Malayalam cinema is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Malayalam language, which is widely spoken in the state of Kerala, India. In 1982, Elippathayam won the Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival, and Most Original Imaginative Film of 1982 by the British Film Institute. The film Marana Simhasanam has won the prestigious Caméra d'Or at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.
Mohanlal Viswanathan is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer, film distributor, and director who predominantly works in Malayalam film industry besides also having sporadically appeared in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada 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, is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam-language films. He has also appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English-language productions. In a career spanning five decades, he has appeared in more than 410 films, predominantly in lead roles. He is the recipient of several accolades, including three National Film Awards, nine Kerala State Film Awards, eleven Kerala Film Critics 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.
Kesavan Venugopal, better known by his stage name Nedumudi Venu, was an Indian actor and screenwriter from Kerala, who predominantly worked in Malayalam cinema. He acted in more than 500 films, primarily in Malayalam and also in Tamil in a career spanning nearly five decades. He wrote screenplays and directed one film. Nedumudi Venu won three National Film Awards and six Kerala State Film Awards for his various performances.
Irruppam Veedu Sasidaran was an Indian film director who made over 110 films predominantly in Malayalam, in addition to Tamil and Hindi languages. In 2015, he was awarded the J. C. Daniel Award, the highest award in Malayalam cinema. Often described as a pathbreaker, Sasi made his mark during Malayalam cinema’s transformative period from the 1970s to 1990s.
Kozhikode, or Calicut district, is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala, along its southwestern Malabar Coast. The city of Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is the district headquarters. The district is 67.15% urbanised.
Rashin Rahman is an Indian actor. He has worked in around 200 films, primarily in Malayalam cinema, in addition to Tamil, Hindi and Telugu cinema, and has won several awards. In Tamil and Telugu cinema, he is also known by the screen names Raghuman and Raghu.
Nadan is a 2013 Malayalam drama film directed by Kamal and written by S. Suresh Babu. Jayaram and Remya Nambeeshan play the lead roles, while the rest of the cast are former theatre artists that include K. P. A. C. Lalitha, Joy Mathew, P. Balachandran, Hareesh Peradi and Sasi Kalinga. It was produced by Anilkumar Ambalakkara under the banner of Ambalakkara Global Films. Nadan features some famous scenes from the famous Kerala People's Arts Club dramas Ningalenne Communistakki and Mudiyanaya Puthran.
Mamukkoya was an Indian actor known for his work in the Malayalam cinema. He also appeared in few Tamil films and the French film Flammen In Paradies. He mostly appeared in comedic roles. His unique usage of the Mappila dialect and style marked his presence in the industry. In a career spanning over four decades, Mamukkoya acted in more than 450 Malayalam films and was the first winner of the State award for best comedian in Malayalam cinema.
Mammootty, is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam films. He has acted in more than 400 films in Malayalam and other languages including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English and Kannada films. He has starred in both art house and blockbuster films.
Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri was an Indian writer and scholar of Malayalam literature. Known primarily for his poems, Namboothiri also contributed to other genres such as essays, translations and children's literature. Swathanthrathe Kurichu Oru Geetham, Bhoomigeethangal, Indiayenna Vikaaram and Charulata count among his notable works. The Government of India honored him with the fourth highest civilian award of the Padma Shri in 2014 and the Government of Kerala awarded him the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary award in Malayalam, the same year. He was also a recipient of Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions, Asan Prize, Sahitya Akademi Award and Odakkuzhal Award.
Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, 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.
1921 is a 1988 Indian Malayalam-language war film written by T. Damodaran and directed by I. V. Sasi. The film has an ensemble cast including Mammootty, Madhu, Suresh Gopi, T. G. Ravi, Seema, Urvashi and Mukesh. Set during the 1921–22 Mappila Uprising in Madras Presidency, it tells the fictional story of Khader, a World War I veteran, who joins with the Mappila rebels during the Uprising.
Pokkiri Raja is a 2010 Indian Malayalam-language masala film written by the duo Udaykrishna–Sibi K. Thomas and directed by Vysakh in his directorial debut. The film stars Mammootty and Prithviraj Sukumaran and Shriya Saran in the lead roles, alongside Siddique, Nedumudi Venu, Vijayaraghavan, Salim Kumar, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Riyaz Khan. The film marked the debut of Shriya Saran in Malayalam cinema.
S. Ramesan Nair was an Indian lyricist and poet who worked predominantly in the Malayalam film industry. Over his career he wrote songs for over 170 films and over 3,000 devotional songs outside of the films. He debuted with the movie Pathamudhayam in 1985. He was a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 2010 and the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 2018 for his collection of poems Gurupournami.
Shutter is a 2012 Indian Malayalam thriller film written and directed by theater actor and playwright Joy Mathew in his directorial debut. The film set and filmed in Kozhikode, stars Lal, Sreenivasan, Vinay Forrt, Sajitha Madathil and Riya Saira. Renganaath Ravee does the sound design, and Hari Nair is the cinematographer. The film notably features a poem by Pablo Neruda, set to music and sung by Shahabaz Aman. Biby Sam and Jacob Panikker composed the background score for the film.
The Hitlist is a 2012 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film written, directed and produced by Bala. The film stars Bala, Dhruv Sharma, and Aishwarya Devan, while Samudrakani, Thalaivasal Vijay, Riyaz Khan, Tini Tom, and Sasi Kalinga plays supporting roles. The film's music was composed by Alphons Joseph. The plot follows ACP Vikram Rathod, who is assigned to catch a serial killer who has been murdering police officers.
Gimi George, better known by her stage name Miya George, is an Indian actress and model who predominantly works in Malayalam films, along with a few Tamil films. She started her career as an actress by playing supporting roles in television shows.
Kunnumpurath Mathew Augustine, known mononymously as Augustine, was an Indian actor who worked in Malayalam cinema. He acted in more than 150 films, mainly in comedy, character and negative roles. Actress Ann Augustine is his daughter.
Kozhikode Sarada was an Indian Malayalam film actress. She has appeared in over 90 Malayalam films in a career spanning over four decades. She started her career as a stage actress. Sarada made her debut in Malayalam films with the film Angakkuri in 1979. She is known for appearing in films such as Kuttisrank, Anyarude Bhoomi, Sallapam Anubandham, Ulsavapittennu and Kilichundan Mambapazham. Sarada's role in Sallapam as the mother of Manoj K Jayan was praised by critics. She is also known for appearing in several Malayalam serials. She is a recipient of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (2016).
