The Best Malayalam Movies of 2016 So Far


Following is a video I created of the top 7 films based on the 60 or so odd titles released between January and June. For the chart, scroll down.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ElpZeaSjds?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

As per Wikipedia, a total of one hundred and eighteen Malayalam-language feature films have released in Mollywood so far (November). While that may sound hard to believe, it is even more perplexing to know that only a fraction of these titles are watchable. Do you know there is a Mallu film called ‘Appuram Bengal Ippuram Thiruvathamkoor‘ that released in the first week of March and which is one of the better films of 2016? Guess not.

The full list of 15 best Malayalam films can be watched below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDwJUwyoTwE&w=640&h=360]

Here we have the best Malayalam films of 2016 that are worth the ticket (or DVD or BluRay disc) price and won’t be a waste of time in this fast-paced, continuously-changing lives of ours where there is no shortage of entertainment material.

This list is based on the mean value of my personal ratings, and those of Malayalam film industry’s eminent film critics like Veeyen of NowRunning; Sify.com; and Lensmen Movie Reviews. Updated monthly, and last on: 30 December 2016.


Table of Contents Hide
1 List of top Malayalam Movies of 2016 so far –

List of top Malayalam Movies of 2016 so far –

  1. MAHESHINTE PRATHIKAARAM (Last month – 1; Peak – 1) – Review
  2. KISMATH (Last month – 2; Peak – 2) – Review
  3. ANURAGA KARIKKIN VELLAM (Last month – 3; Peak – 3) – Review
  4. ACTION HERO BIJU (Last month – 4; Peak – 2) – Review
  5. OZHIVUDIVASATHE KALI (Last month – 5; Peak – 3) – Review
  6. AANANDAM (Last month – 6; Peak – 5) – Review
  7. MOONAM NAAL NJAYARAZHCHA (Last month – 11; Peak – 4) – Review
  8. GUPPY (Last month – 7, Peak – 3) – Review
  9. KALI (Last month – 8; Peak – 3) – Review
  10. KATTAPPANAYILE RITHWIK ROSHAN (Last month – 9; Peak – 9) – Review
  11. PULIMURUGAN (Last month – 10; Peak – 9) – Review
  12. ANN MARIA KALIPPILANU (Last month – 12; Peak – 9) – Review
  13. PUTHIYA NIYAMAM (Last month – 13; Peak – 4) – Review
  14. KAMMATTI PAADAM (Last month – 14; Peak – 6) – Review
  15. LENS (Last month – 15; Peak – 8)
  16. 2 PENKUTTIKAL (Last month – 17; Peak – 5) – Review
  17. PRETHAM (Last month – 18; Peak – 13) – Review
  18. JALAM (Last month – 19; Peak – 6)
  19. OLAPPEEPPI (Last month – 20; Peak – 18)
  20. PAAVADA (Last month – 21; Peak – 7) – Review
  21. JACOBINTE SWARGARAJYAM (Last month – 22; Peak – 9)
  22. LEELA (Last month – 23; Peak – 8)
  23. SCHOOL BUS (Last month – 24; Peak – 9)
  24. ORU MUTHASSI GADHA (Last month – 30; Peak – 29) – Review
  25. KOCHAVVA PAULO AYYAPPA COELHO (Last month – 27; Peak – 24) – Review
  26. SWARNA KADUVA (Last month – 25, Peak – 25) – Review
  27. OPPAM (Last month – 26; Peak – 13) – Review
  28. KARINKUNNAM 6s (Last month – 28; Peak – 13)
  29. VISMAYAM (Last month – 29; Peak – 22) – Review
  30. JANATHA GARAGE (Last month – 40; Peak – 35)
  31. JAMES & ALICE (Last month – 31; Peak – 14)
  32. VETTAH (Last month – 32; Peak – 9)
  33. KASABA (Last month – 33; Peak – 26)
  34. OOZHAM (Last month – 34; Peak – 23) – Review
  35. KAVI UDDHESHICHATHU..? (Last month – 35; Peak – 33)
  36. HAPPY WEDDING (Last month – 36; Peak – 19)
  37. DARWINTE PARINAMAM (Last month – 37; Peak – 17)
  38. MONSOON MANGOES (Last month – 38; Peak – 8)
  39. POPCORN (Last month – 39; Peak – 32) – Review
  40. MUDHUGAUV (Last month – 41; Peak – 18)
  41. KING LIAR (Last month – 42; Peak – 11)
  42. INSPECTOR DAWOOD IBRAHIM (IDI) (Last month – 43; Peak – 31) – Review
  43. MOHAVALAYAM (Last month – 44; Peak – 15)
  44. ANGHANE THANNE NETHAVE ANJETTENNAM PINNALE (Last month – 45; Peak – 23)

[Note: Titles marked in orange are fillers, meaning they have a combined rating of less than 50%. Titles marked in blue are both new entrants and fillers. Titles marked in green are new entrants but not fillers, meaning they have a combined rating of more than 50%; titles marked in red were part of the list, but are not anymore; they have combined rating of less than 40%, so not included.]

How many have you watched? Which is your favorite Malayalam padam this year?


0 responses to “The Best Malayalam Movies of 2016 So Far”

  1. Well, I stand corrected – you absolutely deserve a title more accurate than Professional Movie Watcher! Not only are your reviews well written, but I’m very impressed by the number of watch lists that you’ve created on IMDb. I found that information after clicking on “Best Malayalam Films of 2015” – that was an excellent way to provide that information and now I have MUCH more resource material from you, even lists to warn me away from the bad movies.

    Well, I’m really grateful that from reading your review on Premam, I’ve been rewarded with so very much information about Indian (especially Malayalam) movies. Do you mind telling me what country you live in. I know that even in the larger cities in the U.S. theaters show Indian cinema. I’m a small town person though and now that I don’t travel, there’s not much chance of watching these in a theater. Do any of the theaters run subtitles with the movies? That’s something that I can get with online movies that’s helpful to me. I’m trying to learn Hindi, but it’s not a very organized method of study so it’s going very slowly.

    Thanks again for all the good information that you organize and share with us.

    • Hello Shauna! You make me feel elated. I am glad that my writing is benefiting you and I hope that it keeps on. I am from West India as you have already guessed correctly. Here they play all types of movies except foreign ones (French, Spanish, etc.) which only have a niche audience (hence). Most US theatres run Malayalam movies with subtitles, but I’m not sure about the number. I think the West Coast (LA, CA, ‘sco) is more receptive to Malayalam films, so yeah, Nevada may be running them. I would suggest you to check local listings. My friends in LA, I remember telling me that Hindi films are received as widely as Broadway. But not as widely as Hamilton. I can arrange you some DVDs if you like. T.

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