Malayalam Cinema’s Global Rise: From Kerala’s Roots to World Screens
By Milind Krishna A
Kochi, 25th May 2025: Malayalam cinema has transcended its regional roots in Kerala to become a global cinematic powerhouse, blending hyperlocal narratives with universal themes. Films like The Great Indian Kitchen, Jallikattu, and All We Imagine as Light tackle patriarchy, greed, and migration with Kerala’s cultural authenticity, earning accolades at Cannes, Toronto, and Rotterdam.
With record-breaking box office hauls L2: Empuraan grossed ₹265.5 crore worldwide and strategic OTT partnerships, the industry’s “New Wave” directors and bold storytelling have redefined Indian cinema, proving that fiercely local stories can resonate universally.
Malayalam cinema, once confined to Kerala’s regional boundaries, has emerged as a global cinematic force, earning critical praise, festival accolades, and commercial success worldwide. Emanating from the southern Indian state of Kerala, occupies a unique position within the diverse tapestry of Indian filmmaking. In contrast to the commercially dominant Bollywood industry, with its emphasis on spectacle and star power or the formulaic, celebrity-driven ecosystems of Tamil and Telugu cinema, Malayalam films have historically distinguished themselves through their commitment to narrative complexity, socio-political introspection, and cultural authenticity. This dedication to realism and critical engagement has garnered the industry widespread acclaim, both within India and on the international stage, positioning it as a formidable force in global cinematic discourse.
Among this international audience, every industry has two choices either to form the industry standard of appealing to the mass majority of the audience or to stand out by churning out movies driven by stories of issues known to everyone. This commitment to producing deftly moving movies with emotions that move the audience is their way of standing out, since the early 2010’s the Malayalam movie industry has seen movies attempting to establish this termed as the “New Wave” or “New Generation” it introduced a bunch of experimental movies with themes so unconventional of those times and new to the industry narrative techniques. The younger crop of directors Amal Neerad, Aashiq Abu, Lijo Jose Pellissery, and Anjali Menon to name a few setting the foundation of the success that the industry enjoys now.
On a shoestring budget, their ability to maximise their profit was an attraction to many production companies to invest in the newer generation of movies, The Malayalam movie industry has come a long way to earning its highest gross with L2: Empuraan a mighty sum of 265.5 Crore Worldwide movie starring Mohanlal who is synonymous with Malayalam movies and any height it has reached, This time also earning the highest overseas box office L2: Empuraan set the bar sky-high this year by amass amassing a record-breaking USD 15.7 million (Rs 133 crore) from international markets, followed Thudarum starring Mohanlal Directorial by Tharun Moorthy with USD 10.6 million ( Rs 90 crore) For a small industry to achieve this high numbers overseas becomes a testament to the capabilities of the industry.
How did such a change occur this quickly the answer is it wasn’t to one closely following the industry the foundations were laid down step by step Pandemic and Post-Pandemic situations helped to jettison this fear of not adhering to mainstream movies the safe space of OTT platforms boosted as the risk of loss was mitigated even before the movie was released CU Soon in 2020, Bhootakalam they all expanded the avenue.
Engaging with the diaspora with targeted screening of movies in UAE, Europe and North America, Aadujeevitham having sold out shows in UAE, Films like Paradise (2023) by Prasanna Vithanage, set in Sri Lanka but primarily in Malayalam, have attracted diverse audiences, with viewers in places like Sri Lanka learning Malayalam through films available on OTT platforms. Promotion through niche social media channels builds up tension for the release of the movie.
An incredible thing lately observed in the industry is the availability of different genre of movies throughout the highest grossing list L2: Empuraan: (Action, Thriller), Manjummel Boys: (Adventure, Thriller), Thudarum: (Action, Drama), 2018: (Disaster Drama), AaduJeevitham (The Goat Life): (Drama, Thriller), Aavesham: (Comedy, Action), Pulimurugan: (Action, Animal Adventure), Premalu: (Romance, Comedy). But box office collection does not define a movie, Films like Bramayugam with its interesting black-and-white cinematography and 2018’s usage of VFX for the disaster in the movie showcased the raised production benchmark of the industry.
International acclaim is not unknown to the industry, at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, All We Imagine as Light (2024) became the first Indian film in 30 years to compete for the Palme d’Or, winning the Grand Prix, Jallikattu in 2019 was India’s official Oscar entry and premiered at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) Toronto and Busan. Ee.Ma.Yau. (2018) which showcased Kerala’s raw, anarchic storytelling to global audiences was also premiered at TIFF, The International Film Festival of 2023 in Rotterdam spoke about Thuramukham (2023) and its highlighted labour history of Kerala, praised for its “documentary-like realism”.
What are the current driving Factors behind the Global success mainly the usage of Hyperlocal Narratives with Universal Themes films like The Great Indian in its critique of Kitchen and the Patriarch; Jallikattu standing for capitalist allegory both using specific cultural specificity of Kerala to explore global issues. Malayalam cinema’s meteoric rise to international acclaim is a testament to its unwavering commitment to authenticity, socio-political courage, and artistic innovation.
By anchoring narratives in Kerala’s cultural and historical fabric whether through the labour struggles of Thuramukham, the feminist revolt of The Great Indian Kitchen, or the existential chaos of Jallikattu the industry has transformed hyperlocal stories into universal parables. These films transcend linguistic and geographical barriers because they speak to shared human experiences: resistance against oppression, the quest for dignity, and the fragility of societal order. The global stage has embraced this cinematic revolution. From All We Imagine as Light winning the Grand Prix at Cannes the first Indian film in three decades to do so to Jallikattu’s primal energy electrifying Toronto and Busan, Malayalam cinema has redefined India’s creative identity.
Strategic OTT partnerships and diaspora engagement have amplified its reach, turning niche films into global phenomena. Yet, this success is not without challenges: the shadow of pan-Indian blockbusters, the risks of cultural dilution in translation, and the need to nurture emerging voices beyond established auteurs like Lijo Jose Pellissery and Jeo Baby.
Looking ahead, the industry’s future lies in bold collaborations with the 2025 movie Norway-shot Kayattam. By staying rooted in Kerala’s soil while embracing global storytelling techniques, Malayalam cinema is not just surviving it is pioneering a new paradigm for world cinema. In an era of homogenized blockbusters, its triumph proves that the most resonant stories are those that dare to be fiercely local, unflinchingly honest, and undeniably human.
