Malayalam film industry crosses Rs 1,000 crore global gross mark

The Malayalam film industry has reached a significant milestone, surpassing the Rs 1,000 crore mark at the worldwide box office, while Bollywood, Telugu, and Tamil films continue to face challenges.

Despite the star power and high budgets in these major film industries, many of their releases are struggling at the box office.

In contrast, Malayalam cinema is thriving with multiple blockbusters and superhits, significantly contributing to its impressive global gross.

According to industry tracker Sacnilk, three films alone - "Manjummel Boys," "Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life)," and "Aavesham" - account for about 55% of the total gross, earning Rs 240.94 crore, Rs 157.44 crore, and Rs 153.52 crore, respectively.

Ahead of the release of director Vipin Das' "Guruvayoorambala Nadayil," starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, Basil Joseph, Nikhila Vimal, and Anaswara Rajan, Mathrubhumi reported that Malayalam cinema’s cumulative collection from January to April 2024 had reached Rs 985 crore.

Sacnilk further reported that "Guruvayoorambala Nadayil" crossed the Rs 30 crore mark worldwide, pushing the industry’s total worldwide gross past Rs 1,000 crore, marking 2024 as a landmark year in its history.

Last year, Mathrubhumi reported that the industry had a total global gross of about Rs 500 crore with successful films like "2018," "Kannur Squad," "RDX," "Neru," and "Romancham."

In 2024, Malayalam cinema has contributed 20% of India’s total gross collection, with Bollywood contributing 38%. Remarkably, five of the top ten highest-grossing films in Mollywood’s history - "Manjummel Boys," "Aadujeevitham," "Aavesham," "Premalu," and "Bramayugam" - were released in 2024.

The industry’s domestic nett has also surpassed Rs 500 crore, with "Manjummel Boys" contributing Rs 141.99 crore, "Aadujeevitham" Rs 85.08 crore, "Aavesham" Rs 84.73 crore, "Premalu" Rs 75.64 crore, and "Bramayugam" Rs 27.03 crore.

In contrast, Bollywood has been struggling this year despite two Rs 1,000 crore grossers last year due to Shah Rukh Khan’s major comeback and several Rs 500 crore grossers. Director Siddharth Anand’s "Fighter," starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, is currently Bollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2024, earning Rs 358.89 crore. Other notable films include "Shaitaan" (Rs 213.64 crore), "Crew" (Rs 151.35 crore), "Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya" (Rs 146.26 crore), and "Article 370" (Rs 105.15 crore).

Telugu cinema, which once led India's cinema scene, has seen only two successful films this year—"Hanu-Man" and "Tillu Square." Many highly anticipated movies, including Mahesh Babu’s "Guntur Kaaram," Nagarjuna’s "Naa Saami Ranga," Ravi Teja’s "Eagle," Venkatesh’s "Saindhav," and Vijay Deverakonda’s "The Family Star," have not performed well.

Kollywood is facing even greater challenges, with only "Captain Miller" crossing the Rs 100 crore mark this year. The only other films making an impact were "Ayalaan" and "Aranmanai."