Malayalam Cinema Facts - For PSC

Feb 2020|🟢Current|9 min read|149 entries

Key Takeaway

Malayalam Film Industry is celebrating its 90th Birthday in 2020.

Last verified: 12 Feb 2026·Source: www.pscarivukal.com

Malayalam Cinema Facts - For PSC

Malayalam Film Industry is celebrating its 90th Birthday in 2020. Here are some of the interesting facts about India's fourth-biggest entertainment industry:

First In Malayalam Cinema(15)

First Malayalam Cinema
Vigathakumaran (1928)
First Malayalam Film based on a Literary Work
Marthandavarma
First Indian Historical Drama Film
Marthandavarma (1933)
First Film banned in Indian Film Industry due to copyright issues
Marthanda Varma (1933; directed by P. V. Rao)
First Malayalam Sound/talkie Film
Balan (1938)
First Person to Speak in Malayalam Cinema
Alleppey Vincent (Balan)
First Malayalam Word to be spoken
Hello Mister
First Cinema Hall (manually operated film projector)
Thrissur (by K. W. Joseph*, 1907)
First Permanent Theatre (electrically operated film project)
Jose Electrical Bioscope (Thrissur by Jose Kattookkaran, 1913)
First Mythological Film in Malayalam
Prahlada (1941)
First Film Produced By A Malayali
Nirmala (1948)
First Film With Songs
Nirmala
First Director to introduce play-back singing in cinema
P. J. Cherian
First Male Playback Singer in Malayalam
Govinda Rao
First Female Playback Singer in Malayalam
Sarojini Menon

- First Film Studio–Travancore National Pictures (1926).*(25)

First Popular Film Studio
Udaya Studio (1948)
First Movie produced from Udaya Studio
Vellinakshatram (1949)
First Film Studio Owned by the Government of Kerala
Chitranjali Studio (1980)
First Realistic Movie in Malayalam
Newspaper Boy (1955)
First Thriller Film
C.I.D. (1955)
First Malayalam Film based on the Bible
Snapaka Yohannan (1963)
First Horror Film
Bhargavi Nilayam (1964)
First Malayalam Film Actor
J. C. Daniel (Vigathakumaran)
First Malayalam Film Actress
P. K. Rosi (Vigathakumaran)
First Malayalam Film Actor Who Spoke in Malayalam Cinema
K.K. Aroor
First Malayalam Film Actress Who Spoke in Malayalam Cinema
M.K. Kamalam
First Woman director in the Malayalam film industry
Vijaya Nirmala ('Kavitha', 1973)
First Box Office Hit in Malayalam
Jeevitha Nauka (1951)
First Film in Kerala to have a separate gramaphone record for dialogues
Bharya (1962)
First Sponsored Film in Malayalam
Makalkkayi (2005)
First Film Society in Malayalam
Chithralekha (1965)
First Malayalam movie with no actresses
Mathilukal (1989, Director & Producer: Adoor Gopalakrishnan)
First Film directed by M.T. Vasudevan Nair
Nirmaalyam (1973)
First Film Journalist in Malayalam
K.V. Koshi
First Film Magazine in Malayalam
Chalachithram (Editor: M.M. Ramachandran, Publisher: Manorajyam, Printed at Trivandrum)
First Screenplay to be Published in Book format
Murappennu (1965)
First Film to shot entirely in outdoor locations
Rosie (1965)
First Film to shot entirely in a gulf country
Vilkkanundu Swapnangal (1980)
First Millennium Hit
Narasimham (2000, Director: Shaji Kailas, Actor: Mohanlal)
First Malayali Film Actor to become Parliament Member
Innocent

Evolution of Films(26)

