Whodunit? The Must Watch Investigative Thrillers In Malayalam!

Yavanika (1989)

Yavanika, directed by K G George went on to become a trendsetter, back then. The story of the film surrounded the missing case of a Tabala player named Ayyappan. Mammootty played the role of the investigation officer in the film. For the first time, Malayalam film audiences got to witness a murder mystery tale which did stand close to reality. Yavanika, definitely ranks among the top investigative thrillers in Malayalam films.

CBI Series

The films of CBI series have had a special fan following. It all started with Oru CBI Diarykurippu, which released in the year 1987. So far, there have been four movies in the series and the first part is still considered to be the best.

Crime File (1999)

Crime File, directed by K Madhu was one of the biggest hits of 1999. Suresh Gopi, played the role of a police officer named Isow Panikker, who comes to investigate the murder case of a nun. The film is filled with some intriguing twists and turns, and the climax would simply surprise you all.

Utharam (1989)

Utharam, scripted by M T Vasudevan Nair and directed by Pavithran was not a conventional investigative thriller. In the film, Mammootty plays the lead role of a journalist, who tries to unearth the reason behind the death of his close friend's wife. The film is sure to keep you at the edge of your seats and highly recommended for those who cherish a different viewing experience.

The Tiger (2005)

The Tiger, directed by Shaji Kailas should find a place in this list. It wasn't a foolproof movie, but Shaji Kailas did package the movie in quite an exciting manner. Especially, the way in which the face of the culprit was revealed in the climax sequences, showed the brilliance of the director.

Kariyilakaattu Pole (1986)

The versatility of P Padmarajan could be spotted with this film that was quite different from the rest of his movies. The movie revolves around the death of a director named Harikrishnan, played by Mammootty in the film. Mohanlal played the role of the investigative officer. A must watch for all those who like suspense thrillers.

Ee Thanutha Veluppaan Kaalathu (1990)

In fact, this might be the only film of Joshiy, that was in the lines of an investigative thriller. The film had its script written by P Padmarajan and the story of the movie revolved around a series of murders.

Mukham (1990)

Mohanlal starrer Mukham is a real underrated classic. The film, directed by Mohan, won great fan following after its television premiere. Definitely, this is one of the best movies of Mohanlal in police uniform.

The Truth (1998)

The Truth, directed by Shaji Kailas and written by S N Swamy is one such movie, that stayed loyal to its genre. The film with Mammootty in the lead role as a special investigation officer, revolves around the assassination of a minister. The best part of the movie is the suspense element of the movie.

Mumbai Police (2013)

Mumbai Police, by far, is one of the best investigative thrillers of the new age Malayalam cinema. Interestingly, the film was more than a whodunit movie and had multiple layers to it. Having said that, the makers of the movie were heavily successful in keeping the audiences thrilled, throughout the movie.