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—widely known as the father of Malayalam cinema —to its current status as a powerhouse of grounded, realistic storytelling, the medium remains deeply intertwined with the "Malayali" identity [13].
Of course, the relationship is not always harmonious. Malayalam cinema has also come under fire for perpetuating the very issues it critiques. Critics point to the casual casteism in older films, the lack of equal pay for women, and the recent revelations of the Hema Committee report (2024) that exposed shocking levels of sexual harassment and exploitation within the industry.
No discussion of Malayalam culture is complete without the "Gulf Boom." Starting in the 1970s, millions of Malayalis migrated to the Middle East for employment. This massive demographic shift drastically altered Kerala's economy and its cinema.