Malayalam cinema's strongest true-story films cover rescues, floods, an outbreak, crime cases and biopics. Our top pick is a 2006 cave rescue. We kept only films with a documented real basis and use the makers' framing, "based on" or "inspired by", with cast, runtime and where each is reportedly streaming.
Updated on: Oct 23, 2026
Quick facts
- Films: 9, from 2013 to 2024
- Based on real events: Manjummel Boys, 2018, Virus, Kannur Squad, Vellam
- Inspired by real events: Take Off, Kurup
- Biopics: Captain, Celluloid
- Where to watch: reportedly JioHotstar, Sony LIV, Netflix, Prime Video and Sun NXT
1. Manjummel Boys (2024): Guna Caves rescue, 2006
- Director: Chidambaram
- Cast: Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Deepak Parambol
- Runtime: 135 minutes
- Where to watch: reportedly JioHotstar
Our take: The film most people mean when they search for a Malayalam true story set in a cave. It is based on a real rescue at the Guna Caves in Kodaikanal. More on Manjummel Boys.
2. 2018 (2023): Kerala floods, 2018
- Director: Jude Anthany Joseph
- Cast: Tovino Thomas, Kunchacko Boban, Asif Ali
- Runtime: 148 minutes
- Where to watch: reportedly Sony LIV
Our take: Based on real events with fictionalised characters, which the director says were drawn from news reports. More on 2018.
3. Virus (2019): Nipah outbreak, Kozhikode, 2018
- Director: Aashiq Abu
- Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Indrajith Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas
- Runtime: 152 minutes
- Where to watch: reportedly Prime Video, Sun NXT and ZEE5
Our take: Based on the 2018 Nipah outbreak. It is the one film here where the threat is invisible.
4. Take Off (2017): nurses held in Tikrit, Iraq, 2014
- Director: Mahesh Narayanan
- Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Fahadh Faasil
- Runtime: 139 minutes
- Where to watch: reportedly JioHotstar
Our take: Inspired by real events but presented as a work of fiction, not a record of what happened.
5. Kurup (2021): the Sukumara Kurup case, 1984
- Director: Srinath Rajendran
- Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Indrajith Sukumaran, Sobhita Dhulipala
- Runtime: 155 minutes
- Where to watch: reportedly Netflix
Our take: Inspired by the case of the fugitive Sukumara Kurup. It fictionalises the story, so don't read it as a factual account.
6. Kannur Squad (2023): a real police unit
- Director: Roby Varghese Raj
- Cast: Mammootty, Azees Nedumangad, Rony David Raj
- Runtime: 161 minutes
- Where to watch: reportedly JioHotstar
Our take: Based on the real Kannur Squad unit formed by S Sreejith IPS, then the district's SP. The longest film on this list.
7. Vellam (2021): the life of Murali Kunnumpurath
- Director: Prajesh Sen
- Cast: Jayasurya, Samyuktha, Siddique
- Where to watch: reportedly Sun NXT
Our take: Based on the life of businessman Murali Kunnumpurath, with Jayasurya in the lead.
8. Captain (2018): footballer V P Sathyan
- Director: Prajesh Sen
- Cast: Jayasurya, Anu Sithara, Renji Panicker
- Runtime: 144 minutes
- Where to watch: reportedly JioHotstar
Our take: A biopic of V P Sathyan, and a good pair with Vellam: same director, same lead.
9. Celluloid (2013): J C Daniel
- Director: Kamal
- Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Sreenivasan, Mamta Mohandas
- Runtime: 129 minutes
- Where to watch: reportedly Sun NXT
Our take: A biopic of J C Daniel, based on books by Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan and Vinu Abraham. The oldest film here.
FAQs
Which Malayalam film is based on a true incident in a cave?
Manjummel Boys (2024), directed by Chidambaram, is based on a real rescue at the Guna Caves in Kodaikanal in 2006.
Is 2018 a true story?
It is based on the real 2018 Kerala floods, but its characters are fictional. Director Jude Anthany Joseph has said they were drawn from news reports.
Which Malayalam crime films are based on real cases?
Kurup (2021) is inspired by the Sukumara Kurup case, and Kannur Squad (2023) is based on a real police unit in Kannur.
Is Take Off based on a true story?
It is inspired by the 2014 crisis in which Indian nurses were held in Tikrit, Iraq, and presents itself as fiction.
Which Malayalam biopics should I watch?
Captain (2018) on footballer V P Sathyan, Celluloid (2013) on J C Daniel, and Vellam (2021), based on the life of Murali Kunnumpurath.
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