Malayalam cinema is the Indian film industry based in the southern state of Kerala, dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Malayalam language. It is also known by the sobriquet Mollywood in various print and online media. It's also known as Wonderwood due to its wonderful contributions to Indian film industry. Malayalam film industry is the fourth biggest film industry in India. The films produced here are known for their cinematography and story-driven realistic plots. Works such as Marana Simhasanam and Vanaprastham were screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. Marana Simhasanam garnered the coveted Caméra d'Or for that year.
Kollampronunciation (help·info), known by its former name Quilonpronunciation (help·info) and Coulão, and Desinganadu, is an old seaport and city on the Laccadive Sea coast of the Indian state of Kerala. It is situated 66 kilometers north of the state capital Trivandrum. The city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake. Kollam has a strong commercial reputation since the days of the Phoenicians and Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was mentioned by Ibn Battuta in the 14th century as one of the five Indian ports he had seen during the course of his twenty-four-year travels. Desinganadu's rajas exchanged embassies with Chinese rulers while there was a flourishing Chinese settlement at Kollam. In the 9th Century, on his way to Canton, China, Persian merchant Sulaiman al-Tajir found Kollam to be the only port in India visited by huge Chinese junks. Marco Polo, the Venetian traveller, who was in Chinese service under Kublai Khan in 1275, visited Kollam and other towns on the west coast, in his capacity as a Chinese mandarin. Kollam is also home to one of the seven churches that were established by St Thomas.
Balachandra Menon is an Indian film actor, director and script writer. He made a number of films in the 1980s and 1990s. He has directed 40 films and has acted in over 100 films. He won two National film awards including the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance as station master Ismail the 1998 film Samaantharangal, which was also directed by him. He has also worked as distributor, editor, composer, singer and producer in the Malayalam film industry. He has found space in the Limca Book of Records for the maximum number of films directed, scripted and acted in. Most of his films were successful but have been heavily criticised for its male chauvinistic and misogynistic content.
Hariharan is an Indian film director who has directed over 50 Malayalam films. His movies mainly revolve around the cultural and relational aspects of a typical Keralite society. His most notable works include Disco (1980), Sharapancharam (1977), Panchagni (1986), Paalazhimadhanam (1980)Yakshipparu (1979), Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1999), Padmaraagam (1979), Parinayam (1994) and Pazhassi Raja (2009) has won him wide critical acclaim. In 2019, he was awarded the J. C. Daniel Award, Kerala government's highest honour for contributions to Malayalam cinema.
Alappuzha, also known by its former name Alleppey, is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha District in the Indian State of Kerala. Alappuzha is a city and a municipality in Kerala with an urban population of 174,164 and ranks third among the districts in literacy rate in the State of Kerala. In 2016, the Centre for Science and Environment rated Alappuzha as the cleanest town in India. Alappuzha is considered to be the oldest planned city in this region and the lighthouse built on the coast of the city is the first of its kind along the Laccadive Sea coast.
Palakkadpronunciation (help·info), also known as Palghat, is a city and municipality in the state of Kerala in India. It is spread over an area of 26.60 square kilometres (10.27 sq mi). It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. The city is situated about 350 kilometres (220 mi) north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram, 50 kilometres (31 mi) southwest of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, and 66 kilometres (41 mi) northeast of Thrissur on the Salem-Kochi National Highway NH 544. Palakkad is also known as the rice bowl of Kerala. The 18th-century Palakkad Fort has sturdy battlements, a moat, and a Hanuman temple on its grounds. North on the Kalpathy River, the 15th-century Viswanatha Swamy Temple is the main venue of the Ratholsavam chariot festival. Northeast, near Malampuzha Dam, the town of Malampuzha has a rock garden created from recycled materials.
