2017 Best Malayalam Movies Verified May 2026

A fun, feel-good sports comedy about a disheartened wrestler from Punjab who ends up training a group of women wrestlers in a Kerala village.

Based on the real-life 2014 evacuation of Indian nurses from war-torn Tikrit, Iraq, by the Indian government and a rogue journalist. 2017 best malayalam movies

A crowd-pleaser that works because of its earnestness. Wamiqa Gabbi (as Aditi Singh) is a revelation—she trained for months and does most of her stunts. The film balances humor (Renji Panicker as the hilarious, retired wrestling coach) with genuine sports-drama beats. While predictable, the final wrestling match is genuinely exciting. Verdict: Lighthearted and uplifting. A perfect Sunday watch. 8. Aby Director: Nikhil Muraly Cast: Nivin Pauly, Shine Tom Chacko A fun, feel-good sports comedy about a disheartened

Here’s a detailed review and retrospective of the best Malayalam movies of 2017—a landmark year often hailed as the beginning of the "new wave" or the Malayalam cinema renaissance. 2017 wasn't just a good year for Malayalam cinema; it was transformative. The industry moved decisively away from formulaic star vehicles toward content-driven, realistic, and genre-bending films. This was the year when "small films" with strong scripts started consistently outperforming big-budget masala movies at the box office. Directors like Lijo Jose Pellissery, Mahesh Narayan, and Dileesh Pothan became household names, and actors like Fahadh Faasil, Tovino Thomas, and Nivin Pauly redefined stardom through risky, unconventional choices. Wamiqa Gabbi (as Aditi Singh) is a revelation—she

A deeply underrated gem. Eeda is the antithesis of glamorous romance. It shows how political extremism infiltrates personal relationships—two lovers from rival ideologies meet in secret, aware that their families would kill them. Shane Nigam and Nimisha Sajayan are painfully real. The film’s pacing is deliberate, almost uncomfortable, mirroring the suffocation of its characters. Verdict: For serious cinephiles. Unflinching and important. 6. Ramaleela (Ram’s Play) Director: Arun Gopy Cast: Dileep (controversial figure, but performance-wise), Radhika Sarathkumar

A raw, chaotic, and hyperlocal look at a gang of pork-selling, party-loving youth in Angamaly, a small town in Kerala, and their turf wars over a meat shop.