Capping the list of the finest Malayalam movies of the last decade to just 10 was challenging for me, since this meant that another set of movies that were as compelling had to be kept aside.
Though movies such as Munnariyippu, Unda, Pathemari, Ustad Hotel, Bangalore Days, Left Right Left, Annayum Rasoolum, Ennu Ninte Moideen, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, Take-Off, Angamaly Diaries, Sudani From Nigeria and Mayanadi could not be included in my list, they can any day replace the other 10.
The movies in my list were chosen not based on box office draw alone, but also their lasting impact on the sensibilities of Malayalam film buffs. There was another common thread running through the 10 films – all have been remade in the other languages, which speaks volumes about their unmatched quality and thematic treatment, besides the compelling portrayals. The movies also provided us a platform to engage in constructive talks on Mollywood with film aficionados from other languages. Watching them waxing lyrical about Malayalam films was a moment of great pride for me.
It would have been well nigh impossible to get leading actors to act in the movies back in the 1990s or 2000s. If Ayyappanum Koshiyum featuring two leading actors was made in the first decade of 2000, the scriptwriter would have been forced to compromise on the script by giving both equal importance.
But here, a leading actor like Prithviraj was ready to play the role of Koshy which had a negative touch. Similarly, an A-list star actor like Fahadh had no hangups about playing the villain in Kumbalangi Nights. That, I felt, was another welcome change that came over Mollywood.
The top 10 movies were chosen not based on box office draw alone, but also their lasting impact on the sensibilities of Malayalam film buffs