First Colour film
Kandam Bacha Coat (1961)
First Cinemascope film
Thacholi ambu (1978)
First 70mm Malayalam cinema
Padayottam (1982)
First 3D movie
My Dear Kuttichathan (1984)
First Cartoon/full-length live-action/animation hybrid movie in Malayalam
O' Faby (1993)
First full-length feature film in Asia to combine live-action with animated characters
O' Faby
First Dolby Stereo Movie
Kalapani (1996)
First Dolby Digital Movie
Indraprastham (1996)
First DTS Movie
My Dear Kuttichathan (1997,re-released version of MDK 1984 by Navodaya)
First Digital Movie
Moonnamathoral (2006)
First Malayalam Film shot entirely on a Mobile phone camera
Jalachhayam(2010)
First Malayalam film to release on Netflix
Grandmaster (2012)
First Malayalam film to release with subtitles (English) in outside Kerala
Grandmaster (2012)
First Dolby Atmos Movie
Manglish (2014)
First Indian film to be shot entirely in 8K resolution
Villain (2017)
First Crowdfunded (money collected from the public) Film
Amma Ariyan (1986; directed by John Abrahaam)
First Online Crowdfunded Malayalam Cinema
Oraalppokkam (2014)
First Film Song released through Whatsapp
Kootu thedi, Varsham (2014)
First Malayalam Film released on OTT platform*
Sufiyum Sujatayum (2020)
First Malayalam film to be released directly on the OTT platform*
Fourth River(2020)
First Documentary Film in Kerala
Fathima Mathavinte Divya Ghoshayatra (Director: Kunchacko)
First Film (World's as well) with one actor in the entire star cast
The Guard (2001)
First Malayalam film to cross ₹10 million gross collection from theatres
Thacholi Ambu(1978)
First Malayalam film to cross ₹500 million gross collection from theatres
Drishyam (2013)
First Malayalam film to cross ₹1 billion gross collection from theatres
Pulimurugan(2016)
First Malayalam film to cross ₹2 billion (200 crore) thus becoming highest-grossing film of all-time*
Manjummel Boys (2024)

* Time-sensitive data — verify for latest information

National(19)

First Malayalam movie to win President’s Silver Medal for the Best Film
Neelakuyil (1954)
First Malayalam (South Indian) movie to win President’s Gold Medal for the Best Film
Chemmeen (1965)
First Malayali Actor to win National award
P. J. Antony (Nirmaalyam)
First Woman to win National award for acting
Sarada(Thulabharam, 1968)
First & Youngest Malayali actress to win National award
Monisha (Nakhakshathangal, 1986)
First Malayali Director to win National award
Adoor Gopalakrishnan
First Malayali to win the maximum number of National awards for best director
Adoor Gopalakrishnan (16 times)
First Malayali to win National award for Best Screenplay
S.L. Puram Sadanandan (Agniputhri)
First Malayali to win the National award for Best Lyricist
Vayalar Ramavarma
First Malayalam actor to honored with Padmasree
Thikkurishi Sukumaran Nair (1973)
First & Only Malayali to win the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Adoor Gopalakrishnan (2004)
First Malayalam film to win State award
Kumarasambhavam (1969)
First recipient of Kerala State film award for best actress
Sheela (Kallichellamma, 1969)
First recipient of Kerala State film award for best actor
Sathyan (Kadalppalam, 1969)
First Female to win the Kerala State film award for best director
Vidhu Vincent (Manhole, 2016)
First & Only Malayalam actress who won Kerala State Award 5 times
Urvasi (hat-trick - 1989, 1990 & 1991)
First Singer to win Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer
K. J. Yesudas
First J. C. Daniel award winner
T. E. Vasudevan (1992)
First Malayali Woman recipient of J.C Daniel Award
Aranmula Ponnamma

International(7)

First Malayalam film to be nominated for Oscars
Guru(directed by Rajiv Anchal)
First Malayalam film to be premiered in Cannes Film Festival
Elipathayam (Adoor Gopalakrishnan, 1981)
First Malayalam film to get Golden Camera award in Cannes film festival
Marana Simhasanam (1999)
First Malayalam film to getOutstanding Artistic Achievement Award at the Shanghai International Film Festival
Veyil Marangal (Directed by Dr. Biju, 2019)
First Malayali to win Oscar Award
Rasool Pookutty (Sound Mixing - Slumdog Millionaire)
First & Only actor holding Guinness World Records for playing most no. of characters (45) by one actor in a single film
Johnson George (Aaranu Njan, 2018)
First Indian director to use sound as aleitmotif(a recurring musical theme)
Adoor Gopalakrishnan (Swayamvaram, 1972)

SideNotes(57)

