But this is slowly changing, with more Malay productions being released every year, and winning over movie fans.
Now, it's not uncommon for a local movie to make between RM3 million to RM7 million in takings.
Last year alone, local movies generated RM50.8 million at the box-office, up from RM43.9 million the previous year.
According the director general of Finas( National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia) Mohd Mahyidin Mustakim, since the launch of the National Film Policy in 2005, the box-office collection for local films has doubled from RM25 million to RM50 million now.
"That is a 100% jump in five years and It is a wonderful achievement," he says.
Finas has provided a list of the 20 highest grossing local movies from 1990 to April 2010, and as expected, comedies rule the roost, with nine such films in the list.Here is the list :-
1) Adnan Semp-It
Box office: RM7.66 million
Synopsis: A despatch boy cum Mat Rempit Adnan and a rich man’s daughter, Nadia find love in a hilarious manner .
Genre: Comedy/Action
Year: 2010
Producer: MIG Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Ahmad Idham
Cast: Shaheizy Sam, Intan Ladyana and Cat Farish.
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2) Lagi Lagi Senario
Box Office: RM6.33 million
Synopsis: The story is about a fierce rivalry between two food stalls owners who try to out-do each other in increasingly extreme ways.
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Year: 2001
Producer: Grand Brilliance Sdn Bhd
Director: Aziz M. Osman
Cast: Mazlan Pet Pet, Saiful Apek and Wahid Senario.
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3) Geng: Pengembaraan Bermula
Box-office: RM6.20 million
Synopsis: Badrol and his friends try to solve a mystery that is haunting his grandfather’s village.
Genre: Animation
Year: 2009
Producer: Les Copaque Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Nizam Razak
Voices: Izwan, Yong Pin and Balqis.
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4) Sembilu 2
Box-office: RM6.10 million
Synopsis: Awie and Wati want to get married soon but Wati’s brother, Azman opposes the relationship and wants to drive the lovers apart.
Genre: Romance
Year: 1995
Producer: Skop Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Yusof Haslam
Cast : Erra Fazira, Zaina Zain and Awie.
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5) Jangan Pandang Belakang Congkak
Box-office: RM6.09 million
Synopsis: Three youths have to spend three nights at a haunted bungalow if they want to inherit their long lost uncle’s wealth in this spoof of two horror flicks: Jangan Pandang Belakang and Congkak.
Genre: Comedy/Horror
Year: 2009
Producer: MIG Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Ahmad Idham
Cast: Shaheizy Sam, Mazlan Pet Pet and Cat Farish.
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6) Jangan Pandang Belakang
Box-office: RM5.78 million
Synopsis: Darma finds out a demon was involved in the death of his fiancée, Rose and now the demon is out to terrorise him. Can anyone save Darma?
Genre: Horror
Year: 2007
Producer: MIG Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Ahmad Idham
Cast: Pierre Andre, Intan Ladyana and Khatijah Tan.
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7) Evolusi KL Drif 2
Box-office: RM5.67 million
Synopsis: Illegal racer Joe hates his rival Zack and goes all out to destroy him. Who says revenge cannot be sweet?
Genre: Action
Year: 2010
Producer: Skop Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Syamsul Yusof
Cast: Aaron Aziz , Remy Ishak and Syamsul Yusof.
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8) Cicak Man
Box-office: RM5.15million
Synopsis: A man gains superpowers after a science experiment goes wrong and now he fights the baddies to make the world a better place in this spoof of Spider-Man.
Genre: Comedy/Action
Year: 2006
Producer: KRU Communication Sdn Bhd
Director: Yusry KRU
Cast: Saiful Apek, Fasha Sandha and Aznil Nawawi.
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9) Maria Mariana
Box office: RM4.72 million
Synopsis: Two sisters, Maria and Mariana, have totally different outlooks on life and share a hostile relationship.
Genre: Family Drama
Year: 1996
Producer: Skop Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Yusof Haslam
Cast: Erra Fazira, Ziana Zain and Edika Yusof.
