Landmark Films
The films in this list are those which have influenced the growth, trends, fame and acclaim of Malayalam cinema through its 80-year-long history.
1967 Cochin Express Direcor-M. Krishnan Nair The film launched the genre of professional crime detection movies with Prem Nazir acting as the detective, popularly called, CID, a term wrongly attributed to the detective, but actually standing for Criminal Investigation Department. It laumched Pre Nazir as a 'CID hero' and he virtually lent his name to three movies, CID Nazir, Taxi Car and Prem Nazirine Kaananilla.
| Year | Film | Director | Major cast | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Vigathakumaran | J. C. Daniel | J. C. Daniel, Rosy | First Malayalam film. The first Indian film, Raja Harishchandra, was produced in 1912. |
| 1933 | Marthanda Varma | P. V. Rao | Jaidev, Devaki, Padmini | Second and last silent film. First historical drama film and novel to film adaptation. |
| 1938 | Balan | S. Nottani | Kamalan, Laxmikutty | First sound film (talkie). |
| 1948 | Nirmala | P. J. Cherian | Joseph Cherian, Baby Joseph | First film produced by a Malayali. Also the first film with songs. Lyrics were by G. Shankara Kurup. |
| 1951 | Jeevitha Nauka | K. Vembu | Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair | First superhit. Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair became the first Malayalam superstar. |
| 1954 | Neelakkuyil | Ramu Karyat, P. Bhaskaran | Sathyan, Miss_Kumari | Considered the first mature film in Malayalam. The film excelled in direction, screenplay, acting and music. |
| 1955 | Newspaper Boy | P. Ramadas | Master Moni | Considered India's first neorealistic film. |
| 1961 | Kandam Bacha Coat | T. R. Sundaram | Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Prem Nawaz, Ambika | First colour film. |
| 1964 | Bhargavi Nilayam | A. Vincent | Prem Nazir, Madhu, Vijaya Nirmala, P.J. Antony | First horror film. Story and screenplay were by Vaikom Muhammed Bashir. |
| 1965 | Chemmeen | Ramu Karyat | Madhu, Sathyan, Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, Sheela | First film to participate in an international film festival. First South Indian film to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film. |
| 1965 | Murappennu | A. Vincent | Prem Nazir, P.J. Antony, Adoor Bhasi, Sharada | First film to shoot extensively outdoors. It was the first film venture of writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair. |
| 1966 | Iruttinte Athmavu | P. Bhaskaran | Prem Nazir, Santha Devi | Noted for being the first serious attempt at sensitive storytelling. Considered to be the masterpiece work of P. Bhaskaran and Prem Nazir. |
| 1967 | Chithramela | T .S. Muthiah | Prem Nazir, Sharada, Sheela, K. P. Ummer | Noted for being the first anthology film. |
| 1967 | Karutha Rathrikal | Mahesh | Madhu, Gemini Ganesan, S. P. Pillai | Noted for being the first science fiction film. |
| 1972 | Swayamvaram | Adoor Gopalakrishnan | Madhu, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Sharada | Pinoeered "new-wave cinema movement" in India. It was the director's debut film and it was also the first Malayalam film to win the National Film Award for Best Direction. |
| 1974 | Kanchana Sita | G. Aravindan | Rama Chenchu tribal people | Pinoeered independent filmmaking in South India. |
| 1975 | Prayanam | Bharathan | Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair | Considered the starting point of middle-stream cinema, a mix of serious themes and mass appeal. It was the debut of director Bharathan and screenwriter Padmarajan. |
| 1978 | Avalude Ravukal | I.V. Sasi | Soman, Sukumaran, Seema | One of the bolder movies of Kerala cinema, this I. V. Sasi experimental film highlighted a theme (teenage prostitution) which most mainstream directors were reluctant to tackle. |
| 1978 | Thacholi Ambu | Appachan | Prem Nazir, Jayan | South India's first CinemaScope film |
| 1982 | Padayottam | Jijo Punnoose | Prem Nazir, Madhu, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Lakshmi | India's first indigenously produced 70 mm film. |
