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.
Kulakkattil Geevarghese George is an Indian film maker and screenwriter who worked in the Malayalam cinema. He was the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam cinema, along with Bharathan and P. Padmarajan, in the 1980s. He was awarded the J. C. Daniel Award, Government of Kerala's highest honour for contributions to the Malayalam cinema.
Mohammad Sabir Baburaj was an Indian music composer. He is often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music. Baburaj has rendered music to many evergreen Malayalam film songs.
Chemmeen is a 1965 Indian Malayalam-language romance film, based on the novel of the same name by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. It was adapted into a screenplay by S. L. Puram Sadanandan, directed by Ramu Kariat, and produced by Babu Ismail Sait under the banner Kanmani Films.
Ramu Kariat was an Indian film director for almost three decades from the 1950s to the 1970s, who directed many acclaimed films in the Malayalam cinema. His noted films include Neelakkuyil (1954), Minnaminungu (1957), Mudiyanaya Puthran (1961), Moodupadam (1963) and the National Award winning Chemmeen (1965).
Ramanan is the most celebrated work of Malayalam poet Changampuzha Krishna Pillai. It is a play written in the form of verse. It is a pastoral elegy written after the death of his friend, Edappally Raghavan Pillai. Written in 1936, it is the bestseller of Malayalam literature.
Neelakuyil is a 1954 Malayalam film jointly directed by P. Bhaskaran and Ramu Kariat. It is a neo-realistic melodrama and was based on a story written by Uroob who co-wrote the screenplay and dialogues along with P. Bhaskaran. It stars Sathyan, Miss Kumari, Prema, P. Bhaskaran and Master Vipin. The plot revolves around Neeli, a Dalit peasant girl, who falls in love with Sreedharan Nair (Sathyan), a high caste school teacher. However, things get complicated when Neeli gets pregnant and Sreedharan Nair refuses to marry her. Many of the actors debuted through this film. Acclaimed actor Paravoor Bharathan appears in a cameo role.
Gopynathan Velayudhan Nair Muralikrishnan, professionally credited as Murali Gopy, is an Indian actor-screenwriter, producer, author, singer, lyricist, music composer and journalist. He has written films like Rasikan, Ee Adutha Kaalathu, Left Right Left, Tiyaan, Kammara Sambhavam, and the highest-grossing Malayalam film Lucifer. He has won numerous awards including Filmfare Awards South and South Indian International Movie Awards for his work on screen and behind it.
Vartha (transl. News) is a 1986 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by I. V. Sasi and produced by P. V. Gangadharan. The film stars Mammootty, Seema, Mohanlal, Rahman, Venu Nagavally, K. P. A. C. Lalitha and Prathapachandran. The film has musical score by A. T. Ummer. The film was successful at the box office. The film was remade in Tamil as Palaivana Rojakkal (1986), and in Hindi as Jai Shiv Shankar, which never released.
Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njaanum is a 1999 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Vinayan based on a screenplay by J. Pallassery. The film features Kalabhavan Mani, Kaveri, Praveena and Sai Kumar in the lead roles. The film centers around Ramu, a blind poet and singer who supports his family. However, their happiness dissipates soon after he gets cheated by a rich businessman.
Ramanan is a 1967 Indian Malayalam-language romantic musical film written, directed and produced by D. M. Pottekkat. It is an adaptation of Ramanan (1936), a poem by Changampuzha Krishna Pillai. The film stars Prem Nazir and Sheela. Madhu, Kottayam Chellappan, Kamaladevi, Meenakumari, Ramu Kariat, Adoor Bhasi, Usha Kumari and Manavalan Joseph play other important roles. The film was noted for its technical brilliance and for being the adaptation of an immortal poetical work, but was a box office flop.
Mudiyanaya Puthran is a 1961 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by Ramu Kariat. It stars Sathyan, Ambika Sukumaran, Kottayam Chellappan, P. J. Antony, J. A. R. Anand, Miss Kumari, Adoor Bhavani, Kedamangalam Ali, P. A. Thomas, Kambisseri Karunakaran, Thoppil Krishna Pillai and Adoor Bhasi.
Moodupadam is a 1963 Malayalam language film directed by Ramu Kariat and scripted by K. T. Muhammed based on S. K. Pottekkatt's novel of the same name. Sathyan and Ambika play the lead roles. It is a social film about the relationship between three major religious faiths in Kerala, Hindu, Muslim and Christian.
Anubandham (transl. Relation) is a 1985 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and directed by I. V. Sasi. It stars Mammootty, Mohanlal, Seema, and Shobana. The film won four Kerala State Film Awards—Best Story (Nair), Best Actress (Seema), Best Child Artist (Vimal), and Best Editor.
Nellu (transl. Paddy) is a 1974 Malayalam film directed by Ramu Kariat from a screenplay by K. G. George based on the award-winning novel of the same name by P. Valsala. The film is about the tribal people of the Wayanad hills in the deep Kerala forests. It stars Prem Nazir and Jayabharathi in the lead roles. The film is noted for its aesthetic quality and is regarded as a landmark in the history of Malayalam cinema.
Ashok Kumar Aggarwal was an Indian cinematographer who worked mainly in the South Indian film industry. In a career that spanned nearly four decades, he worked in over 125 feature films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi languages. Aggarwal was a member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC).
Namma Preethiya Ramu is a 2003 Indian Kannada-language drama film directed by Sanjay-Vijay duo and written by Vinayan who directed the original Malayalam version Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njaanum. The film stars Darshan playing the eponymous character of a blind village singer, along with Navya Natarajan, Hamsavijetha and Hanumanthegowda in other prominent roles. The film was produced by G Nandakumar and B P Rame Gowda for Vishwapriya Films studio. The film score and soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
Kayamkulam Kochunni is a 1966 Indian Malayalam-language period drama film written, produced and directed by P. A. Thomas. Dialogues were written by Jagathy N. K. Achary. It is based on the life of the 19th century thief Kayamkulam Kochunni, who is known for stealing from rich and giving to poor. The film stars Sathyan, Adoor Bhasi and Manavalan Joseph and K. J. Yesudas. The soundtrack was composed by B. A. Chidambaranath.
Deepti Sati is an Indian actress and model who predominantly appears in Malayalam films. She has also appeared in Marathi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films. She made her acting debut in 2015 with Nee-Na.
G. Marthandan is an Indian film director who works in Malayalam cinema. His debut film is Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus
