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 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.
Mohanlal Viswanathan, known mononymously as Mohanlal, is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer, film distributor, and director who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically appeared in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada-language films. Mohanlal has a prolific career spanning over four decades, during which he has acted in more than 400 films. Mohanlal's contributions to the Malayalam cinema have been praised by his contemporaries in the Indian film industry. The Government of India honoured him with Padma Shri in 2001, and Padma Bhushan in 2019, India's fourth and third highest civilian honours, for his contributions to Indian cinema. In 2009, he became the first actor in India to be awarded the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army. Mohanlal was named as one of "the men who changed the face of the Indian Cinema" by CNN-News18.
Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail, known mononymously by the hypocorism Mammootty (/mɐmːuːʈːi/), is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam films. He has also appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English-language productions. In a career spanning five decades, he has acted in over 400 films. He is the recipient of several accolades, including three National Film Awards, seven Kerala State Film Awards, and thirteen Filmfare Awards South. For his contribution to film, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 1998. In 2022, he was honoured with Kerala Prabha Award, the second-highest honour given by the Government of Kerala.
Kavya Madhavan is a former Indian actress, who appeared predominantly in Malayalam films. She made her debut in 1991 as a child artist in Pookkalam Varavayi. Her debut role as a lead actress was in Lal Jose's Chandranudikkunna Dikhil in 1999, when she was in the ninth grade. It's success established her status as one of the leading actress in the Malayalam industry during the 2000s. She has acted in over 75 movies. She has won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress twice, for her performances in Perumazhakkalam (2004) and Gaddama (2010).
Karthika Menon, better known by her stage name Bhavana, is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Malayalam film and a few Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films.
Manju Warrier is an Indian actress, producer, classical dancer and playback singer who primarily appears in Malayalam language films. She is the recipient of several awards. She is regarded as one of the most prolific actresses in Malayalam cinema.
Kunchacko Boban is an Indian actor and film producer. Sometimes referred to as Chackochan, he works in the Malayalam film industry and has acted in more than 90 films in more than two decades. He is a member of the Kunchacko family. Kunchacko's debut was as a child in the film Dhanya (1981) produced by his father Boban Kunchacko.
Muhammed Haneefa, better known by his stage name Cochin Haneefa, was an Indian actor, film director, and screenwriter. He started his career in the 1970s mainly portraying villainous roles, before going on to become one of the most popular comedians of Malayalam cinema. He acted in more than 300 films in Malayalam and Tamil.
Sunil Kumar, known by his stage name Narain, is an Indian actor, who has starred in Malayalam and Tamil films. He made his debut in Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Nizhalkuthu (2002), followed by performances in Malayalam films 4 the People (2004), Achuvinte Amma (2005), and Classmates (2006). Narain's Tamil debut was in Mysskin's Chithiram Pesuthadi (2006).
Lal Jose is an Indian director, actor, producer and distributor who works in the Malayalam film industry. He started his career as an Assistant director in the Malayalam cinema. His directorial debut was with the 1998 film Oru Maravathoor Kanavu.
Salim Kumar is an Indian actor, comedian, director and writer in Malayalam cinema. Mostly known for his comic and comedy roles, Salim Kumar is considered one of the best and most prominent comedians in the history of Malayalam cinema.
Kochi Rajavu is a 2005 Indian Malayalam-language action comedy film directed by Johny Antony and written by the Udayakrishna-Siby K. Thomas duo. It stars Dileep in the lead role with Kavya Madhavan, Rambha, Harisree Ashokan, Murali, Jagathy Sreekumar and Vijayaraghavan in supporting roles.
Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan Pillai, better known by his stage name Dileep, is an Indian actor, producer, and businessman who predominantly works in the Malayalam film industry. He has acted in more than 150 films and has won several awards, including four Kerala State Film Awards and one Filmfare Awards South.
Johny Antony is a popular Indian film director and actor, known for making comedy films in Malayalam cinema. He is from Changanassery in Kottayam district, Kerala. He worked for about a decade as an associate to directors Thulasidas, Taha, Kamal and Jose Thomas. Antony made his directorial debut with the slapstick comedy C.I.D. Moosa in 2003. His other directorial ventures include Kochi Rajavu (2005), Thuruppu Gulan (2006), Cycle (2008), Ee Pattanathil Bhootham (2009), Masters (2012), Thappana (2012) and Thoppil Joppan (2016). Antony made his acting debut with a role in the film Shikkari Shambhu (2018). His acting credits include the films Drama (2018), Joseph (2018), Ganagandharvan (2019), Varane Avashyamund (2020), and Home (2021).
Suraj Vasudevan , professionally credited as Suraj Venjaramoodu, is an Indian actor, comedian, impressionist, and television presenter, who appears in Malayalam films, television and stage plays. He has acted in more than 250 films. He has won a National Film Award and three Kerala State Film Awards.
Nivin Pauly is an Indian actor and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam films. He is a recipient of several awards including two Kerala State Film Awards and three Filmfare South awards. Nivin auditioned for and was cast in one of the main roles in Vineeth Sreenivasan's directorial debut Malarvaadi Arts Club in 2009, which was produced by actor Dileep. Nivin got his breakthrough with his lead role in the romantic film Thattathin Marayathu (2012), which was also directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan.
Jeethu Joseph is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. He has also worked in a few Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. Jeethu made his directional debut with the 2007 police procedural, Detective. He is best known for the crime thrillers, Drishyam and Drishyam 2. Drishyam became the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever, at its time of release. It was the first Malayalam film to cross the ₹50 crore mark, at the box office. Drishyam 2 was released directly through Amazon Prime Video, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like the prequel, it was highly acclaimed and appreciated, worldwide.
Rajisha Vijayan is an Indian actress, who primarily appears in Malayalam films, in addition to a few Tamil films and Telugu 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.
Shibu is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by duo directors Arjun and Gokul, written by Praneesh, and produced by Kaargo Cinemas. It features Karthik, Anju Kurian, Salim Kumar, and Biju Kuttan in lead roles. Sachin Warrier composed the music for the film. It was released on 19 July 2019.
P. Sukumar ISC is an Indian cinematographer, director, producer and actor who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema. He is known for directing the film, Swantham Lekhakan, and handling the camera for over 65 films such as Twenty:20, Azhakiya Ravanan, Ee Puzhayum Kadannu, Ravanaprabhu, Kalyanaraman, Kunjikkoonan, Swapnakoodu and Raappakal. He has also acted, with the screen name, Kiran, in a number of films including Chettayees and Kaikudanna Nilavu. Noted Malayalam film director, P. Chandrakumar is his elder brother. He is a recipient of the Kerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography in 1993 for the film, Sopanam (film)|Sopanam and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director for his film Swantham Lekhakan in 2009.
