Prithviraj on Mollywood’s golden phase and its hidden challenges

Prithviraj Sukumaran has long been a voice shaping conversations around the social, commercial and technological shifts in cinema. The actor, director, producer and distributor reflects on where Malayalam cinema is heading, how AI fits into the creative world and what awards really mean to him.

For Prithviraj, the success of ‘Aadujeevitham’ stands far above any formal recognition. He says that even if the film had become a box office failure and gone on to win 15 National Awards, he would not have felt the same sense of fulfilment. What mattered most was watching theatres fill up and seeing viewers across the world respond with emotion and admiration. He believes awards are ultimately the choices of a small jury whose decisions reflect their own tastes. While disagreements are inevitable, he feels such decisions cannot be dismissed as wrong, and for him, audience acceptance will always hold more value than trophies. In that sense, ‘Aadujeevitham’ brought him the recognition that truly matters.

On artificial intelligence, Prithviraj says it can no longer be viewed as something outside the creative space. AI is now part of both entertainment and daily life, and those who understand how to use it effectively will shape the future of marketing and creativity. At the same time, he feels AI will never replace human imagination. Ideas, he says, emerge from human experience and intuition, and no machine can anticipate what the human mind will create next.

Looking at the current phase of Malayalam cinema, Prithviraj calls it an exciting period driven by consistent box office success. Films through 2024–25 have performed strongly, and he believes the industry grows when one Malayalam film surpasses the achievements of another. With ‘Loka’ currently holding the record for the highest collection, he hopes the next big film will emerge from within the industry itself and break that record.

He adds that this golden phase has another side. Malayalam cinema still lacks a stable revenue model, which has led to a decline in the number of films being produced. Yet there is optimism in the fact that the worldwide theatrical revenue for successful Malayalam films has doubled or even tripled compared to five or six years ago. For Prithviraj, that upward trajectory is a promising sign, and he hopes the momentum continues.