The 1983 film Aa Rathri was the first Malayalam film to cross ₹1 crore. The 1991 film Kilukkam was the first Malayalam film to cross ₹5 crore. The 1995 film The King was the first Malayalam film to cross ₹10 crore. The 2005 film Rajamanikyam was the first Malayalam film to cross ₹25 crore. The 2013 film Drishyam was the first Malayalam film to cross ₹50 crore and ₹75 crore. The 2016 film Pulimurugan was the first Malayalam film to cross ₹100 crore mark. The 2023 film 2018: everyone is a Hero became the highest-grossing film in Malayalam Cinema surpassing Pulimurugan of 150 crore of gross.
LIST OF HIGHEST-GROSSING MALAYALAM FILMS
Rank 1: 2018 (2023)
Worldwide Gross: ₹150 crore
People from all walks of life face catastrophic consequences during devastating floods in 2018. The people of Kerala work together to survive the calamity.
Rank 2: Pulimurugan (2016)
Worldwide Gross: ₹142 crore
Murugan, with his tools and expertise, protects Puliyoor’s villagers from deadly tiger attacks. However, Daddy, an illegal drug dealer, takes advantage of his innocence and falsely implicates him.
Rank 3: Lucifer (2019)
Worldwide Gross: ₹120 crore
A political Godfather suddenly dies and many wish to take his place and gain his power; thieves begin to dress up as politicians to claim their stake, while one name gradually emerges to be the true replacement.
Rank 4: Bheeshma Parvam (2022)
Worldwide Gross: ₹87 crore
A former gangster-turned-marine exporter from Fort Kochi endures a series of unfortunate events and death threats to his family, forcing him to revisit his past.
Rank 5: Kurup (2021)
Worldwide Gross: ₹81 crore
Greed drives Kurup to weave an elaborate web of lies, fake deaths, and identity theft. However, his intricate scheme becomes more interesting when a clever policeman gets on his heels.
Rank 6: Drishyam (2013)
Worldwide Gross: ₹74 crore
Georgekutty lives a happy life with his wife and daughters. However, things take a turn for the worse when his family commits an accidental crime, leaving him to protect them and their secret.
Rank 7: Thallumaala (2018)
Worldwide Gross: ₹72 crore
A young, carefree man who’s drawn into fights falls in love with a star vlogger, where the impact of his fists could have disastrous effects on his blossoming relationship.
Rank 8: Kayamkulam Kochunni (2018)
Worldwide Gross: ₹72 crore
ill-treated since childhood by wealthy people, Kayamkulam Kochunni decides to steal from the rich and feed the poor and the lower caste community, thus growing into a hero for the downtrodden.
Rank 9: Romancham (2023)
Worldwide Gross: ₹71 crore
While seven bachelors are living in Bangalore in 2007, Jiby brings out the Ouija board. They attempt to communicate with spirits, and a ghost named Anamika makes contact.
Rank 10: Premam (2015)
Worldwide Gross: ₹68 crore
While George’s first love turns out to be a disappointment, Malar, a college lecturer, rekindles his love interest. His romantic journey takes him through several stages, helping him find his purpose.
