Malayalam cinema has produced many compelling films over the years, some of which are adaptations of literary works. If you are interested in exploring such titles, here is a list of Malayalam movies based on books that you can watch on OTT.
5 malayalam movies based on books
1. Aadujeevitham (Life of the Goat)
- Mould: Prithviraj SukumaranJimmy Jean-Louis, KR Gokul, Amala Paul, Shobha Mohan, Talib Al Balushi
- Director: Blessy
- Style: survival drama
- Where to watch: Netflix
Based on the novel by Benjamin, Adujivitham It tells the story of Najeeb Muhammad, an Indian migrant worker who travels to Saudi Arabia in search of work, but finds himself trapped in a life of extreme hardship herding goats in the desert. The film explores whether he succeeds in escaping and returning home. It is inspired by real life events.
2. Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirkolapathakathinte Katha
- Mould: MammoottyMaithili, Shweta Menon, Gauri Munjal, Srinivasan, Siddique, Mustafa
- Director: Ranjit
- Style: mystery drama
- Where to watch: sunnxt
Adapted from TP Rajeevan’s novel, Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirkolapathakathinte Katha is the story of a private detective who returns to his native village, Paleri, to investigate a mysterious death that occurred on the night of his birth. The film notably features Mamukka in three roles.
3. Artist
- Mould: Fahadh FaasilAnn Augustine, Sriram Ramachandran, Siddharth Shiva, Krishnachandran, Vanitha Krishnachandran, Srinda Ashab
- Director: Shyama Prasad
- Style: Drama
- Where to watch: amazon prime video
Based on the novel Dreams in Prussian Blue, the artist explores the lives of two fine arts students, Michael and Gayatri. As their relationship deepens, challenges arise due to Michael’s self-centered nature. As he gradually loses his eyesight, the film examines how their relationship evolves and questions the cost of emotional sacrifice.
4. Anandbhadram
- Mould: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manoj K Jayan, Kavya Madhavan, Kalabhavan Mani, Biju Menon, Riya Sen, Revathi, Kalasala Babu
- Director: Santosh Sivan
- Style: dark fantasy horror
- Where to watch: jiohotstar
Based on the novel by Sunil Parameswaran, Anandabhadram follows Ananthan, who returns to his ancestral home to fulfill his mother’s last wish. He soon becomes embroiled in a battle against an evil magician attempting to exploit the mystical powers of the temple.
5. Poneman
- Mould: Tulsi JosephSajin Gopu, Lijomol Jose, Anand Manmadhan, Deepak Parambol, Regin Sivadas, Midhun Venugopal
- Director: jotish shankar
- Style: black comedy thriller
- Where to watch: jiohotstar
Poneman revolves around a gold broker, PP Ajesh, who rents gold for weddings in exchange for payment after the event. When a deal goes wrong his business takes a dangerous turn, forcing him to square off against a ruthless rival to recoup his losses.
These are some Malayalam movies based on books that are worth watching on OTT platforms.
