Jaydev Jayakumar on state of Malaysia’s Tamil film industry and using ‘Irumbuth Thottam’ to champion quality-driven local cinema (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — Malaysia’s diverse culture is reflected in its film industry, where Malay, Manda...
Malaysia's film industry is diverse, featuring Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil cinema. Tamil-language cinema has been steadily growing and gaining recognition. In 2016, Jagat won the Best Picture at the 28th Malaysia Film Festival. Vedigundu Pasangge became the first Malaysian Tamil film to cross the RM1 million mark in 2018. C4 Cinta (2024) is the highest-grossing Malaysian Tamil film, earning over RM2.5 million at the box office.
Veera Karrupu grossed RM1.77 million in its 35-day theatrical run. Sun-J Perumal’s Macai was named Best Film at the 11th Anugerah Majlis Pengkritik Filem Kuala Lumpur (AMPFKL) in June 2026.
Filmmaker Jaydev Jayakumar's debut, Irumbuth Thottam, released on August 6, is a step forward for Malaysian Tamil cinema. The film addresses the sensitive topic of teenage pregnancy and family honor. Jayakumar’s directorial debut stars Irfan Zaini and Marie Dashani Matthews. He believes strong films will win audiences over and aims to change the mindset of local audiences by providing quality content.
Irumbuth Thottam has grossed RM134,776 at the box office and garnered praise for its suspenseful plot and cast performances. Jayakumar hopes the film will elevate the quality of Malaysian Tamil cinema and attract attention from the wider Indian film industry, encouraging them to recognize the talents emerging from the country.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
