Every year, the Film Federation of India selects one film as India’s official submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Over the decades, four Malayalam Oscar entries have been chosen to represent the country — a strong record for a regional industry. This article looks at each of those films, why they were selected and what their journey tells us about Malayalam cinema’s global ambitions.
Key Facts
- India has submitted four Malayalam films: Guru (1997), Adaminte Makan Abu (2011), Jallikattu (2020) and 2018 (2023).
- None has yet been nominated, but each selection boosted the film’s international profile.
- Malayalam artists such as Resul Pookutty have won Oscars in other categories.
Table of Contents
How India Selects Its Oscar Entry
The Film Federation of India (FFI) forms a selection committee each year. Producers submit their films, and the jury chooses one title to represent India in the Best International Feature Film category (formerly Best Foreign Language Film). The chosen film must then campaign among Academy members to make the shortlist and, eventually, the five nominations.
Campaigning in the US can be expensive, which is one reason many Indian entries struggle to progress. Screenings for voters, publicists, trade advertising and travel all add up, and regional producers rarely have studio-level budgets for this. A strong film without a campaign can easily be overlooked among dozens of submissions from around the world.
The Four Malayalam Oscar Entries
1. Guru (1997) – 70th Academy Awards
Directed by Rajiv Anchal and starring Mohanlal, Guru is a philosophical fantasy about a man who enters a land where everyone is blind. Ambitious and allegorical, it was the first Malayalam film to be chosen as India’s Oscar entry.
2. Adaminte Makan Abu (2011) – 84th Academy Awards
Salim Ahamed’s debut, released internationally as Abu, Son of Adam, follows an elderly attar seller (Salim Kumar) and his wife who dream of making the Hajj pilgrimage. Quiet and deeply humane, it won several National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film and Best Actor for Salim Kumar.
3. Jallikattu (2020) – 93rd Academy Awards
Lijo Jose Pellissery’s wild, kinetic film about an escaped buffalo and the frenzy it triggers in a hill village was a bold choice. Its raw energy and commentary on human nature had already won it acclaim at international festivals before its selection.
4. 2018 (2023) – 96th Academy Awards
Jude Anthany Joseph’s ensemble drama about the 2018 Kerala floods, starring Tovino Thomas, Kunchacko Boban and Asif Ali, was a massive box office hit before being selected. Its theme of ordinary people becoming heroes resonated widely. Read our 2018 movie review.
Malayalam Oscar Entries at a Glance
| Film | Year | Ceremony | Director | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guru | 1997 | 70th | Rajiv Anchal | Not nominated |
| Adaminte Makan Abu | 2011 | 84th | Salim Ahamed | Not nominated |
| Jallikattu | 2020 | 93rd | Lijo Jose Pellissery | Not nominated |
| 2018 | 2023 | 96th | Jude Anthany Joseph | Not nominated |
What the Malayalam Oscar Entries Have in Common
At first glance the four films could hardly be more different. One is a fable, one a gentle realist drama, one a frenzied experiment and one a crowd-pleasing disaster film. Look closer, though, and a pattern emerges: each is rooted in a specific Kerala setting while telling a story that travels.
Guru uses allegory to talk about faith and reason. Adaminte Makan Abu is about the dignity of an ordinary believer. Jallikattu strips away civilisation to expose the mob. 2018 celebrates collective courage. In each case, the local detail is what makes the universal theme feel honest.
| Film | Genre | Core theme |
|---|---|---|
| Guru | Fantasy allegory | Blind faith versus seeing |
| Adaminte Makan Abu | Realist drama | Faith, dignity and longing |
| Jallikattu | Experimental thriller | The animal inside humans |
| 2018 | Disaster drama | Ordinary people as heroes |
Malayalam Talent at the Oscars
While no Malayalam film has yet been nominated in the international feature category, Malayali artists have made their mark at the Academy Awards. Sound designer Resul Pookutty, from Kerala, won the Oscar for Best Sound Mixing for Slumdog Millionaire (2008). He later worked on Malayalam films including Aadujeevitham. Read our Aadujeevitham review.
Malayalam films have also had strong runs at other international festivals — from Shaji N. Karun’s Piravi at Cannes to recent titles at Toronto, Busan and Rotterdam — showing that global recognition does not depend on the Oscars alone.
How to Watch the Malayalam Oscar Entries
If you want to explore all four, watching them in release order is rewarding, because it shows how Malayalam filmmaking moved from literary allegory towards bolder visual storytelling. Streaming availability changes often, so check our guide on where to watch Malayalam movies online before you start.
Start with Adaminte Makan Abu if you like quiet character studies, or with 2018 if you prefer a big emotional ensemble. Save Jallikattu for when you are in the mood for something intense and unconventional; its pace and sound design are best experienced on a good screen with headphones or speakers.
The Road Ahead
With Malayalam cinema now enjoying its strongest commercial and critical phase, many observers believe a nomination is only a matter of time. Films like Manjummel Boys, Bramayugam and Kishkindha Kaandam have shown the kind of originality that festival juries reward. The key challenges remain funding and sustaining a professional international campaign. Whether the next selection of India’s Oscar entry goes to a Malayalam film depends on the FFI jury each year, so no outcome can be predicted at the time of writing. For a look at the industry’s history, read our history of Malayalam cinema.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Malayalam films have been India’s Oscar entry?
Four: Guru, Adaminte Makan Abu, Jallikattu and 2018.
Has any Malayalam film been nominated for an Oscar?
No Malayalam film has yet received a nomination in the international feature category.
Which was the first Malayalam film sent to the Oscars?
Guru (1997), starring Mohanlal.
Who chooses India’s Oscar entry?
A jury formed by the Film Federation of India selects one film each year for the Best International Feature Film category.
Why do Indian entries rarely get nominated?
Competition is fierce, and a nomination usually needs a well-funded campaign in the US to get Academy members to watch the film.
Has any Malayali won an Oscar?
Yes. Resul Pookutty won the Oscar for Best Sound Mixing for Slumdog Millionaire.
Conclusion
The four Malayalam Oscar entries reflect the industry’s range, from allegory to realism to spectacle. Each one introduced Malayalam cinema to new viewers abroad, even without a nomination. With the industry’s current creative confidence, the next one may finally break through. For the full list of Indian submissions, see Wikipedia.