Father of Malayalam Cinema
J.C. Daniel
Vigathakumaran was released in the year
23 October 1930
The place where Vigathakumaran was released
Capitol Theatre, Thiruvananthapuram (November 7, 1928)
Director of the movie Vigathakumaran
J. C. Daniel
J. C. Daniel
Established the first Film Studio in Kerala
Highest film award in Malayalam Film Industry
J.C. Daniel Award
Second Malayalam movie
Marthandavarma
Second Malayalam Sound Film
Njanambika
Director of the Malayalam film "Prahlada"
K. Subramaniam
The third movie released in Malayalam
Balan
Director of the movie "Balan"
S. Nottani
Songwriter of the movie "Balan"
Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai
Director of Nirmala
P.J. Cherian
Nirmala'smusic composer
P. S. Divakar & E. I. Warrier
Nirmala'sLyricist
G. Sankara Kurup
Founder of Udaya Studio
Kunchako
The director of the movie 'Vellinakshatram'
Felix J. H. Bais
Second popular film studio in Kerala
Merryland Studio
Merryland was established by
P. Subramaniam (Nemom, 1951)
Chitranjali Studio is located at
Thiruvallam (Thiruvananthapuram)
The second largest indoor studio in Asia
Chitranjali Studio
Director of "Newspaper Boy"
P. Ramdas
Newspaper Boy has its roots in
Italian neorealism
Second Malayalam movie to win a National award
Swayamvaram (1972)
Padayottam was inspired by the French novel
The Count of Monte Cristo (by Alexandre Dumas)
Director of "Chemmeen"
Ramu Kariat
Producer of the movieChemmeen
Babu Ismayil
Cinematographers of the movieChemmeen
Marcus Bartley & U. Rajagopal
Author of the Malayalam Novel "Chemmeen"
Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai (1956)
The backdrop of the Novel "Chemmeen" was set on
Purakkad beach, Alappuzha
The backdrop for the film "Chemmeen" was shot on
NattikaBeach, Thrissur
Scriptwriter of the movie "Neelakkuyil"
Uroob
Directors of the film "Neelakkuyil"
P. Bhaskaran & Ramu Kariat
Founders of Chitralekha film society
Kulathoor Bhaskaran Nair & Adoor Gopalakrishnan
No. of Kerala State Film Awards won by Adoor
17 times
No. of films directed by Adoor
12
Adoor Gopalakrishnan's debut film
"Swayamavaram" (1972)
National Film Award for Best Actress was formerly called
Urvasi Award
O' Faby was directed by
Sreekuttan Nair
Malayali movie to win maximum no. of International film awards
Piravi
Director of the movie "Piravi"
Shaji N. Karun
Malayalam actor who three won National awards
Mammootty
Mathilukal is based on the autobiographical novel of
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer
The Guinness World Record for playing in the most number of leading roles in films & for playing opposite the same heroine is held by
Prem Naseer(720 films - 130 films with Sheela)
The record in Malayalam for acting in most films is held by
Jagathy Sreekumar
Malayalam actress who has acted in most films
Sukumari
Malayalam actor who was honored in Indian Postal stamp
Prem Naseer
Total no. of films directed by M.T. Vasudevan Nair
7
No. of screenplays written by M.T.
54
Malayalam film inspired by Shakespeare's 'Othello'
Kaliyattam (1997)
Only Female director to have directed47 filmsin Guinness Books of World Records
Vijaya Nirmala
First film directed by Vijaya Nirmala
Kavitha (1973)
Vijaya Nirmala shot to fame for her role in
Bhargavi Nilayam (Bhargavikkutty)
Bhargavi Nilayam is the film adaptation of the novel
Neelavelicham by Vaikom Muhammed Basheer
Only work of Kumaranasan that is converted into a movie of the same name
Karuna(1966, directed and produced by K. Thankappan)
First person who called Yesudas as "Gana Gandharva"
G. Sankara Kurup
Second Film to get Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film category
Adaminte Makan Abu (2011)

*First original DTS movie in Malayalam–Thirakalkkappuram (1998).*

(After the re-release of MDK in 1997, Navodaya installed DTS in about 10 theaters across Kerala from their pocket)

(Thanks Vinod!)