Top 10 Malayalam Movies with Biggest Opening Weekends Worldwide — Vaazha 2 Makes History Among Newcomer Films

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

A Closer Look at Each Record-Breaking Film

🥇 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 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 Its ₹82.50 crore debut weekend placed it above every Mollywood film except L2: Empuraan — a remarkable achievement

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, 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.

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 — 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, 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, 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, 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