Top 10 Malayalam Movie 2026: Best Films You Must Watch

In the year 2026, Malayalam cinema experienced a remarkable year, marked by great success at the box office, exciting reunions of stars, and fresh new stories. From funny dark comedies to thrillers, action-packed dramas to heartwarming stories, this Top 10 Malayalam Movie 2026 list showcases the films that everyone is buzzing about.

Now, fans had the opportunity to watch Mammootty and Mohanlal together for the first time in years, and in addition some new films by young directors that attempted to do something different. All the movies listed were selected based on their reviews, performance at the box-office and their performance on OTT platforms, so you have an honest and simple guide to the best Malayalam movies of the year.

Quick Overview

Top 10 Malayalam Movie 2026

This year’s Malayalam films were anything but normal; they had something for everyone from dark comedies to spy thrillers. In this section, we’ll take a look at each movie that ended up in our top 10 Malayalam Movies 2026 list, based on popularity, reviews, and box office performance.

1. Bharathanatyam 2: Mohiniyattam

The film, helmed by Krishnadas Murali, is a sequel to 2024’s Bharathanatyam, a dark comedy thriller. It is an adaptation with Saiju Kurup, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Jagadish, Baby Jean and it is also about the Sasidharan Nair family. Patriarch Bharathan Nair dies, a family moves to a new town to support his second wife and son, but they discover a sinister past that leads to an unexpected murder.

The first film is a jaunty family comedy, while here, it’s more serious with a good amount of tension. The film was released on 10 April 2026, the day of Vishu, and was a huge success, the sixth highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year. It garnered praise from critics for its incisive dialogue, ensemble songs and witty hits at pop culture, and was hailed as one of the best dark comedies to emerge from Mollywood in recent years.

2. Balan: The Boy

The psychological drama thriller, which is written by Jithu Madhavan, is directed by Manjummel Boys director Chidambaram. It features a running mother and son duo who are newcomers Adhisheshan K.R and Farzana Palathingal with Tovino Thomas as a supporting character. A woman who breaks out of prison and comes to realize she has to keep changing her persona and identity to save her son.

The film, which debuted on 19 June 2026, was widely praised for its emotional and atmospheric qualities, as well as its strong performances by the actors, particularly the young lead. It even had a soft release at the Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival before the movie debuted at the multiplex. The first half had critics impressed with the atmosphere and storytelling, while some seemed to be in familiar territory during the second half. Nevertheless, it’s considered one of the year’s moving and artistically ambitious movies.

3. Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros

It is a coming-of-age comedy-drama, and is the directorial debut of Savin S.A., which is a spiritual sequel to 2024’s Vaazha: Biopic of a Billion Boys. It traces the journey of four friends, Hashir, Alan, Ajin and Vinayak who are perceived as failures by their families, through the struggles of adolescence, adulthood and self-doubt, and the lessons that life has to offer. The movie’s release on 2 April 2026 made it a cult film, grossing more than ₹124 crore in Kerala alone as the highest grossing movie to ever release in the state.

It also became the second highest-grossing Malayalam movie of the year 2026. It has received positive reviews from critics, who praised its emotional depth and enhanced performances in comparison to the original, while others likened its dynamic, meme-heavy approach to an extended reel. It has already proved to be a huge success and is already being followed up with plans for a third in the franchise.

4. Athiradi

Athiradi stars Tovino Thomas, Basil Joseph and Vineeth Sreenivasan who feature in the movie in an action comedy helmed by Arun Anirudhan. It is a tale of a college student named Samkutty, who brings a banned campus festival back to life to impress his crush only to end up in a gory competition of kidnappings and chaos. The movie’s release date was set as 14 May 2026, it embraced Gen-Z humor, meme culture, and college fest vibes to gross ₹71 crore across the globe.

While his performance as Tovino Thomas was well received by many, and the film’s emotional themes on two brothers was heart-wrenching, the humour was on and off and the length of the film was also critiqued. Although the response was mixed, audiences did relish its music, the cameo appearances and the youthful, chaotic atmosphere, making it a summer season hot topic entertainer.

5. Mollywood Times

The film, which follows Mukandan Unni Associates, is directed by Abhinav Sunder Nayak, and is part of his “Success Trilogy”. It features Naslen as a driven aspiring filmmaker who wants to become the biggest horror director in Malayalam cinema, at any cost. The movie, based on Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, will premiere on 5 June 2026 and will tackle the themes of obsession, compromise and the brutal reality of the cinema.