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10) Duyung
Box-office: RM4.67 million
Synopsis: An island boy helps a mermaid to gain her freedom after a ruthless fisherman hauls her in.
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2008
Producer: KRU Communication Sdn Bhd
Director: A. Razak Mohaideen
Cast: Maya Karin, Saiful Apek and Yasmin Hani.
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11) Senario The Movie
Box-office: RM4.58 million
Synopsis: Shamsul is a criminal who soon learns that crime does not pay.
Genre: Comedy
Year: 1999
Producer: Grand Brilliance Sdn Bhd
Director: Aziz M.Osman
Cast: Wahid Senario, Mazlan Pet Pet and Saiful Apek.
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12) Gerak Khas The Movie
Box-office: RM 4.40 million
Synopsis: A group of dedicated police officers are determined to crack down a syndicate that is into distributing porn VCDs and Ecstasy pills.
Genre: Action
Year: 2001
Producer: Skop Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Yusof Haslam
Cast: Erra Fazira, Abby Abadi and Rosyam Nor.
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13) Sembilu
Box-office : RM 4.39 million
Synopsis: A love story between two school sweethearts who are forced to deal with one obstacle after another.
Genre: Romance
Year: 1994
Producer: Skop Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Yusof Haslam
Cast: Erra Fazira, Awie and Ziana Zain.
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14) Senario Lagi
Box-office: RM 4.37 million
Synopsis: A married couple go to Cherating for holiday where they get caught up with many hilarious situations.
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2000
Producer: Grand Brilliance Sdn Bhd
Director: Aziz M Osman
Cast: Saiful Apek, Mazlan Pet Pet and Wahid Senario.
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15) Senario The Movie: Ep 1
Box-office: RM 4.26 million
Synopsis: Three village boys dream of becoming singers. Then they decide to go the the big city to attend a singing audition.
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2008
Producer: MIG Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Ahmad Idham
Cast: Mazlan Pet Pet, Wahid Senario and Fauziah Nawi.
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16) Bohsia: Jangan Pilih Jalan Hitam
Box-office: RM4.14 million
Synopsis: A group of youths indulge in free sex, drugs and illegal racing but end up paying a heavy price for it.
Genre: Action
Year: 2009
Producer: Skop Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Syamsul Yusof
Cast : Syamsul Yusof, Salina Saibi and Aaron Aziz.
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17) Remp-It
Box-office: RM 4.0 million
Synopsis: Madi gets involved in illegal racing in order to buy a new bike. But he loses the race and ends up beaten and terrorised.
Genre: Action
Year: 2006
Producer: MIG Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Ahmad Idham
Cast Farid Kamil, Cat Farish and Julia Hana.
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18) Evolusi KL Drift
Box-office: RM3.9 million
Synopsis: Zack and Sham are best friends who are nuts for racing. But their friendship is tested when they both fall in love with the same woman, Fasha.
Genre: Action
Year: 2008
Producer: Skop Production Sdn Bhd
Director: Syamsul Yusof,
Cast: Fasha Sandha, Farid Kaml and Syamsul Yusof.
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19) V3: Samseng Jalanan
Box-office: RM3.88 million
Synopsis: Rudy gives up illegal racing when he accidentally causes the death of several people. But a group of gangsters use every trick in the book to force him back on the track.
Genre: Action
Year: 2010
Producer: MIG Production House
Director: Farid Kamil
Cast: Farid Kamil, Bront Palarae and Aqasha.
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20) Cinta Kolesterol
Box-office: RM3.82 million
Synopsis: Inspired by Eddie Murphy’s The Nutty Professor, overweight Fazira desperately want to find romance but finds difficulty attracting guys. She resorts to extreme measures….
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2003
Producer: MIG Production Sdn Bhd
Director: A. Razak Mohaideen
Cast: Erra Fazira, Yusry KRU and Abu Bakar Omar.
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