King of Kotha to Odiyan, 6 Malayalam movies that defied negative reviews to sweep the box office

Here’s a look at the top six Malayalam movies that released to negative reviews but still went on to gross over Rs 30 crore at the box office

Posters of Malikappuram, Odiyan and King of Kotha

Though Dulquer Salmaan’s King of Kotha which was billed as the Malayalam film that was capable of breaking a lot of box office records due to the massive hype and its pan-Indian promotions, failed to live up to the expectations, the gangster actioner is still doing well at the box office and is among the top 3 highest-grossing Malayalam movies of 2023 already.

The negative reviews as well as the targeted campaigns on social media to degrade the movie, as cited by its cast and crew, might have pulled back King of Kotha’s earnings a bit but in the long run, the Abhilash Joshiy directorial is still galloping at the box office. Here’s a list of some of the Malayalam films that defied negative reviews and still went on gross over Rs 30 crore at the worldwide box office.

Malikappuram – Rs 54 Cr worldwide gross

This year kicked off with Unni Mukundan’s Malikappuram, which released to mixed reviews. Many targetted the film and accused the actor for peddling right-wing politics through his movies, which the actor has vehemently denied . But this, however, didn’t stop the movie – which revolves around a young girl’s wish to visit the Sabarimala temple – from becoming a box office hit. Though the makers claimed that the film even grossed close to Rs 100 crore, trade analysts say the film has collected close to Rs 54 crore – a massive figure for a movie that was made in just under Rs 3 crore.

Also read: Malikappuram movie review: Unni Mukundan's 'divine act' is the saving grace in this timepass entertainer

Odiyan – Rs 54 Cr worldwide gross

The Mohanlal movie, much like Dulquer’s King of Kotha, had a massive hype before its release. This also resulted in the film becoming the all-time highest Malayalam opening-day grosser, taking in over Rs 7.2 crore in Kerala alone, on a hartal day. However, the huge expectations – that came from the makers building the normal family fantasy entertainer as a larger-than-life fare – backfired, with the film showered with negative reviews and the makers citing degrading campaigns. The publicity the movie got though helped it make over Rs 50 crore at the box office.

Also read: Mohanlal, Randeep Hooda in Odiyan director VA Shrikumar Menon’s Bollywood film Mission Konkan?

King of Kotha – Rs 36 Cr worldwide gross (still running in theatres)

Dulquer’s period action film, which is his most expensive film yet, was expected to break the records set by his previous Malayalam release Kurup, which released during the pandemic and still went on to do a business of Rs 100 crore. Several from the cast also said that the movie could eclipse the record of 2018 : Everyone Is A Hero and go on to become the highest grossing Malayalam movie ever. It would take something extra special for the movie to accomplish all of that, even though it’s marginally ahead in the race of this year’s Onam releases with Rs 40 crore worldwide box office collection, a week after its release.

Also read: King of Kotha review: Dulquer Salmaan’s screen presence elevates this uneven-yet-ambitious gangster revenge saga

Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham – Rs 48 Cr worldwide gross

Mohanlal and Priyadarshan’s magnum opus was severely hit due to the pandemic. The country went into a pandemic lockdown just days before its release. However, the film had a lot of hype nonetheless – with its makers claiming it’s the most expensive Malayalam movie and it also winning a National Award for Best Feature Film. But the film turned out to be an absolute drab, as per reviews. The movie benefitted more from its overseas release than Kerala and barely made it to Rs 48 crore – still a sizable figure for a Malayalam movie post-pandemic.

Also read: Mohanlal: If Marakkar was a ‘mass’ film, it wouldn’t have won National Awards

CBI 5: The Brain – Rs 37 Cr worldwide gross

Mammootty’s return as CBI Sethurama Iyer benefitted more from the megastar’s previous Bheeshmaparvam than the hype of his previous four outings as the sleuth. The film, directed by K Madhu, opened to largely mixed to negative reviews but still took home good earnings, especially from the Middle East box office. It was also a rare blip in Mammootty’s post-pandemic career that has seen him reach new highs.

Mamangam – Rs 35 Cr worldwide gross

Billed as Mammootty’s most expensive film and a period action spectacle, Mamangam, which went through its share of controversies including replacing its director and also its actors, had its fair share of detractors waiting for the movie to fail, even before it released. That its content didn’t live up to the expectations, made their job easier. The negative reviews, which came from across the country, further panned the film that had Mammootty in a short role and Unni Mukundan in a lengthier one. Though the producer might not have made profits, the movie did earn him Rs 35 crore at the box office. For the uninitiated, its producer Venu Kunappilly then went on to back Unni Mukundan's Malikappuram and 2018: Everyone is a Hero.

Share