One of the finest cinema industries of India, The Malayalam cinema has always been underrated in the larger scale with no raging box office numbers or exaggerated masala moments. With some of the truly humbling and grounded stories, although a smaller industry comparatively, there is quite an impressive string of talented artists who have found, retained and been consistent with their success. While many new and talented young stars have made their mark post 2020, stars like Kunchacko Boban, Unni Mukundan have rebooted themselves and found a drastic shift in their careers after decades of experience. Here are their journeys and how they cracked the code into stardom, making a comeback of sorts either by rebooting themselves and their movie choices or getting the recognition they deserve.
Kunchcko Boban
An actor whose debut movie broke the most Grossed Malayalam movies of all time with ‘Aniyathipraavu’ when it released in 1997. Kunchacko Boban was launched by the golden hands of director Faazil and immediately became the chocolate boy of Kerala in the late 90s. Movies like ‘Kasthooriman’, ‘Mayipeelikaavu’ and ‘Niram’, Kunchacko Boban was a bankable star but then faced a string of failures in the early 2000s and then took a break from acting in 2006.
His return marked and shifted with posting him as a versatile and serious actor and created a fanbase for the actor’s performance and appreciation for his performances as a thriller lead.
Jagadish
Actor Jagadish’s career spans across a rich 5 decades in Malayalam Cinema, with one of the most versatile and adroit acting performances as a supporting actor, co- hero, comedian and as a lead. Actor Jagadish has made his debut in India’s first 3D film, ‘My Dear Kuttichathan’ and then went on to become a sought after actor in supportive roles.
While some actors take a step back from acting due to their age or health concerns, validly so, Actor Jagadish has stepped up and shifted towards taking roles that challenge him and even lead up from the front. His recent roles in movies like ‘Marco’ and ‘Kishkindha Kaandam’, he managed to diversify his choices and proven his versatility as an actor.
Unni Mukundan
Unni Mukundan after majoring in different fields and even professionally working in a tech field, made his debut in the Tamil film ‘Seedan’ and had a big debut alongside Megastar Mammootty in Malayalam. His movies in Malayalam have grabbed the attention of fans and critics, yet couldn’t break the barriers as a supporting actor. It is only after movies like ‘Ira’, ‘Chanakyathanthram’, ‘Mikhael’, he was praised.
His role in the 2022 film ‘Mallikapuram’ gave him a far better reach which only became better with the 2024 release ‘Marco’. Stated as one of the most violent films, Unni Mukundan’s role as the lead gave him a much-deserving Pan Indian hype with the movie dominating screens across the country.
Basil Joseph
A fairly new entrant who started as an assistant director to Vineeth Sreenivasan, Basil Joseph was a known personality in the Malayalam Cinema industry for his films like ‘Godha’ and ‘Minnal Murali’, both starring Tovino Thomas, which he directed. Basil Joseph’s acting gig with movies like ‘Joji’ had a breakthrough post 2021. Movies like ‘Jan. E. Man’, ‘Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey’ his fame as an actor reached places.
His comedic sense and lethargic fluidity makes him fit into roles that are grey and fun. Movies like ‘Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil’, ‘Falimy’, ‘Sookshamadharshini’ put him as one of the busiest actors in Malayalam. It continued with much more serious roles in ‘Praveenkoodu Shappu’ and ‘Ponman’ which has seen him in a darker role. More awaits from the director/ actor whose upcoming lineups are to be watched out for.
Lijomol Jose
Actress Lijomol Jose has been acting in some of the underrated and fresh stories of Malayalam from 2016. Her critical acclaim peaked after her portrayal of a brave Dalit woman who fights for justice and the return of her husband in the Tamil film, ‘Jai Bhim’. Her career boomed with similar roles as a powerful lead or supporting roles where she creates a niche for herself. This success gave her a boost and a string of films in Malayalam including the recent critically appreciated ‘Ponman’ and her Tamil films ‘Kaadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai’ and ‘Gentlewoman’, all breaking barriers with strong and grounded roles.
Mammootty
An atrocious addition in this list as actor Mammootty is literally one of the top tier actors in Malayalam. A solid performer whose filmography stands as a syllabus for many, has set out paths and trends for aspiring actors. The reason for Mammootty to be added in the list is the sheer shift and change in the actor’s film choices. He also makes direct and visible changes through his production company along with his acting choices that are clearly set on breaking the taboo and addressing the rigid social structures.
Movies like ‘Nanpagal Nerathu Mayakkam’ which bagged him a State Award, ‘Peranbu’, ‘Kaathal – The Core’, ‘Bramayugam’ have been the topics of discussion for the sheer diverse stories they narrated. Actor Mammootty’s choices are interestingly balanced, with a good amount of thrillers, action, and story-oriented films.
Budget and Balance
The regularity of such actors, except for actor Mammootty in the recent movies, could be because of the reach and fame attained and earned by them. With the adaptive culture in Social Media that changes and trends based on the current stars who reap success in their recent films. Instant growth and trends become a big booster for the casting too. They also increase and balance the budget based on their experience, while also boosting the popularity of the new and low-budget movies. Their experience and the recent fame bring a balance to the performances that is a great advantage and a major factor for the producers to bank and back them in their projects.
