Malayalam is a Dravidian language spoken in India, predominantly in the state of Kerala. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and was designated as a Classical Language in India in 2013. It was developed to the current form mainly by the influence of the poet Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan in the 16th century. Malayalam has official language status in the state of Kerala and in the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry. It belongs to the Dravidian family of languages and is spoken by some 38 million people. Malayalam is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka; with significant speakers in the Nilgiris, Kanyakumari and Coimbatore districts of Tamil Nadu, and Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka. Malayalam serves as a link language on certain islands, including the Mahl-dominated Minicoy Island. 

The origin of Malayalam remains a matter of dispute among scholars. One view holds that Malayalam and Modern Tamil are offshoots of Middle Tamil and separated from it sometime after . A second view argues for the development of the two languages out of 'Proto-Dravidian' in the prehistoric era. 

The earliest script used to write Malayalam was the Vatteluttu alphabet, and later the Kolezhuttu, which derived from it. The current Malayalam script is based on the Vatteluttu script, which was extended with Grantha script letters to adopt Indo-Aryan loanwords. With a total of 52 letters, the Malayalam script has the largest number of letters among the Indian language orthographies. The oldest literary work in Malayalam, distinct from the Tamil tradition, is dated from between the 9th and 11th centuries. The first travelogue in any Indian language is the Malayalam "Varthamanappusthakam", written by Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar in 1785.
Is the origin of Malayalam clear?
What was the earliest writing?
Was there another script after that?
What was that?
How many letters does the current one contain?
How many views on origin are given?
What is Malayalam?
Where is it used?
Is it spoken mostly in one place?
where?
How many languages are in India?
When was it classified as a classical language?
How many speak it?
What group of languages does it fall under?
Does it ever serve as a link language?
no
The origin of Malayalam remains a matter of dispute
the Vatteluttu alphabet
The earliest script used to write Malayalam was the Vatteluttu alphabet
yes
and later the Kolezhuttu
the Kolezhuttu
and later the Kolezhuttu
52 letters
With a total of 52 letters
Two
A second view 
a Dravidian language
Malayalam is a Dravidian language
in India
Malayalam is a Dravidian language spoken in India,
yes
predominantly in the state of Kerala
the state of Kerala
predominantly in the state of Kerala
22
It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India
in 2013
designated as a Classical Language in India in 2013
38 million people
and is spoken by some 38 million people
the Dravidian family
It belongs to the Dravidian family of languages
yes
serves as a link language