The film is much liked by the critics for Naslen’s performance and for the cynical attitude of the movie towards Mollywood, many critics have called it a ‘love-hate letter to Mollywood.’ Some critics criticized for the second half’s lack of focus, the majority felt it was one of the boldest and original films of the year and also marked the beginnings of a new voice in Malayalam cinema for Abhinav Sunder Nayak.

6. Aadu 3

The third movie in the popular Aadu series, helmed by Midhun Manuel Thomas, reunites the beloved Shaji Pappan, Saiju Kurup and Vinayakan. This time, the story plays out on several levels: past, present and a dystopian future as various versions of the gang pursue a valuable object. It was the first of a two-part film and grossed more than ₹120 crore globally and hit the year’s biggest openings.

The reviews were divided: some loved the sentimentality and the humor, while others thought that the fantasy elements took away the grounded humour of the franchise. Yet its grand scope and beloved characters ensured that it was a must-watch, and viewers were waiting for Part 2 to finish the story.

7. Patriot

This spy action thriller is the most recent film to bring together Malayalam megastars Mammootty and Mohanlal with a whopping almost 20 years gap between the two films amidst a group of superstars that includes Sathru Pancholi, Sudhindra Chakravorti, and Dinesh, etc. directed by Mahesh Narayanan. Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban and Nayanthara are also part of the ensemble cast. The story follows a scientist who discovers a government spyware program secretly and illegally used for surveillance and blackmail, and a sinister political plot.

The movie was released on 1st May 2026, and it was a big sensation due to its star power, but slightly underperformed at the box office compared to expectations. The actors, the action scenes were received favorably by critics, but the script itself and the hasty ending were not. Despite this, the historic on-screen meeting of the two legends made Patriot one of the most talked about Malayalam movies of the year.

8. Chatha pacha: The Ring of Rowdies

It is an action comedy with three brothers based in Fort Kochi that begin their own mini-wrestling promotion in the vein of WWE. It features Arjun Ashokan and Roshan Mathew and some fantastic cameo appearances by Mammootty. The movie, which debuted on 22 January 2026, embraced 90s wrestling past and the Bollywood music trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy delivered an impressive score for the Malabari debut.

The film was moderately successful at the box office and even led to a mobile game and trading cards. The action scenes and cinematography received high praise from critics, who praised its well choreographed scenes, while its emotional narrative was felt to be shallow. In general, it was a high-energy performer with a good dose of fun and fellowship and a nod to the underdogs with a splash of colourful Kochi.

9. Sambhavam Adhyayam Onnu

The supernatural thriller, directed for the first time by Jithu Satheesan Mangalathu, features Askar Ali as a police officer who investigates disappearances shrouded by enigmatic forest on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The story, released on 6 March 2026, is set to feature time loop elements interspersed with local folktales, with no other Malayalam film having an eerie and original setting like this.

It was a box office success and won praise from critics for its boldness and concept. The sound design and enigmatic setting received praise from the reviewers, while others remarked that the characters did not resonate as well as the main idea. In spite of that, it was a fresh attempt in the mystery-thriller genre that made it a standout among the year’s debut films.

10. Dridam

This crime thriller is directed by Martin Joseph, presented by renowned filmmaker Jeethu Joseph, and stars Shane Nigam as a new sub-inspector in a small town that is investigating a gruesome murder. The story unfolds on 8th May 2026 with the case linking to another company’s predatory lending practices and the discovery of a second corpse near a dam.

The movie’s premise was intriguing and Shane Nigam was committed to his role, but critics were both disappointed at the amount of violence and the way the story was told, which was through a lot of cliches from the genre he was in. Although it received lukewarm reviews upon release, it has gained more traction thanks to its transition to OTT platforms, attracting viewers interested in an investigative police procedural that delivers a suspenseful experience.

Final Word

This Top 10 Malayalam Movie 2026 list is proof that Mollywood has been extremely diverse and intriguing so far this year, from dark comedy of Bharathanatyam 2: Mohiniyattam to action, thriller to drama. It’s perfect for catching up on OTT or for anyone who’s planning their next trip to the movies, there’s something here for everyone.

Which movie from this list is your favourite? Share in comments and with other Malayalam cinema lovers. Be sure to save this page, we will continually add new OTT releases to this page.

Read More: Athiradi Movie Review (2026): Know the Story, Budget and Performance Starring Ashok Selvan