List of Malayalam film actors

This list outlines the names of notable male lead film actors, who previously worked or are currently working in the Malayalam film industry, based in Kerala, India. The list is ordered by the year of their debut as a leading actor or the year of their landmark film. Actors who have starred in at least five films as lead are included in the list.

1930s

Year	Name	Debut film	Other notable films
1938	K. K. Aroor	Balan	Gnanambika (1940), Kerala Kesari (1950), Genova (1953)

1940s

Sebastian Kunju Kunju Bhagavathar

Year	Name	Debut film	Other notable films
1940	Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar	Gnanambika	Navalokam (1951), Sheriyo Thetto (1953), Vidhi Thanna Vilakku (1962)

1950s

Prem Nazir

Year	Name	Debut film	Other notable films
1952	Prem Nazir[1]	Marumakal	Murappennu (1965), Udhyogastha (1967), Iruttinte Athmavu (1967), Kallichellamma (1969), Virunnukari (1969)
	Sathyan[2]	Athmasakhi	Anubhavangal Palichakal (1971), Karinizhal (1971), Kadalpalam (1969), Yakshi (1968)
1953	Adoor Bhasi	Thiramala	Thommante Makkal (1965), Kayamkulam Kochunni (1966), C.I.D. Nazir (1971)
1958	P. J. Antony	Randidangazhi	Bhargavi Nilayam (1964) Kurukshethram (1970), Manninte Maril (1979)

1960s

Raghavan

Year	Name	Debut film	Other notable films
1964	Madhu	Bhargavi Nilayam	Chemmeen (1965), Bobanum Moliyum (1971), Geethaanjali (2013)
1968	Raghavan	Kayalkkarayil	Swami Ayyappan (1975), Hridhayathinte Nirangal (1979), Evidence (1998)

1970s

Year	Name	Debut film	Other notable films
1972	Thilakan	Periyar	Kireedam (1989), Spadikam (1995), Narasimham (2000), Pazhassi Raja (2009), Ustad Hotel (2012)
1973	Sukumaran	Nirmalyam	Rajan Paranja Kadha (1978), Angadi (1980), Oru CBI Diary Kurippu (1988)
1976	Jayan	Panchami	Sarapancharam (1979), Angadi (1980), Paalattu Kunjikkannan (1980), Manushya Mrugam (1980)
	Sreenivasan	Manimuzhakkam	Aram + Aram = Kinnaram (1985), Kaalapani (1996), Traffic (2011), Aravindante Athidhikal (2018)

1980s

Mohanlal

Mammootty

Year	Name	Debut film	Other notable films
1980	Shankar	Manjil Virinja Pookkal	Kadathu (1981), Oothikachiya Ponnu (1981), Ente Mohangal Poovaninju (1982), Veendum Chalikkunna Chakram (1984).
	Mohanlal	Thiranottam	Chithram (1998),Kireedam (1989), No.20 Madras Mail (1990), Kilukkam (1991), Manichitrathazhu (1994), Spadikam (1995), Kaalapani (1996), Narasimham (2000), Raavanaprabhu (2001), Thanmathra(2005), Chotta Mumbai(2007),Drishyam(2013),Pulimurugan (2016), Lucifer (2019).
1981	Mammootty	Ahimsa	New Delhi (1987), Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989), Oru CBI Diary Kurippu (1988), Kottayam Kunjachan (1990), Sethurama Iyer CBI (2004), Rajamanikyam (2005), Big B(2007) Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (2009), Bheeshma Parvam (2022).
1982	Mukesh	Balloon	Ramji Rao Speaking (1989).,[3] Vandanam (1989), Aakasha Ganga (1999), 2 Harihar Nagar (2009), Philip's (2023)
1986	Suresh Gopi	Niramulla Raavukal	Thalastaanam (1992), Mafia (1993), Thenkasipattanam (2000), Bharathchandran I.P.S. (2005).
1989	Jayaram	Innale	One Man Show (2001), Winter (2009), China Town (2011), Abraham Ozler (2024)
	Saikumar	Ramji Rao Speaking	In Harihar Nagar (1990), Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njaanum (1990), Chotta Mumbai (2007)

1990s

Dileep

Year	Name	Debut film	Other notable films
1994	Dileep[4]	Manathe Kottaram	Punjabi House (1998), Ee Parakkum Thalika (2001), Meesa Madhavan (2002), C.I.D. Moosa (2003), Chanthupottu (2005), My Boss (2012), Two Countries (2015)
	Lal	Manathe Kottaram	Thenkasipattanam (2000), Thommanum Makkalum (2005), Salt N' Pepper (2011), 2018 (2023)
1995	Kalabhavan Mani	Aksharam	Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njaanum (1999), James Bond (1999), Sethurama Iyer CBI (2004), Chotta Mumbai (2007)
	Joju George	Mazhavilkoodaram	Action Hero Biju (2016), IDI (2016), Joseph (2018), Iratta (2023), Antony (2023)
	Vinayakan	Maanthrikam	Chathikkatha Chanthu (2004), Chotta Mumbai (2007), Kammatipaadam (2016), Jailer (2023)
1997	Kunchacko Boban[5]	Aniyathipraavu	Nakshatratharattu (1998), Niram (1999), Anjaam Pathiraa (2020)