Kottarakkara, also transliterated as Kottarakara, is a town and municipality in Kollam District, in Kerala state, India. The town is close to Kollam Port, which has a rich history linked to the early medieval period as well as the reputation as an important commercial, industrial and trading center. Kottarakkara lies 27 kilometres (17 mi) to the east of Kollam city centre.
Gopynathan Velayudhan Nair, popularly known by the stage names Bharat Gopy, Kodiyettem Gopy, was an Indian film actor, producer and director. He was one of the first actors to be associated with the New Wave cinema movement in Kerala during the 1970s.
Jayasurya is an Indian actor, film producer, distributor, playback singer, and impressionist, who works in the Malayalam Cinema. He has appeared in more than 100 films and has won several awards, including a National Film Award, two Kerala State Film Awards, two Filmfare Awards South for acting and Best actor at the Cincinnati Film Festival held in Cincinnati, USA. Jayasurya has also appeared in a few Tamil films.
Mala Aravindan was an Indian film actor. He was best known for his work as a comedian and character artist in Malayalam films. He has acted in over 500 films.
Ottaplakkal Neelakandan Velu Kurup was a Malayalam poet and lyricist from Kerala, India, who won the Jnanpith Award, the highest literary award in India for the year 2007. He received the awards Padma Shri in 1998 and Padma Vibhushan in 2011, the fourth and second highest civilian honours from the Government of India. In 2007 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by University of Kerala, Trivandrum. O. N. V. was known for his leftist leaning. He was a leader of All India Students Federation (AISF). He died on 13 February 2016 at KIMS hospital in Thiruvananthapuram due to age-related illnesses, aged 84.
Siddique is an Indian film actor and producer, who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He also appeared in a few Tamil He has appeared in more than 300 films.He is mostly known for his character roles
Ratheesh (1954–2002) was an Indian film actor best known for his work in Malayalam cinema. He was a native of Kalavoor in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. He was a Super star in Mollywood during the late-1970s and 1980s. He was popular for his villainous roles during the 1990s. He had acted in 158 films with directors such as K. G. George, I. V. Sasi, Joshiy, P. G. Vishwambharan, Thampy Kannamthanam, and Shaji Kailas. Unlike other contemporaries villains of the time, Ratheesh captivated the Malayalam movie lovers with his charms and handsome looks.
Muraleedharan Pillai, popularly known as Murali was an Indian film, stage and television actor and author. He mainly appeared in Malayalam films and a few Tamil films and also many other movies. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Appa Mestry, a communist freedom fighter and professional weaver in the 2002 film Neythukaran. Regarded by film critics as one of the greatest actors in Indian cinema, he was known for his powerful portrayal of character roles, lead roles and negative roles.
Narasimham is a 2000 Indian Malayalam-language action drama film directed by Shaji Kailas and written by Ranjith. The film features an ensemble cast comprising Mohanlal, Thilakan, N. F. Varghese, Aishwarya, Kanaka, Jagathi Sreekumar, and Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, among others. Mammootty appears in a cameo role. The film was the first production of Aashirvad Cinemas, owned by Antony Perumbavoor, the former chauffeur of Mohanlal.
Black Dalia is a 2009 Indian Malayalam film directed by Baburaj in his directorial debut. The film stars Suresh Gopi, Baburaj and Vani Viswanath, with Cherrie Minhas, Tami Dushyantha, Suja Naidu, Teena Ponnamma, Ruksha, Jisna Ali, Althara, Kavitha Nair, Pavithra and Thegika in other important roles. This film was dubbed in Telugu as Anthima Theerpu, in Hindi as Lady Singham and in Tamil as Magalir Kalloori.
Priyanandanan is an Indian film and drama director from Kerala. His second movie, Pulijanmam, received the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 2006.
Teja Bhai and Family is a 2011 Malayalam romantic crime comedy film directed by Deepu Karunakaran, starring Prithviraj, Akhila, and Suraj Venjaramood in the lead roles.
Shobha Mohan is an Indian film actress known for her work in Malayalam cinema.
