Introduction
Malayalam Action Movies, where you’ll experience thrilling stories, awesome characters, and jaw-dropping action scenes! These movies are known for their intense chases, epic fights, and captivating plots that keep you on the edge of your seat.
Also Read: 20 Best Malayalam Movies on Netflix: You must watch in 2024
Get ready for an thrilling experience as we are going to reveal top 15 best Malayalam action movies, So be with us till end. So let’s start…
1. Kaalapani
The story follows Govardhan Menon, a doctor who fought for India’s freedom during British rule. He’s wrongly accused of a bombing and sent to a brutal prison on an island. Inside, he meets both cruel and kind people, including a sadistic jailor and a compassionate doctor. Despite the torture, he and his fellow prisoners plan a daring escape.
| IMDB Rating | 8.5/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 12 April 1996 |
| Director | Priyadarshan |
| Actors | Mohanlal, Prabhu, Tabu, Amrish Puri |
| Running Time | 180 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
Also Read: Best Malayalam Crime Thriller Movies with high IMDB Rating in 2024
2. Aaraam Thampuran
Nandakumar, a big-shot businessman in Mumbai, runs into trouble when his own manager, Abey Mathew, messes up a deal with some important companies. Nandakumar asks for help from his friend Jagannadhan, who steps in to fix things. Jagannadhan heads to Kanimangalam, a village in Kerala, where there’s a fancy palace up for grabs. As time goes on, Jagannadhan becomes a hero to the villagers, especially when he helps organize a big festival that hasn’t happened in years. But things get complicated when his friend Nayanthara shows up, wanting to marry him.
| IMDB Rating | 8.1/10 |
| Genre | Action/Drama |
| Release Date | 25 December 1997 |
| Director | Shaji Kailas |
| Actors | Mohanlal |
| Running Time | 174 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
Also Read: Best Tamil Action Movies List with high IMDB Rating in 2024
3. Minnal Murali
In the 1990s in a small village called Kurukkanmoola. Jaison, a young tailor with big dreams of moving to the US. But his plans hit a snag when his love for Bincy, the daughter of SI Saajan, is forbidden because she’s already engaged to someone else. On the sidelines, there’s Shibu, a bit of an outcast who has been waiting for his childhood sweetheart, Usha, to return for 28 years. Then, on a stormy Christmas Eve, lightning strikes both Jaison and Shibu, giving them superpowers. Secrets start to unravel when Jaison’s plans to move to the US are derailed by shocking revelations about his family.
| IMDB Rating | 7.8/10 |
| Genre | Action/Adventure |
| Release Date | 16 December 2021 |
| Director | Basil Joseph |
| Actors | Tovino Thomas, Guru Somasundaram |
| Running Time | 159 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
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4. Lucifer
In France, an officer at Interpol identifies Khureshi-Ab’ram as a suspect in international crime. Meanwhile, in Kerala, political turmoil erupts following the death of CM P. K. Ramdas. Govardhan exposes corruption. Priya teams up with Stephen to fight against corruption. Bobby, involved in drug dealing and politics, plans to fund his party with drug money. Govardhan reveals shocking information about the corrupt system. As the story unfolds, secrets are revealed, and alliances are tested. The climax brings intense confrontations and surprising revelations.
| IMDB Rating | 7.5/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 28 March 2019 |
| Director | Prithviraj Sukumaran |
| Actors | Mohanlal |
| Running Time | 174 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
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5. Jallikattu
In a village in Kerala, butcher Kalan Varkey and his helper Antony face chaos when a buffalo escapes. This sets off a series of events revealing the villagers’ hidden tensions and instincts. Without help from the police, the villagers turn to a poacher named Kuttachan for aid. Old rivalries resurface, adding to the turmoil. Meanwhile, personal issues and social conflicts come to the forefront.
| IMDB Rating | 7.3/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 4 October 2019 |
| Director | Lijo Jose Pellissery |
| Actors | Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad |
| Running Time | 95 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
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6. Keerthi Chakra
Major Mahadevan, an Indian Army officer from Kerala, leads a team of NSG commandos combating terrorism in Kashmir. Supported by Colonel Dutta, Mahadevan recalls his friend Jaikumar to aid their missions. Then there’s this really scary situation where terrorists plan to attack a sacred place called the Hazratbal Shrine. Mahadevan and his team have to stop them before innocent people get hurt. It’s a dangerous mission.