| 1984 | My Dear Kuttichathan | Jijo Punnoose | Arvind, Sonia | India's first 3-D film and the first film in Malayalam recorded with DTS sound in the second version released in 1997. |
| 1986 | Amma Ariyan | John Abraham | Joy Mathew | Considered as one of the most complex Malayalam cinema. This is the first time in the history of Indian cinema, that a film was made entirely on the basis of public funds. |
| 1987 | Piravi | Shaji N Karun | Premji | This film received more international awards than any other film in the history of Malayalam cinema. It participated over 100 International film festivals abroad India and became a great success at theatrical releases in France, Switzerland, Germany etc. |
| 1988 | Chithram | Priyadarshan | Mohanlal, Ranjini, Nedumudi Venu | This is the first film which run continuously as regular show for 1 year in a single theater. |
| 1988 | Oru CBI Diary Kurippu | K. Madhu | Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Jagathy | This film is the first in the series of the CBI investigative thrillers featuring Mammootty as CBI officer Sethurama Iyer. It was produced by M. Mani under the banner Sunitha Productions. Sequels to the film are Jagratha (1989), Sethurama Iyer CBI (2004), and Nerariyan CBI (2005). A fifth sequel in the franchise has been announced and is now in the pre-production stage. |
| 1988 | Adipapam | P. Chandrakumar | Abhilasha | This was the first superhit theatrical softporn film and it inspired a series of similar productions in the next few years. |
| 1989 | Mathilukal | Adoor Gopalakrishnan | Mammootty | This film has been screened at more international film festivals (76) than any other Malayalam film. |
| 1991 | Godfather | Siddique-Lal | N. N. Pillai, Mukesh, Thilakan, | The Film ran continuously for 405 days in theaters. |
| 1994 | Swaham | Shaji N.Karun | Kalamandalam Haridas, Ashwani | The first Malayalam film selected for the COMPETITION- the Official section of 1994 Cannes International Film Festival |
| 1997 | Guru | Rajiv Anchal | Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi | Movie was chosen as India's official entry to the Oscars to be considered for nomination in the Best Foreign Film category for the year 1997, making it the first Malayalam film to be chosen for the same. |
| 1998 | Harikrishnans | Fazil | Mohanlal, Mammootty, Juhi Chawla | First Indian film to have multiple climaxes. |
| 1999 | Vanaprastham | Shaji N Karun | Mohanlal, Suhasini | is an Indian-French-German produced feature film directed by Shaji N. Karun. It stars Mohanlal, Suhasini Mani Ratnam, Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar, Kalamandalam Gopi and Venmani Haridas. The film's music is composed by Zakir Hussain.The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival (AFI Fest) in 1999.It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. |
| 2000 | Kinnara Thumbikal | R. J. Prasad | Shakeela | This superhit low-budget theatrical softporn film inspired a series of similar productions in the next few years. |
| 2001 | The Guard | Hakkim Rawther | Kalabhavan Mani | The world's first film with a single actor in the star cast. |
| 2006 | Moonnamathoral | V. K. Prakash | Jayaram, Samvrutha Sunil, Jyothirmayi, Sherin, Vineeth | The first Indian film to be shot and distributed in digital format. |
| 2008 | Twenty:20 | Joshy | Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Dileep, Jayaram | First film to feature almost all the stars in the Malayalam film industry. The film was produced to raise funds for the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists.Highest grossing Malayalam film till date. |
| 2009 | Pazhassi Raja | Hariharan | Mammootty, Sarath Kumar, Manoj K. Jayan, Kanika, Padmapriya | The most expensive Malayalam film, with a reported budget of 27 crores. It was also the first Malayalam film to get a home video release in Blu-ray format.This is also the highest grossing Malayalam film in 2009. |
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