2000s

Jayasurya

Year	Name	Debut film	Other notable films
2001	Suraj Venjaramoodu	Ladies & Gentleman	Chattambinadu (2009), Teja Bhai & Family (2011), Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 (2019), Jana Gana Mana (2022)
2002	Jishnu Raghavan	Nammal	Nerariyan CBI (2005), Chakkaramuthu (2006), Ordinary (2012), Ustad Hotel (2012), Annum Innum Ennum (2013)
	Prithviraj Sukumaran	Nandanam	Indian Rupee (2011), Celluloid (2013), Memories, Ayyappanum Koshiyum (2020), Jana Gana Mana (2022), The Goat Life (2024)
	Indrajith Sukumaran	Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan	Chanthupottu (2005), Amen (2013), Lucifer (2019)
2002	Jayasurya		Pulival Kalyanam (2003), Chathikkatha Chanthu (2004), Chocolate (2007), Classmates (2006), Aadu (2015)
	Fahadh Faasil	Kaiyethum Doorath	Amen (2013), Bangalore Days (2014), Njan Prakashan(2018), Joji (2021), Aavesham (2024)
2005	Saiju Kurup	Mayookham	Aadu (2015), Antakshari (2022), Pappachan Olivilanu (2023)
2008	Vineeth Sreenivasan	Cycle	Traffic (2011), Kunjiramayanam (2015), Aravindante Athidhikal (2018), Mukundan Unni Associates (2022), 2018 (2023)
2009	Asif Ali	Ritu	Salt N' Pepper (2011), Honey Bee (2013), Kooman (2022)

2010s

See also: New generation (Malayalam film movement)

Fahadh Faasil

Dulquer Salmaan

Year	Name	Debut film	Other notable films
2010	Nivin Pauly[6]	Malarvaadi Arts Club	Thattathin Marayathu (2012), Oru Vadakkan Selfie, Premam (2015), Kayamkulam Kochunni (2018)
	Chemban Vinod Jose	Nayakan	Aadu (2015), Ee.Ma.Yau. (2018), Porinju Mariam Jose (2019)
2011	Sreenath Bhasi	Pranayam	Da Thadiya (2012), Anjaam Pathiraa (2020), Manjummel Boys (2024)
2012	Dulquer Salmaan	Second Show	Ustad Hotel (2012), ABCD (2013), Charlie (2015), Kurup (2021)
	Sunny Wayne		Aadu (2015), Anugraheethan Antony (2021), Kasargold (2023)
	Arjun Ashokan	Orkut Oru Ormakoot	B.Tech (2018), Jan. E. Man (2021), Romancham (2023)
2013	Soubin Shahir	Annayum Rasoolum	Sudani from Nigeria (2018), Kumbalangi Nights (2019), Manjummel Boys (2024)
	Neeraj Madhav	Buddy	Adi Kapyare Kootamani (2013), Lavakusha (2017), Gauthamante Radham (2020), RDX (2023)
	Sharafudheen	Neram	Pretham (2016), Role Models (2017), Anjaam Pathiraa (2020)
	Dhyan Sreenivasan	Thira	Kunjiramayanam (2015), Adi Kapyare Kootamani (2015), Udal (2022)
	Basil Joseph	Up & Down: Mukalil Oralundu	Jan. E. Man (2021), Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (2022), Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil (2024)
2016	Vishnu Unnikrishnan	Kattappanayile Rithwik Roshan	Oru Yamandan Premakadha (2019), Krishnankutty Pani Thudangi (2021), Vedikettu (2023)
	Shane Nigam	Kismath	Parava (2017), Kumbalangi Nights (2019), Bhoothakaalam (2022), RDX (2023)
2017	Tovino Thomas	Oru Mexican Aparatha	Minnal Murali (2021), Thallumaala (2022), 2018 (2023)
	Antony Varghese	Angamaly Diaries	Jallikattu (2019), Ajagajantharam (2021), RDX (2023)
2018	Pranav Mohanlal	Aadhi	Irupathiyonnaam Noottaandu (2019), Marakkar (2021), Hridayam (2022), Varshangalkku Shesham (2024)
2019	Naslen[7]	Thanneer Mathan Dinangal	Premalu (2024), I Am Kathalan (2024), Alappuzha Gymkhana (2025)

See also

• List of highest-grossing Malayalam films
• Lists of Indian actors
• List of Indian male film actors
• List of Malayalam actresses