| IMDB Rating | 7.2/10 |
| Genre | Action/War |
| Release Date | 4 July 2006 |
| Director | Major Ravi |
| Actors | Mohanlal, Jiiva, Biju Menon, Gopika |
| Running Time | 144 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
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7. Urumi
A Forest in Kerala, there’s a piece of land owned by Krishna Das, who’s approached by a big mining company called Nirvana Group. They tell him his land is valuable because it’s full of minerals and offer him a lot of money to buy it. But there’s a twist: the land is also home to a school run by a tribal group. When Krishna Das visits the land with his friend Thanseer, they’re kidnapped by the tribal people and taken deep into the forest. There, Krishna Das meets the tribal chief Thankachan, who reveals that he’s actually related to a historical figure named Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar.
| IMDB Rating | 7.1/10 |
| Genre | Action/Adventure |
| Release Date | 31 March 2011 |
| Director | Santosh Sivan |
| Actors | Prithviraj Sukumaran, Genelia D’Souza, Prabhu Deva, Arya, Tabu, Vidya Balan, Nithya Menen |
| Running Time | 172 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
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8. Thallumaala
Wazim’s story is like a wild adventure with his buddies. It all kicks off when he accidentally steps on Jimshi’s toes at the mosque, but instead of a fight, they become friends. Then, during a soccer game, things get crazy when Vikas and Rajesh start fighting. Wazim and his crew jump in, and suddenly they’re all pals. More drama unfolds when Wazim’s friends mess up his wedding with a big fight, turning him into an internet sensation called Manavaalan.
| IMDB Rating | 7/10 |
| Genre | Action/Drama |
| Release Date | 12 August 2022 |
| Director | Khalid Rahman |
| Actors | Tovino Thomas, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Lukman Avaran, Shine Tom Chacko |
| Running Time | 147 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
9. City of God
City of God” starts with a big car crash, kicking off stories about four families in Cochin. The first story is about Tamil migrants Swarnavel and Marathakam. Marathakam escaped from her abusive past and found love with Swarnavel. But their happiness is messed up by personal interests, leading Marathakam into a bad marriage.
In the second story, we meet shady real estate dealer Sony and his helper Jyothi Lal. They get caught up in a revenge plot after Sony kills a guy named Viji Punnose’s husband. Things get messy with Sony’s infidelity and betrayal. The story takes a dark turn with a fatal accident that changes everything.
| IMDB Rating | 7/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 23 March 2011 |
| Director | Lijo Jose Pellissery |
| Actors | Prithviraj Sukumaran, Indrajith Sukumaran, Rohini Raghuvaran |
| Running Time | 145 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
10. Padavettu
Ravi, a guy who’s been bumming around at home with his aunt Pushpa, getting into arguments with everyone. Their house is falling apart, and despite Pushpa’s complaints to the local council (the Panchayat), they’re not getting any help. Then along comes this politician named Kuyyali, smelling an opportunity. He decides to rebuild their house without asking, but with a catch—he sticks a big sign out front advertising his political party. Ravi, understandably annoyed, smashes the sign in the dead of night. Things take a wild turn when a neighbor’s dad gets killed by a wild boar.
| IMDB Rating | 6.9/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 21 October 2022 |
| Director | Liju Krishna |
| Actors | Nivin Pauly, Aditi Balan, Shammi Thilakan |
| Running Time | 145 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
11. Kali
Siddharth’s story is a rollercoaster of emotions, challenges, and growth. He struggles with getting really angry over small things, but he’s deeply in love with Anjali, even though their families weren’t happy about them getting married. Despite his efforts, his temper keeps causing problems, especially when they encounter tough situations. Anjali is like a rock for Siddharth, always encouraging him to deal with his anger issues. The turning point comes when Anjali’s safety is at risk because of Siddharth’s temper.
