Kerala is known for its highly politically conscious populace and its history of communist and progressive movements. Naturally, politics is a recurring motif in Malayalam cinema. However, instead of propaganda, filmmakers often use biting satire to critique the political establishment.

Today, with the advent of OTT platforms (Netflix, Prime, Hotstar), Malayalam cinema has found a global audience. Western critics are suddenly discovering films like Nayattu (2021)—a manhunt thriller about three police officers falsely accused of rape, which functions as a brutal allegory for the exploitation of state machinery. International viewers love it not because it is "Indian," but because it is specifically, deeply, and unapologetically Keralan .

In turn, Malayalam cinema has also actively shaped and disseminated cultural ideals. It played a crucial role in the popularization of certain literary works, bringing the poetry of Vyloppilli or the stories of M.T. Vasudevan Nair to a mass audience. It created enduring archetypes: the morally conflicted everyman (embodied by actors like Mohanlal and Mammootty), the strong, resilient matriarch, and the cynical, chain-smoking journalist. The "new wave" or "post-2000s" cinema, particularly the so-called 'Malayalam New Wave' of the 2010s, began reflecting the anxieties of a globalizing Kerala—the NRI dream turning sour ( Kali ), the alienation of the urban middle class ( Traffic ), and the environmental consequences of real estate greed ( Virus ). These films do not just show a changing Kerala; they help define the terms of its internal debates about modernity, morality, and identity. For the global Malayali diaspora, these films are an umbilical cord to home, preserving linguistic nuances, culinary traditions (the iconic sadya or the chai-kada discussions), and emotional rhythms that transcend geography.

The 2017 film features a scene where the hero, played by Tovino Thomas, passionately describes his love for beef roast with porotta . He declares, "For us Malayalees, porotta and beef is not just food, it is an emotion". This is not just a food scene; it is a pointed political statement. In a national climate where cow vigilantism has intensified, Malayalam cinema has responded by celebrating beef as a dominant part of the state's subaltern and minority food culture, creating "carnivalesque performances" that subvert food-based hierarchies.

Kerala is a paradox: a state with a 96% literacy rate and a communist legacy, yet one still grappling with deep-seated caste hierarchies and religious orthodoxy. Malayalam cinema has historically been the battleground for these contradictions.

The social realism of the 50s and 60s gave way to the "new wave" in the 1970s. Filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, with his landmark (1972), and the maverick John Abraham, who consistently dealt with the oppressed and marginalized, pushed the boundaries of form and narrative. This set the stage for the "Golden Age" of the late 80s and early 90s, an era defined by the emergence of iconic actors like Mammootty and Mohanlal , and auteurs like Padmarajan, K.G. George, and Sathyan Anthikad. This period was characterized by the popular adaptation of everyday life themes, social relationships, and a unique blend of humor and pathos.

Some notable Malayalam filmmakers include:

Many classics are adaptations of works by legendary Kerala writers like Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and M.T. Vasudevan Nair.

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