Malayalam film industry posts ₹530 crore loss in 2025, says film chamber

The Malayalam film industry suffered losses totalling ₹530 crore in 2025, according to figures released by the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce. Of the 185 Malayalam films that hit theatres during the year, around 150 failed to perform at the box office. Only nine films were classified as superhits, while 16 managed to emerge as hits. The Film Chamber also noted that about 10 films were able to recover their investments by combining theatrical revenue with earnings from OTT platforms.

The total investment in new film releases during the year was estimated at approximately ₹860 crore. In addition to these 185 new titles, eight older films were re-released in theatres. However, despite the growing trend of re-releases, only three of these eight films managed to generate noticeable box-office traction.

Even after accounting for films that turned profitable or at least broke even, the industry ended the year with a net loss of ₹530 crore. While 2025 saw a surge in experimentation and a high volume of releases, the numbers underline the widening gap between output and profitability.

Although a handful of films emerged as major successes, the overall financial picture remained bleak. At the same time, the performance of select titles suggests that audiences are increasingly responding to distinct ideas and unconventional narratives.