"Whither Malayalam Cinema?"-That's the question many people would like to ask after analysing the plight of Malayalam Cinema in the past few years. After 1991, when 126 films appeared before the censor board, only 90 or so were released out of them and the numbers fell down to as low as 69 and 65 in 1998 and '99 respectively. And out of these only a few films, only a handful to be precise, emerged triumphant at the box-office every year. But whereas in the last decade the numbers never went below 100. It is in this context that every Tom, Dick and Harry seems to ask this question-"Whither Malayalam Cinema?", without perhaps ever trying to or caring to find an answer.

Well, the last year of the century, the Millenium year 2000-fared better compared to 1999 as far as the number of films released is concerned. In all 70 films were censored, but this slight increase in the number turns one a bit cynical. The reason? Well, the slight increase is really on account of the soft-porn wave that happened to sweep over the realm of Malayalam Cinema. (Many such films did good business too.) This is a fact that turns analysts a bit cynical.

Taking into the consideration the fact that Cinema is essentially an industry, it would be imperative to take a close look at the box office ratings. Zooming in on the box office, we see that out of the 70 Malayalam films of 2000, only around 15 could emerge triumphant in the real sense. The year started with Millenium Stars , a Jayaraj film made with a budget of 2.5 crores, proving a real disaster at the box office. So great was the disaster that the producer Kireedom Unni and his Kripa Films are yet to make a total revival from that.

So the year did start on a disappointing note, but a few weeks after Millenium Stars , in the last week of January Narasimham  was released, which proved to be the all-time greatest hit till date in Malayalam Cinema. Hitmaking director Shaji Kailas, scenarist Renjith and actor Mohanlal came together and Narasimham , a formula film tailored to satisfy the fans of Mohanlal, became a hit, the greatest hit of Malayalam.

The second major hit of the year was Valiyettan , with the same team behind the screen, i.e., Shaji Kailas and Renjith, with Mammootty donning the lead role and which managed to win for Mammootty thunderous applause from the audience. Valiyettan  was released months after Narasimham , but just after Narasimham  was released another film that became a hit, a surprise hit and even competed with Narasimham  at the box office.

The low-budget soft-porn Kinnaarathumbikal  directed by debutante R.J.Prasad introduced Shakeela into Malayalam and started a soft porn wave. Other such films like Pranayamarmaram , Gandharvaraathri , Ariyaathe , Unnimaaya , Neelathadaakathile Nizhalpakshikal  etc were released in 2000 itself and some of these even did good business.

Besides Narasimham , Valiyettan  and Kinnaarathumbikal  there were some other hits too. Director Viji Thampy managed to churn out a hit in the fast-paced action film Satyameva Jayate  with Suresh Gopi in the lead. The Satyan Anthicaud directed Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal  starring Jayaram, Lekshmi Gopalaswami, Bhanupriya and Master Kalidas proved to be a favourite with the family audience and became a hit. Dileep was indeed lucky to have had two real hits in Lohitadas' Joker  and Rajasenan's Darling Darling  and also a moderate hit in Varnakaazhchchakal  directed by Sunder Das.

Teenage sensation Kunchacko Boban, who starred in three films, could manage to get only one hit- Priyam , directed by newcomer Sanal. One of the real lucky persons in Malayalam filmdom was actress Vani Viswanath indeed who, in addition to doing some usual meaningless roles in action films of the sort she used to do, got some really different roles.