#1 of 435 Highest-grossing Malayalam-language movie ever
2023 · Horror, Comedy
$69.9M worldwide
No US & Canada figure reported
Malayalam box office
Malayalam Box Office: Highest-Grossing Malayalam Movies of All Time & 2025
Romancham (2023) is the highest-grossing Malayalam-language movie in our database, with $69.9M worldwide, ahead of Virus (1999) ($30.7M) and Big Brother (2018) ($22M). 435 Malayalam-language films report a worldwide gross, $360.3M in all, 9% of it from the US & Canada. In 2025, L2: Empuraan (2025) leads with $9.3M; 27 releases took $22.2M, down 44% on 2024 ($39.4M).
- Malayalam films with a gross
- 435
- combined worldwide, all time
- $360.3M
- from 2025 releases
- $22.2M
- vs 2024
- −44%
#1 of 435 All-time records
What Are the 10 Highest-Grossing Malayalam Movies Ever?
Romancham (2023) leads with $69.9M, $39.3M ahead of Virus (1999). The top 10 took $194.6M together, 54% of what all 435 films earned. 5 of them came out in 2016 or later.
- 1 Feb 3, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $69.9M
- 2
Jan 15, 1999 US and Canada: $14M Rest of the world: $16.6M Worldwide: $30.7M - 3
Aug 31, 2018 US and Canada: $85.6K Rest of the world: $21.9M Worldwide: $22M - 4
Nov 17, 2006 US and Canada: $11.2M Rest of the world: $9.5M Worldwide: $20.7M - 5
Dec 19, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $13.1M - 6
Mar 27, 2025 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $9.3M - 7
Jul 5, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.6M - 8
Aug 8, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.1M - 9
Apr 23, 2025 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $6.2M - 10
Mar 3, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.8M
2025
What Were the Biggest Malayalam Hits of 2025?
L2: Empuraan (2025) leads with $9.3M, 42% of the total. The top 5 together took $18.7M, 84% of what all 27 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
- Number 2
-
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
By release month
Which Month of 2025 Was Best for Malayalam Movies?
March releases took the most, $9.3M from 3 films, led by L2: Empuraan (2025). August was the quietest month ($29.1K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Identity (2025) $1.2M Identity (2025)
- February Feb Officer on Duty (2025) $1.6M Officer on Duty (2025)
- March Mar L2: Empuraan (2025) $9.3M L2: Empuraan (2025)
- April Apr Thudarum (2025) $8.6M Thudarum (2025)
- May May Narivetta (2025) $1.1M Narivetta (2025)
- June Jun Aabhyanthara Kuttavaali (2025) $311.6K Aabhyanthara Kuttavaali (2025)
- July Jul Dheeran (2025) $59.3K Dheeran (2025)
- August Aug Sahasam (2025) $29.1K Sahasam (2025)
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Biggest years
Which Years Had the Highest-Grossing Malayalam Movies?
2023 releases earned the most: $88.4M from 55 films, led by Romancham (2023). The 10 biggest years, each linking to its chart.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 55 films | 55 | $88.4M | Romancham (2023) $69.9M |
| 2024 64 films | 64 | $39.4M | Anweshippin Kandethum (2024) $4.5M |
| 2022 57 films | 57 | $31.3M | Bheeshma Parvam (2022) $5.8M |
| 1999 1 film | 1 | $30.7M | Virus (1999) $30.7M |
| 2013 8 films | 8 | $30.5M | Drishyam (2013) $13.1M |
| 2018 43 films | 43 | $29.1M | Big Brother (2018) $22M |
| 2006 3 films | 3 | $24.8M | Bobby (2006) $20.7M |
| 2025 27 films | 27 | $22.2M | L2: Empuraan (2025) $9.3M |
| 2019 44 films | 44 | $14.7M | Lucifer (2019) $4M |
| 2020 10 films | 10 | $9.7M | Ayyappanum Koshiyum (2020) $5.1M |
By genre
Which Malayalam Genres Earned the Most?
Drama took $167.7M across 249 films, 47% of the total, ahead of Comedy ($153.4M) and Thriller ($148.2M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
-
Drama $167.7M249 films · #1 Big Brother (2018) -
Comedy $153.4M193 films · #1 Romancham (2023) -
Thriller $148.2M134 films · #1 Virus (1999) -
Action $131M94 films · #1 Virus (1999) -
Horror $102.5M12 films · #1 Romancham (2023) -
Crime $64M55 films · #1 Drishyam (2013) -
Sci-Fi $30.7M4 films · #1 Virus (1999) -
History $24.4M5 films · #1 Bobby (2006) -
Family $22.8M50 films · #1 Drishyam (2013) -
Romance $19.8M50 films · #1 All We Imagine as Light (2024)
Archive
Malayalam Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1989 to 2025 with its total and its biggest film. 2023 leads with $88.4M, led by Romancham (2023).
2020s 6 years · $199.5M
2010s 10 years · $93.4M
- 2019 $14.7M #1 Lucifer (2019)
- 2018 $29.1M #1 Big Brother (2018)
- 2017 $9.2M #1 Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol (2017)
- 2016 $4.5M #1 Once Again (2016)
- 2015 $1M #1 Premam (2015)
- 2014 $3.6M #1 Vikramadithyan (2014)
- 2013 $30.5M #1 Drishyam (2013)
- 2012 $887K #1 Run Baby Run (2012)
- 2011 $21.1K #1 Christian Brothers (2011)
- 2010 $957 #1 Pranchiyettan & The Saint (2010)
2000s 6 years · $36.4M
1990s 4 years · $30.8M
1980s 1 year · $181K
Other languages
Compare Malayalam With Another Language
Malayalam has 435 films with a gross and $360.3M in all; each of these 16 languages has the same all-time and yearly charts to compare with.
English 
French 
Spanish 
Japanese 
Korean 
Chinese 
German 
Italian 
Russian 
Portuguese 
Turkish 
Dutch 
Arabic FAQ
Malayalam Box Office: Questions & Answers
The Malayalam charts in short: the all-time #1, 2025's leader, the billion-dollar hits and the biggest year, answered from the same 435 films as the charts.
What is the highest-grossing Malayalam-language movie of all time?
Romancham (2023) leads with $69.9M worldwide. Next come Virus (1999) ($30.7M) and Big Brother (2018) ($22M).
All-time chart What is the highest-grossing Malayalam-language movie of 2025?
L2: Empuraan (2025) leads 2025 with $9.3M worldwide, 42% of the $22.2M that its 27 releases report.
2025 chart How much have Malayalam-language movies earned at the box office?
435 Malayalam-language films report a worldwide gross, $360.3M in all, or $828.3K per film on average. $31.4M (9%) came from the US & Canada.
How many Malayalam-language movies have made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Romancham (2023), earned $69.9M.
Which year was the biggest for Malayalam-language movies?
2023 releases earned the most: $88.4M from 55 films, led by Romancham (2023).
2023 chart How are Malayalam box office numbers counted?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.