Movies like Idavappathi (2016)
The best movies like Idavappathi (2016) are Flamingo Road (1949), Five Dances (2013) and Lovely, Still (2009). If Idavappathi hooked you with its drama and romance, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedGabriel's Inferno: Part II (2020)8.3/10 from 1,569 votes
- NewestLove Me Love Me (2026)Released 2026
- In MalayalamKaiyethum Doorath (2002)Also in Malayalam
Flamingo Road (1949)
A stranded carnival dancer takes on a corrupt political boss when she marries into small-town society.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFive Dances (2013)
A gifted young dancer arrives in New York City and joins the downtown contemporary dance world. With talent to burn, he soon must choose between his responsibility to his broken family in the Midwest, and forging a life and career for himself.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLovely, Still (2009)
A holiday fable that tells the story of an elderly man discovering love for the first time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between (2022)
Clare and Aidan make a pact to break up before college — no regrets, no broken hearts. But will one epic goodbye date offer them a last chance at love?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNot Easily Broken (2009)
A car accident and shifting affections test the bond between a married couple.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWander Darkly (2020)
New parents Adrienne and Matteo are forced to reckon with trauma amidst their troubled relationship. They must revisit the memories of their past and unravel haunting truths in order to face their uncertain future.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLove Everlasting (2016)
Bridger is a young outsider who's always wanted more. He and his mother flee an abusive home, eventually finding a small town in the middle of nowhere. Once there, Bridger finds true acceptance with another misfit.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTime Is Up (2021)
Vivien, an accomplished student with a passion for physics, and Roy, a troubled young man, are involved in an accident that forces them to reclaim their lives one minute at the time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFire with Fire (1986)
A tough, street-smart kid serving a sentence in a state youth reformatory meets a beautiful, innocent girl studying at a nearby convent. When forbidden love blossoms between them, they must fight the prison authorities, their parents and the law.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlind (2017)
A novelist is blinded in a car crash that killed his wife and several years later rediscovers his passion for life and writing when he embarks on an affair with the neglected wife of an indicted businessman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Secret: Dare to Dream (2020)
A widow with three children hires a handyman to fix her house during a major storm. When not doing home repairs, he shares his philosophy of believing in the power of the universe to deliver what we want.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLife in a Year (2020)
A 17 year old finds out that his girlfriend is dying, so he sets out to give her an entire life, in the last year she has left.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisNine Lives (2005)
Captives of the very relationships that define and sustain them, nine women resiliently meet the travails and disappointments of life.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMaria's Lovers (1984)
A World War II prisoner returns home to his childhood sweetheart. However, back home, he discovers that he has to compete to win her love.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGabriel's Inferno: Part II (2020)
Professor Gabriel Emerson finally learns the truth about Julia Mitchell's identity, but his realization comes a moment too late. Julia is done waiting for the well-respected Dante specialist to remember her and wants nothing more to do with him. Can Gabriel win back her heart before she finds love in another's arms?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance & drama
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisGabriel's Redemption: Part I (2023)
After leaving his prestigious post at the University of Toronto, Gabriel embarks on a new journey with Julia, and he is eager to become a father. However, Gabriel's idyllic vision is jeopardized when Julia's intensive program becomes all consuming. When Julia is granted a prestigious opportunity to deliver an academic lecture at Oxford, Gabriel challenges her about the subject of her presentation, which clashes with his own research. In Oxford, their past resurfaces, including an old nemesis determined to humiliate Julia and expose one of Gabriel's well-guarded secrets. Emotions run high, alliances are tested, and the couple must confront the shadows of their shared history in a battle for love, truth, and redemption.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Duke of Burgundy (2015)
Day in and day out, lovers Cynthia and Evelyn enact an elaborate sadomasochistic fantasy as mistress and maid. But as their ritual of domination and submission begins to turn stale, Cynthia yearns for something more conventional, while Evelyn tries to push their taboos even further.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPetulia (1968)
Dr. Archie Bollen is having a midlife crisis. He's just divorced his wife and is establishing a new life for himself. One night, he catches the eye of Petulia Danner, a charming, free-spirited young woman. Petulia's vibrant personality hides her fear of her abusive husband, David, whose father is a powerful society figure. As Petulia and Archie's feelings for each other grow, they must decide what it is they truly want.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOn the Edge (2001)
A suicidal young man is committed to a Dublin psychiatric hospital where he meets new friends who greatly influence his life.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLove Me Love Me (2026)
After her brother's death, June moves to Milan for a fresh start, finding comfort in Will, the perfect honor student at her new international school. But when his troubled best friend James—hiding a dangerous life in clandestine MMA fights—sparks a rivalry that quickly turns into irresistible attraction, June must choose between safety and a love that upends everything she thought she wanted.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKaiyethum Doorath (2002)
Sushma's parents get her engaged to Kishore. After knowing about her parents' plan to get divorced after her marriage, Sushma devises a plan to prevent it.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & romance
Sunshine Sparkling in My Eyes (2009)
Raphaël is seventeen years old and in love. It is the story of an awakening, the painful explosion of the adolescence.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance & drama
Flor do Ártico (2022)
Laura and Clarice live very different realities. While Laura tries to decide her life and take courage about her future, Clarice deals with her past tormented by an abusive relationship. Their lives intertwine as Laura's curiosity speaks louder, she takes her first dose of courage, and a passion arises with both facing their previous baggage and future plans along the way.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & romance
Say 'I Love You' (2014)
Mei Tachibana is a high school student. Due to a traumatic incident when she was a kid, Mei has been unable to make friends or have boyfriends. By mistake, Mei then injures the most popular male student named Yamato Kurosawa. Somehow, Yamato Kurosawa likes Mei Tachibana and tells everyone unilaterally that Mei is his friend. One day, Yamato Kurosawa saves Mei Tachibana from a stalker by kissing her. From that kiss, their love story begins.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGod Say (2017)
The film which is set in the background of early nineties of Kozhikode portrays the life of Harischandran (Vinay Forrt), an anarchist and a drunkard, who is an employee at the Aakashvani radio station. His life changes totally when he starts anchoring the programme named "Gandhimargam" and starts following Gandhism
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Samarppanam (2017)
The murder of a young girl brings together the three central characters that develop an inexplicable bond with the victim, and amongst them. Consequences beyond their expectations await them.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Oru Malayalam Colour Padam (2017)
'Oru Malayalam Colour Padam' tells a tale of a guy who decided to turn a gentleman overnight!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
The Crab (2017)
This movie is crafted to raise cancer prevention and awareness in Kerala.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Gold Coins (2017)
Achu (Gopal) and Kichu (Vasudev), hailing from a hamlet in Kumarakom live by their dream of owning a geared bicycle. In their journey towards their dream, the boys gets separated in the city and face unseen challenges. Gold coins portrays the journey of these two young brothers through a test of human values, conviction and perseverance.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback (1983)
Lekha is an aspiring actress who becomes successful and very popular. One day, she commits suicide! Why?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Like Idavappathi and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Idavappathi?
The closest matches to Idavappathi are Flamingo Road (1949), Five Dances (2013) and Lovely, Still (2009). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Idavappathi?
Start with Flamingo Road (1949), the closest match to Idavappathi.
What is the highest-rated movie like Idavappathi?
Gabriel's Inferno: Part II (2020), rated 8.3/10 by 1,569 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Idavappathi?
Love Me Love Me (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Malayalam movies like Idavappathi?
Yes: Kaiyethum Doorath (2002), God Say (2017) and Samarppanam (2017).
How are movies similar to Idavappathi chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Idavappathi, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.