the film deals with how they mend their relationship.
Manamadurai Balakrishnan Sreenivasan, or MBS, as he was called, was a South Indian music director who worked mainly in the Malayalam and Tamil film industries.
Angene Oru Avadhikkalathu is a 1999 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Mohan and written by Sreenivasan from a story by Nedumudi Venu. It stars Sreenivasan, Samyuktha Varma, and Mukesh. The music was composed by Johnson. Angene Oru Avadhikkalathu won two Kerala State Film Awards: Best Music Director and Best Female Singer.
Kumara Sambhavam is a 1969 Indian Malayalam and Tamil bilingual film, directed and produced by P. Subramaniam. Based on the epic poem of the poet Kalidasa of the same name, it stars Gemini Ganesan, Padmini, Srividya and Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair in lead roles. The film had musical score and songs composed by G. Devarajan. The film won the first ever Kerala State Film Award for Best Film. The film stood apart in technical quality when compared to previous Malayalam films and is hence regarded as a landmark in the history of Malayalam cinema.
Manimuzhakkam is a 1976 Malayalam-language film directed by P. A. Backer and starring Harikeshan Thampi, Veeran, Johnson, Sankaradi, Saritha, Urmila, Vani, cyril P Jacob, Charulatha, Santhakumari, Sreenivasan and Meena Ganesh. This is the debut film of Sreenivasan. The film was scripted by Backer based on the novel Murippaadukal by Sarah Thomas. It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film. The film was shot in black-and-white even though colour films were common during those times.
Swapaanam is a 2014 Indian Malayalam film directed by Shaji N. Karun and produced by M. Rajan for Horizon Entertainments. The film features Jayaram and Kadambari in the lead roles, alongside Siddique, Vineeth, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy in supporting roles. The music was composed by Sreevalsan J Menon, while the script was written by Harikrishnan and Sajeev Pazhoor, based on Shaji’s own story. The film was screened in the Dubai International Film Festival.
Pullakuttikaran is a 1995 Indian Tamil-language drama film, written and directed by Parthiban. The film stars himself in the lead role, alongside Sangita, while Prakash Raj and Urvashi portray supporting roles along with Malayalam actor Sreenivasan acted his first Tamil film. The music for the film was composed by Deva and the film opened to mixed reviews in July 1995.
Margi Sathi was an exponent of Nangiǎr Kūthu which is a form of performing art derived from Koodiyattam and which is traditionally performed by the female members of the Chakkyar community of Kerala. She was also an accomplished expert in enacting the female characters in Koodiyattam. She has performed extensively within India and abroad. A notable performance was at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris in October 2001 as part of a programme to mark UNESCO's proclamation of Kutiyattam as a "masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity". Sathi had written the attaprakaram for several Nangiǎr Kūthu performance. The attaprakaram for Sreeramacharitham has been published as a book in 1999. She has also appeared in a few Malayalam movies.
Ranjan Abraham is an Indian film editor who predominantly works in Malayalam films. He had edited over 100 Malayalam films.He started as an assistant of noted editor G. Venkitaraman. His first independent assignment was Maravathoorkanavu directed by debutant Lal Jose. He frequently collaborated with Joshiy, Lal Jose and Vineeth Sreenivasan.
Rajisha Vijayan is an Indian actress and television presenter who primarily appears in Malayalam films, in addition to a few Tamil films. She hosted several television shows in Malayalam before making her acting debut in the 2016 film Anuraga Karikkin Vellam, for which she won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress.