| IMDB Rating | 6.9/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 26 March 2016 |
| Director | Sameer Thahir |
| Actors | Dulquer Salmaan, Sai Pallavi |
| Running Time | 115 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
12. Kayamkulam Kochunni
Once upon a time in Kayamkulam, a messenger spread the news that a famous local outlaw, Kayamkulam Kochunni, was going to be executed by hanging. Kochunni grew up in poverty, watching his father struggle as a thief. One day, he witnessed his dad getting punished by the town’s higher-ups. Seeing this hardship, Kochunni’s mom urged him to leave home and make a better life for himself. He ended up working for a wealthy Brahmin landlord and fell in love with a girl named Janaki. Things took a turn when Kochunni stumbled upon hidden gold.
| IMDB Rating | 6.8/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 11 October 2018 |
| Director | Rosshan Andrrews |
| Actors | Nivin Pauly, Mohanlal |
| Running Time | 170 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
13. Kala
In a farmhouse tucked away from the world, Shaji’s life is a mess. His farming failed, leaving him drowning in debt. His dad, Raveendran, who trusted him with the farm, now sees him as a failure and doesn’t hold back on criticism. To try and fix his money problems, Shaji hires some Tamil workers to help out. But there’s tension in the air because these workers used to own the land before Shaji’s dad took it from them. Things get even worse when Shaji realizes one of the workers is out to get him.
| IMDB Rating | 6.7/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 25 March 2021 |
| Director | Rohith VS |
| Actors | Tovino Thomas, Sumesh Moor, Lal Paul, Divya Pillai |
| Running Time | 130 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
14. Ajagajantharam
In the village of Aranjali, where people like to have a good time. They take care of Neysseri Parthan, a special elephant who’s part of the village’s temple festival. During the festival, Lali and Ambi get a bit carried away with their importance. One day, Kannan, a young guy without a job, gets into a disagreement with them and things escalate quickly. Lali ends up kicking Kannan, and Ambi hits Kannan’s friend, Vinu. Well, Kannan and his friends don’t take this lightly. They cause chaos at the festival and attack Lali and Ambi.
| IMDB Rating | 6.7/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 23 December 2021 |
| Director | Tinu Pappachan |
| Actors | Antony Varghese, Arjun Ashokan |
| Running Time | 122 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
15. Pulimurugan
In a small forest village called Puliyoor, where tigers are a real danger, lives Murugan. He’s known as Pulimurugan because he’s brave enough to hunt down the dangerous tigers when they threaten the village. One day, a stranger comes to the village looking for Murugan. Meanwhile, Manikuttan’s friends get involved in some shady stuff involving drugs from the forest. Trouble brews when forest officials, led by a guy who has a grudge against Murugan, start investigating. To make matters worse, Manikuttan’s involvement with the drug business puts him in danger.
| IMDB Rating | 6.7/10 |
| Genre | Action/Thriller |
| Release Date | 7 October 2016 |
| Director | Vysakh |
| Actors | Mohanlal, Jagapathi Babu, Kalini Mukherjee |
| Running Time | 159 minutes |
| Language | Malayalam |
Frequently Asked Questions on Malayalam Action Movies
Q. What makes Malayalam Action Movies unique?
A. Malayalam Action Movies stand out for their blend of compelling storytelling and adrenaline-pumping action sequences. They often feature gripping narratives that delve into various themes while delivering intense action scenes.
Q. Who are some notable actors and directors in the Malayalam Action Movie genre?
A. Actors like Mohanlal, Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Jagapathi Babu have delivered memorable performances in Malayalam Action Movies. Directors such as Priyadarshan, Shaji Kailas, Basil Joseph, Santosh Sivan and Rosshan Andrrews are known for their contributions to this genre.
Q. Are there any iconic Malayalam Action Movies that are must-watch for fans?
A. Yes, several iconic Malayalam Action Movies have left a lasting impact on audiences. Classics like “Kaalapani,” “Urumi,” “Aaraam Thampuran,” “Keerthi Chakra,” “Jallikattu,” and “Minnal Murali” are highly recommended for fans.
Q. Are there any recent best Malayalam Action Movies worth watching?
A. Yes, Recent Best Malayalam Action Movies are “Minnal Murali,” “Thallumaala,” “Padavettu,” and “Ajagajantharam” have received critical acclaim for their stellar performances.
Q. Where can I watch these Malayalam Action Movies?
A. Many of these movies are available on popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar.