Best dark & gritty Malayalam movies on Apple TV in India

By the KyaDekhu team · Updated 23 October 2026 · Availability for India from JustWatch, ratings from IMDb

51 movies on Apple TV in India match this list, with an average IMDb rating of 6.6. Newest addition: Khalifa: The Ruler, added to Apple TV on 9 Oct. Ranked by vote-weighted IMDb rating and popularity; showing the top 30.

1. Kireedam (1989)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 7m · A · Drama, Action · IMDb 8.9 (10.0K votes)

Dark & gritty

Sethu aspires to become a police officer to fulfil his father's dream. However, his life turns upside down when he intervenes in a scuffle with a criminal to save his father's life.

Apple TV JioHotstar Prime Video
2. Spadikam (1995)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 30m · U · Action, Drama · IMDb 8.6 (7.8K votes)

Dark & gritty

Chacko Master, a school headmaster, is never happy with his son, Thomas, and always degrades him. Having had enough of his ill treatment, Thomas runs away from home only to return as a gangster after long.

Apple TV
3. New Delhi (1987)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 23m · U · Thriller · IMDb 7.8 (2.0K votes)

Cold & detachedDark & grittyTwistyEdge-of-seat

A journalist is illegally jailed for exposing two corrupt politicians, He exacts revenge through his new mysterious newspaper.

Apple TV Prime Video
4. Thalavattam (1986)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 27m · U · Comedy, Drama · IMDb 7.9 (1.5K votes)

Dark & grittyTwistyCold & detachedEdge-of-seat

Vinod/Vinu (played by Mohanlal) is mentally ill and is hospitalized in the institution run by Dr. Ravindran ( M G Soman). Story progresses as Vinod recovers with the help of Dr. Savithri, Dr. Ravindran's daughter (Karthika) and Dr. Unnikrishnan (Nedumudi Venu) who finds that Vinu fell ill after the accidental death of

Apple TV
5. The King (1995)

Movie · Malayalam · 3h 19m · UA · Action, Thriller · IMDb 7.6 (1.8K votes)

Dark & grittyEdge-of-seatCold & detachedSerious

The King is a 1995 Malayalam action thriller film. Directed by Shaji Kailas and written by Renji Panicker with Mammootty in the title role as district collector.

Apple TV
6. Chenkol (1993)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 43m · U · Action, Drama · IMDb 7.9 (1.1K votes)

Dark & grittySerious

After completing his term in prison, Sethu tries to lead a happy life on the outside, but his past makes it all the more difficult.

Apple TV JioHotstar
7. Naran (2005)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 45m · U · Action, Drama · IMDb 7.3 (1.9K votes)

Dark & gritty

Velayudhan, an orphan, is loved by the people in his village, as he keeps it free from unsavoury people and practices. But the local moneylender and politician get jealous and try to get rid of him.

Apple TV
8. Hitler (1996)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 33m · UA · Drama · IMDb 7.3 (1.6K votes)

Dialogue-drivenMatureDark & gritty

Madhavan, an eligible bachelor, is very protective of his five sisters. However, things take an ugly turn for Madhavan when his sisters turn against him and fail to understand his love for them.

Apple TV
9. Irupatham Noottandu (1987)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 30m · A · Action, Thriller · IMDb 7.8 (912 votes)

Dark & grittyCold & detachedMatureEdge-of-seat

Investigative reporter Ashwathy tries to expose the nexus between politics and crime. In doing so, she ends up causing a rift between Sagar, a smuggler, and his accomplice Sekharankutty, the CM's son.

Apple TV
10. Rajavinte Makan (1986)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 12m · UA · Crime, Drama · IMDb 7.7 (955 votes)

Dark & grittyEdge-of-seatTwistyMature

The film follows underworld don Vincent Gomas (Mohanlal) and his rivalry against the Kerala Home minister N. Krishnadas (Ratheesh).

Apple TV
11. Jagratha (1989)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 30m · UA · Crime, Thriller · IMDb 7.5 (1.1K votes)

Cold & detachedTwistyEdge-of-seatSerious

A renowned actress, Aswathi, is murdered. When a CBI officer, Sethurama Iyer, investigates the case, he unravels a dark secret about Aswathi which brings forth several complexities.

Apple TV Prime Video
12. Bhoothakkannadi (1997)

Movie · Malayalam · 1h 50m · U · Drama · IMDb 7.9 (643 votes)

Slow-burnTwistyDark & gritty

Vidyadharan, a clocksmith, is a widower and lives for his only daughter. However, his life takes a turn for the worse when he kills a thug suspecting him for murdering a village girl.

Apple TV JioHotstar
13. Passenger (2009)

Movie · Malayalam · 1h 58m · U · Thriller · IMDb 7.2 (1.1K votes)

Edge-of-seatDark & grittySerious

The film narrates how two guys, Sathyanath and Adv. Nandan Menon, who never had anything to do with one another, come into each others lives and what all things happen consequently.

Apple TV JioHotstar
14. Season (1989)

Movie · Malayalam · 1h 52m · A · Crime, Drama · IMDb 7.6 (637 votes)

TwistyMatureCold & detachedDark & gritty

Jeevan, a restaurant owner, helps Porinju and Kanthi in a drug deal with a condition that they will give up the trade once the deal is finished. Things change when the meeting goes wrong.

