# Top 10 Malayalam Movies with Biggest Opening Weekends Worldwide — Vaazha 2 Makes History Among Newcomer Films URL: https://technosports.co.in/top-10-malayalam-movies-with-biggest-opening/ Published: 2026-04-07 Updated: 2026-04-07 Author: Reetam Bodhak [Malayalam cinema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayalam_cinema) has been on an unstoppable box office march in recent years — and the numbers prove it. From Mohanlal’s record-shattering *L2 Empuraan* to the stunning newcomer-fuelled triumph of *Vaazha 2*, Mollywood keeps rewriting history every year. Here is the definitive list of the **Top 10 Malayalam films with the biggest opening weekends at the worldwide box office** — and the story behind each one. ## Top 10 Malayalam Opening Weekends Worldwide — The Complete List | Rank | Film | Opening Weekend (WW Gross) | Year | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **L2: Empuraan** | ₹175.60 crore | 2025 | | 2 | **Aadu 3** | ₹82.50 crore | 2026 | | 3 | **Thudarum** | ₹69.25 crore | 2025 | | 4 | **Vaazha 2** | ₹67.00 crore | 2026 | | 5 | **Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra** | ₹66.30 crore | 2025 | | 6 | **Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life** | ₹64.00 crore | 2024 | | 7 | **Lucifer** | ₹55.60 crore | 2019 | | 8 | **Sarvam Maya** | ₹45.25 crore | 2025 | | 9 | **Bheeshma Parvam** | ₹44.60 crore | 2022 | | 10 | **Turbo** | ₹44.55 crore | 2024 | ## A Closer Look at Each Record-Breaking Film ![](https://imagedelivery.net/c3a8230fccbe78d87fd4f9ceb00fbeb0/wp-1263842-llsskskk-2-large/public) ### 🥇 1. L2: Empuraan — ₹175.60 Crore The undisputed king. *L2: Empuran* is a political gangster action thriller directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, starring Mohanlal, and released on March 27, 2025. Made on a budget of ₹150–175 crore, it was the first Malayalam film to be released in IMAX and EPIQ formats and the most expensive Malayalam film to date. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L2:_Empuraan) The film smashed over ₹66.5 crore on its opening day alone, setting a historic Day 1 record in Malayalam cinema before going on to collect ₹175.60 crore over the extended opening weekend — a number that remains a distant dream for any other film. Its sequel, *Lucifer* (2019), paved the way, but *Empuraan* elevated the franchise to a whole new stratosphere. ### 2. Aadu 3 — ₹82.50 Crore The Shaji Pappan cult just keeps getting bigger. *Aadu 3*, starring Jayasurya, Saiju Kurup, and Vinayakan, became the highest-grossing Malayalam film of 2026 on release. Written and directed by Midhun Manuel Thomas and produced on a budget of just ₹20 crore, Aadu 3 crossed ₹115 crore worldwide in 15 days, proving that franchise loyalty and pure entertainment value can deliver record-breaking numbers even without superstar billing. [Koimoi](https://www.koimoi.com/box-office/aadu-3-box-office-becomes-6th-highest-grossing-malayalam-film-in-the-overseas-market/) Its ₹82.50 crore debut weekend placed it above every Mollywood film except *L2: Empuraan* — a remarkable achievement ![](https://imagedelivery.net/c3a8230fccbe78d87fd4f9ceb00fbeb0/wp-1263843-thidarramm-legacy-1024x576/public) ### 3. Thudarum — ₹69.25 Crore Mohanlal proves time and again that his fan base is unmatched. *Thudarum*, released in 2025, delivered the third biggest opening weekend in Malayalam cinema history with ₹69.25 crore worldwide. The film went on to become the fourth-highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time with a lifetime worldwide gross of ₹237.76 crore [Koimoi](https://www.koimoi.com/box-office/aadu-3-worldwide-box-office-day-18-unlikely-to-enter-mollywoods-top-10-grossers-of-all-time/), making it one of the most successful Mollywood ventures ever ### 4. Vaazha 2 — ₹67.00 Crore ⭐ Historic for Newcomers This is the entry that made the whole industry take notice. *Vaazha 2: Biopic of a Billion Bros*, directed by Savin SA and headlined entirely by fresh faces — Hashir, Alan Bin Siraj, Ajin Joy, and Vinayak — delivered ₹67 crore in just 4 days. What makes this even more extraordinary is that it is **the biggest opening weekend ever for a newcomer-led Malayalam film** — surpassing even big-star vehicles on this list. Word-of-mouth was its only superstar, and it delivered brilliantly. ![](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/lokkskkk.avif) ### 5. Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra — ₹66.30 Crore The film that changed what Malayalam cinema could be. *Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra* (2025), directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan’s Wayfarer Films, introduced a full-blown superhero universe to Mollywood. Starring Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen, the superhero film topped the annual chart with a reported worldwide gross of ₹302.65 crore for 2025 [Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2026/top-15-malayalam-films-worldwide-box-office-2025-lokah-empuraan-thudarum-kalamkaval-occupy-top-spots-495232.html) — and its ₹66.30 crore debut weekend set the bar for every franchise entry that followed. ### 6. Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life — ₹64.00 Crore Prithviraj Sukumaran’s survival epic. *Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life* (2024), directed by Blessy, is a gripping real-life survival drama based on Benyamin’s bestselling novel. The film, starring Prithviraj as Najeeb Muhammad who survives years of brutal slavery in Saudi Arabia, struck a massive chord with global audiences. Its ₹64 crore opening weekend was then a record for Mollywood, and its emotional resonance drove it to a ₹160 crore lifetime worldwide run. ### 7. Lucifer — ₹55.60 Crore The film that started it all — at least in terms of franchise blockbuster ambition. *Lucifer* (2019), directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and starring Mohanlal as Stephen Nedumpally, was a political action thriller that rewrote Malayalam box office expectations. Its worldwide gross of ₹125.50–127 crore remains a landmark achievement [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_Malayalam_films), and its ₹55.60 crore opening weekend was unprecedented for Malayalam cinema at the time. ### 8. Sarvam Maya — ₹45.25 Crore Nivin Pauly’s supernatural comedy *Sarvam Maya* (2025), directed by Akhil Sathyan, was one of the year’s biggest surprise blockbusters. Few anticipated the scale of its success. The film outgrossed Mohanlal’s *Lucifer* in lifetime collections to become the 10th biggest Malayalam grosser of all time worldwide [Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/box-office-records/mollywood), ending its theatrical run at over ₹151 crore globally — all on the back of a ₹45.25 crore opening weekend. ### 9. Bheeshma Parvam — ₹44.60 Crore Mammootty at his gangster best. *Bheeshma Parvam* (2022), directed by Amal Neerad, starred Mammootty as Michael, a powerful crime family patriarch. The film blended high-octane action with deep family drama and exploded at the box office. With a worldwide lifetime gross of ₹88.20 crore, it remains Mammootty’s biggest career grosser [Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/box-office-records/mollywood), and its ₹44.60 crore debut weekend had audiences queuing up from day one. ### 10. Turbo — ₹44.55 Crore Rounding off this elite list is Mammootty’s high-octane action entertainer *Turbo* (2024), directed by Vysakh. The film saw Mammootty return in full mass-masala mode, delivering the goods with pure action spectacle and a fan-pleasing performance. Its ₹44.55 crore opening weekend showed that Mammootty’s pull in action entertainers is undiminished — setting up Bheeshma Parvam’s record as a high benchmark to beat even within the same star’s career. ## FAQs ### **Q1. Which Malayalam film has the biggest opening weekend worldwide of all time?** L2*: Empuraan* (2025), starring Mohanlal and directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, holds the record with a staggering **₹175.60 crore** worldwide gross in its 4-day extended opening weekend — nearly double the second-place film. ### **Q2. Why is Vaazha 2’s box office record considered historic despite being ranked 4th?** *Vaazha 2* is uniquely significant because it is the **biggest opening weekend ever for a newcomer-led Malayalam film** — its entire star cast consisted of fresh faces with no prior box office pull, making its ₹67 crore debut a true triumph of content and word-of-mouth over star power.