Malayalam cinema has produced several compelling films over the years, with some of them being adaptations of literary works. If you’re interested in exploring such titles, here’s a list of Malayalam movies based on books that you can watch on OTT.
5 Malayalam Movies Based on Books
1. Aadujeevitham (The GOAT Life)
- Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Jimmy Jean-Louis, KR Gokul, Amala Paul, Shobha Mohan, Talib Al Balushi
- Director: Blessy
- Genre: Survival Drama
- Where to Watch: Netflix
Based on the novel by Benyamin, Aadujeevitham narrates the story of Najeeb Muhammed, an Indian migrant worker who travels to Saudi Arabia in search of work, only to find himself trapped in a life of extreme hardship, herding goats in the desert. The film explores whether he manages to escape and return home. It is inspired by real-life events.
2. Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha
- Cast: Mammootty, Mythili, Shweta Menon, Gowri Munjal, Sreenivasan, Siddique, Musthafa
- Director: Ranjith
- Genre: Mystery Drama
- Where to Watch: SunNXT
Adapted from the novel by TP Rajeevan, Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha follows a private detective who returns to his native village, Paleri, to investigate a mysterious death that occurred on the night he was born. The film notably features Mammukka in triple roles.
3. Artist
- Cast: Fahadh Faasil, Ann Augustine, Sreeram Ramachandran, Sidhartha Siva, Krishnachandran, Vanitha Krishnachandran, Srinda Ashab
- Director: Shyamaprasad
- Genre: Drama
- Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Based on the novel Dreams in Prussian Blue, 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. When he gradually loses his eyesight, the film examines how their relationship evolves and questions the cost of emotional sacrifice.
4. Anandabhadram
- Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manoj K Jayan, Kavya Madhavan, Kalabhavan Mani, Biju Menon, Riya Sen, Revathy, Kalasala Babu
- Director: Santosh Sivan
- Genre: Dark Fantasy Horror
- Where to Watch: JioHotstar
Adapted from the novel by Sunil Parameswaran, Anandabhadram follows Ananthan, who returns to his ancestral home to fulfill his mother’s dying wish. He soon becomes entangled in a battle against an evil magician seeking to exploit the temple’s mystical powers.
5. Ponman
- Cast: Basil Joseph, Sajin Gopu, Lijomol Jose, Anand Manmadhan, Deepak Parambol, Rejin Sivadas, Midhun Venugopal
- Director: Jotish Shankar
- Genre: Black Comedy Thriller
- Where to Watch: JioHotstar
Ponman revolves around a gold broker, PP Ajesh, who rents gold for weddings in exchange for post-event payments. His business takes a dangerous turn when a deal goes wrong, forcing him to confront a ruthless adversary to recover his losses.
These are just a few Malayalam films adapted from books that are worth checking out on OTT platforms.