Apple TV
15. Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu (1984)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 5m · U · Drama · IMDb 7.9 (498 votes)

TwistyDark & grittyDialogue-drivenHeartwarming

Kunjoonjamma Thomas is a widow living in the village all by herself. People always make fun of her because she is grumpy and depressed due to the deaths of her husband and her only child. Children irritate her by ringing her door bell and running away. One day, her granddaughter Girly, who she had never met, visits her

Apple TV JioHotstar
16. Mayavi (2007)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 4m · U · Action, Comedy · IMDb 6.8 (1.6K votes)

Edge-of-seatDark & gritty

Mahi, a seasoned convict who is well-known for attacking his enemies stealthily, decides to murder someone in order to raise money for his friend.

Apple TV
17. Irakal (1985)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 17m · UA · Thriller, Drama · IMDb 8.1 (371 votes)

MatureCold & detachedDark & grittyEdge-of-seat

Mathews, a ruthless rubber baron, is involved in various criminal activities. Baby, Mathews' son, begins to turn violent due to the environment he has grown up in, causing Mathews to repent his deeds.

Apple TV
18. Abhimanyu (1991)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 20m · A · Action, Drama · IMDb 7.4 (502 votes)

MatureDark & grittyEdge-of-seatCold & detached

Abhimanyu movie is all about Hari (Mohanlal) who is a welder in a small factory, witnesses a gang-related murder and gets inadvertently involved with the underworld. The murder of a benevolent local boss complicates life in the slum where Hari lives, causing his slow transformation to a life of crime. Decent performanc

Apple TV Prime Video
19. Aavanazhi (1986)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 33m · U · Action · IMDb 7.4 (498 votes)

Dark & grittyEdge-of-seatCold & detachedTwisty

Balram, an honest police inspector, turns to drinking and womanizing after facing several hardships in life. However, when a criminal he nabs gets acquitted by the court, he decides to fight again.

Apple TV
20. Kanmadam (1998)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 35m · U · Drama · IMDb 7.3 (538 votes)

Dark & gritty

Vishwanathan is a thug who accidentally kills Damodaran. Later, he falls in love with Bhanu. Will Vishwanthan reveal his true identity to Bhanu?

Apple TV JioHotstar
21. Kaliyattam (1997)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 10m · U · Drama · IMDb 7.8 (363 votes)

Visually stunningCold & detachedDark & grittyEdge-of-seat

Kaliyattam is an adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Othello' seen through the local traditional theatrical dance form of Theyyam, in which the actor takes on a divine dimension - as soon as he wears his mask and his headgear.

Apple TV
22. Aryan (1988)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 51m · U · Action, Drama · IMDb 7.4 (441 votes)

Dark & grittyEdge-of-seat

Aryan movie is all about Devanarayan (Mohanlal) who is a Brahmin priest who is falsely accused of theft and forced to leave his village in Kerala. He moves to Bombay where he gets drawn into the underworld through an ageing don Kareem (Goga Kapoor). Some interesting comment initially on Brahmin priesthood in Kerala, bu

Apple TV
23. Nirnayam (1995)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 47m · U · Thriller · IMDb 7.2 (515 votes)

Edge-of-seatDark & grittySerious

Dr. Roy is a surgeon who works in a private hospital. He falls in love with his colleague Dr. Annie. When Annie discovers a frightening organ-smuggling operation in her hospital, it proves to be a turning point in the story.

Apple TV Prime Video
24. Anomie (2026)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 17m · U/A 13+ · Crime, Thriller · IMDb 6.6 (1.6K votes)

TwistyDark & grittyEdge-of-seatCold & detached

Zaara, a relentless sister seeking answers in her brother's unresolved case, confronts a police officer after days of failed investigation. As faith in the system erodes, she pursues the truth on parallel paths, leading to a haunting revelation.

Apple TV Prime Video
25. Naaduvazhikal (1989)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 23m · U · Action · IMDb 7.3 (397 votes)

Edge-of-seatDark & grittyCold & detached

The story of Arjun (Mohanlal) who takes up the business empire of his father Ananthan (Madhu) who has been sent to jail and his clashes with his father's rivals.

Apple TV
26. Ee Kanni Koodi (1990)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 18m · UA · Drama, Mystery · IMDb 7.4 (323 votes)

TwistyCold & detachedDark & grittySerious

While investigating the murder of a woman, a police officer discovers that she was a sex worker. He contacts her clients and comes across several startling revelations.

Apple TV JioHotstar
27. Ulsavapittennu (1989)

Movie · Malayalam · 1h 54m · U · Comedy, Drama · IMDb 7.5 (278 votes)

Slow-burnDark & gritty

The story revolves around Aniyan Thampuran (Mohanlal), a naive and innocent prince of an erstwhile royal family, and his household in a village of Kerala. His family is heavily indebted by the wayward lifestyle of his elder brother Chettan Thampuran (Sukumaran). Chettan Thampuran's untimely death forces Aniyan to take

Apple TV
28. Mukham (1990)

Movie · Malayalam · 1h 58m · U · Thriller, Crime · IMDb 6.8 (422 votes)

Cold & detachedEdge-of-seatDark & grittySerious

A police officer tries to uncover and stop an unknown serial killer who sniped three victims and plans for a fourth one.

Apple TV JioHotstar
29. The Tiger (2005)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 32m · U · Crime, Action · IMDb 6.7 (435 votes)

Cold & detachedDark & grittyEdge-of-seatTwisty

Varma, a senior government official, who is about to expose an anti-corruption racket, is found dead under mysterious circumstances. Officer Chandrashekhar investigates the case to find the culprit.

Apple TV
30. F.I.R. (1999)

Movie · Malayalam · 2h 47m · A · Crime, Action · IMDb 6.6 (316 votes)

Cold & detachedFast-pacedDark & grittyMature

A young journalist gets killed upon following the illegal activities of a corrupt politician. Police officer Mohammed Sarkar and his team set out to find the dark secrets behind the murder.

Apple TV Prime Video