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Filmfare Flashback: When Sharmila Tagore Took Home The Black Lady for Her Role in Aradhana
As Filmfare nears its 70th edition, we take head back to 1970, to the 17th Filmfare Awards. On 11 May 1970, Bombay (now Mumbai) saw the stars of Hindi cinema gather to celebrate films from 1969. Among the biggest winners that night was Aradhana, a romantic drama directed by Shakti Samanta.
Aradhana was released on 7 November 1969 in Hindi. It starred Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in lead roles. The story mixes romance, sacrifice, identity, and strong emotions. Vandana (Sharmila Tagore) falls in love with Arun (Rajesh Khanna), who is an Air Force pilot. After Arun’s death in a crash, Vandana must face stigma, raise her son against odds, even when forced to give him up. She then becomes his caretaker later in life without revealing she is his mother. Over time, the film shows her silent strength and love.
At the 17th Filmfare Awards, Aradhana led the nominations with 9 nods. It won Best Film, and Sharmila Tagore won her first (and only) Best Actress award for her role as Vandana. Meanwhile, Rajesh Khanna was nominated for Best Actor for Aradhana, but the award went to Ashok Kumar for Aashirwad.
Take a look at this:
Other highlights: Anokhi Raat won four Filmfare awards, including Best Screenplay and Best Dialogue. Aradhana also gained praise for its music: songs like Mere Sapno Ki Rani became iconic. The film quickly became a blockbuster, not just in India, but also in the Soviet Union. It marked the rise of Rajesh Khanna as a superstar, and it firmly established Sharmila Tagore’s status among leading actresses.
Looking back to the 17th Filmfare Awards, Aradhana remains a landmark, not just for awards, but for stories that touch the heart. As Filmfare returns with new celebrations, it’s worth remembering how films like Aradhana shaped the legacy, melding romance, strength, music, and unforgettable performances.
See Also:Filmfare Flashback: Throwback to the First Filmfare Awards ft. Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari
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From L2: Empuraan to Lokah and More: Here Are 6 Top-grossing Malayalam Films
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra has emerged as one of the biggest success stories in Malayalam cinema this year. It is produced by Dulquer Salmaan and stars Kalyani Priyadarshan as the lead character. The film has managed to captivate audiences across India and overseas. As of now, it is the second highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time and is soon to take over L2: Empuraan to be in the first spot. In the past few years, Malayalam cinema has undergone a massive transformation and churned out films that ruled the box office. With gripping narratives, innovative filmmaking, and powerful performances, these films have not only earned money but also impressed audiences.
On this note, let’s take a look at the top six highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time, each of which has redefined the scale and reach of Mollywood in its own way.
L2: Empuraan
The Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer rewrote box office history by becoming the highest-grossing Malayalam film worldwide upon its release in March this year. Directed by Prithviraj, it is a political thriller and is the second instalment of the Lucifer trilogy. It focused on the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat between Hindus and Muslims. Mohanlal reprised his role as Khureshi Ab’raam, and the film digs deeper into the mysterious past of his character. L2 Empuraan’s end also confirms the third part. The film also stars Abhimanyu Singh, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas and Indrajith Sukumaran, among others. As per Sacnilk, the worldwide collection was Rs 265.5 crore, setting a new benchmark for Malayalam cinema. Ending with a dramatic setup for the trilogy’s final chapter, Empuraan has set fan expectations sky-high.
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra
Currently the talk of the town, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra has been hailed as one of the boldest attempts in Malayalam cinema. It is produced by Dulquer Salmaan and stars Kalyani Priyadarshan in a powerful role as Chandra, a mysterious woman who arrives in Bengaluru only to find herself caught in the middle of a violent organ trafficking syndicate. The film mixes stunning visuals with gritty storytelling, which keeps the audience hooked. Kalyani has been praised for her strong performance and also for being one of the few Malayali actresses whose films performed exceptionally well at the box office. Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra also stars Naslen, Sandy Master, and Arun Kurian. As of September 19, its worldwide collections stand at Rs 262.5 crore, making it the second highest-grossing Malayalam film ever. It is on its way to overtake L2: Empuraan to be the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. Lokah has been dubbed and released in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Kannada as well.
Manjummel Boys
The survival thriller Manjummel Boys, directed by Chidambaram, created history by becoming the first Malayalam film to cross Rs 200 crore at the worldwide box office. Inspired by a real-life incident, the film revolves around a group of friends from Kochi who set out on a vacation to Kodaikanal. However, their adventure takes a terrifying turn when one of them accidentally slips and gets trapped inside the infamous Guna Caves. What follows is a desperate, yet brave rescue mission filled with thrills, emotions and tense scenes. Featuring a strong ensemble cast led by Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Balu Varghese, and Lukman Avaran, the film struck a chord with audiences for its realistic portrayal of camaraderie and courage. It remains the highest-grossing Malayalam film in India, with a worldwide total of around Rs 240.5 crore, according to box office tracker Sacnilk.
Thudarum
Superstar Mohanlal’s Thudaram is the fourth highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. Directed by Jeethu Joseph, the film follows Shanmugham aka Benz, a former stunt assistant turned taxi driver whose peaceful life takes a turn when his beloved vintage car, Mark 1, is wrongfully seized by police in connection with a drug smuggling case. Though he is proven innocent, Benz ultimately gets drawn into a dangerous web of lies and conspiracy. A powerful senior officer manipulates him into becoming part of a deadly late-night drive. The film combines suspense, emotions and high-octane action sequences. Alongside Mohanlal, the cast also includes Shine Tom Chacko, Unni Mukundan, Rajisha Vijayan, and Asha Sharath in key roles. As per Sacnilk, the film has collected Rs 234.5 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film in Kerala and the 11th highest-grossing Indian film of 2025 so far.
2018
Released in 2023, 2018 remains one of the most emotionally powerful Malayalam films in recent memory. Directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, the film is based on the real-life Kerala floods of 2018, which are considered the worst natural disaster the state had faced in a century. It claimed more than 483 lives and displaced millions. The ensemble cast is stellar, with Tovino Thomas, Kunchacko Boban, Narain, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Asif Ali, and Tanvi Ram delivering heartfelt performances. Beyond its box office performance, the film was also selected as India’s official entry to the Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category, though it didn’t secure a nomination. Still, it grossed an impressive Rs 180.03 crore worldwide, proving the global appeal of Malayalam cinema.
The Goat Life (Aadujeevitham)
Directed by Blessy, The Goat Life (Aadujeevitham) is an adaptation of Benyamin’s award-winning Malayalam novel of the same name. The film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran as Najeeb, a Malayali immigrant worker in Saudi Arabia, who travels abroad with dreams for a better life but is instead deceived and forced into slaver as a goatherd in the desert. Sukumaran’s performance has been hailed as one of his best. The cast also includes Jimmy Jean-Louis, Amala Paul and Shobha Mohan in key roles. The Goat Life captures his struggles for survival against isolation, hunger, and despair. It is shot in extreme desert conditions. The film has been lauded for its technical marvel, breathtaking cinematography and visuals and a moving background score by the music maestro, A.R. Rahman. The Goat Life was initially banned in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries other than the UAE. The ban was subsequently lifted in all countries except in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. With a worldwide collection of Rs 157.35 crore, it stands as the sixth highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time.
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