Actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran believes that Malayalam cinema is currently experiencing one of its most vibrant and transformative phases, driven by a series of strong theatrical hits and growing audience demand. However, the Vilayath Buddha star emphasises that true industry growth lies not in celebrating records for too long, but in consistently surpassing them.
‘Lokah’s record should be broken soon,’ says Prithviraj
Speaking to Manorama Online, Prithviraj noted that Kalyani Priyadarshan’s Lokah – Chapter One, which recently became the highest-grossing Malayalam film with ₹278 crore, has set a new benchmark for the industry. But he stressed that such milestones must inspire further progress.
“Right now, the film holding the all-time record is Lokah, and we can only hope that another Malayalam film soon surpasses that milestone,” he said, adding that this cycle of breaking and setting new records is a sign of a healthy, competitive and growing industry.
According to him, the biggest wish of any cinema lover should be to see Malayalam films consistently outdo one another on merit, scale and audience reach.
A booming box office but unstable financial foundation
Despite the celebratory box office trend, Prithviraj pointed out that the industry’s financial stability remains a concern. While theatrical revenues today are significantly higher than before, producers still find it difficult to recover investments reliably.
He explained that the number of films being made has reduced compared to earlier years because funding remains unpredictable. A single hit film today may earn two or even three times more than the highest-grossing Malayalam films from five or six years ago, but the gap between hits and losses is still wide.
The actor believes that once the financial ecosystem becomes consistently profitable, Malayalam cinema will witness a substantial rise in production volume, global expansion, and larger-scale projects.
Audience appreciation matters more than awards
Reflecting on his survival drama Aadujeevitham, Prithviraj spoke about why theatrical reception outweighs accolades for him. He imagined a hypothetical scenario in which the film performed poorly at the box office but won 15 National Awards.
“Even if that happened, I would not have felt any happiness,” he said. What gives him true satisfaction, he added, is the fact that millions watched Aadujeevitham in theatres and shared deeply positive reactions across the world.
He reiterated that awards are ultimately the opinion of a small jury, while audience love represents the real reward every filmmaker hopes for. According to him, the connection between cinema and its viewers is what keeps the industry alive and thriving.
Prithviraj’s recent work
On the professional front, Prithviraj Sukumaran was recently seen in Vilayath Buddha, adding another title to a diverse lineup that has cemented him as one of the most consistent performers and bankable actors in Malayalam cinema today.