While mainstream Bollywood often erases caste, Malayalam cinema has recently exploded this silence. Kammattipaadam (2016) traces the history of land grab from Dalit communities in Kochi. Nayattu (2021, The Hunt ) follows three police officers (one from a lower caste) who become fugitives, exposing how the state’s machinery criminalizes the marginalized. The film Parava (2017) subtly critiques the dominant Christian and Muslim caste groups in northern Kerala. This focus on caste is a direct response to rising public discourse in Kerala, where social media has exposed the persistence of casteism despite the state’s "modern" image.
The 1980s saw the emergence of a new wave in Malayalam cinema, characterized by a shift from traditional social dramas to more experimental and innovative films. Filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, John Abraham, and Sibi Malayil created films that were more nuanced and complex, exploring themes like identity, culture, and social change. Films like Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Munnishi (1981), John Abraham's Alamkatha (1982), and Sibi Malayil's Kadal (1982) marked a significant departure from traditional Malayalam cinema. The film Parava (2017) subtly critiques the dominant
Early Malayalam cinema drew heavily from two sources: Hindu mythology (e.g., Balan (1938) and Kerala Kesari ) and popular stage plays. However, the true cultural anchor was literature. Adaptations of works by writers like S. K. Pottekkatt and Uroob mirrored the transition of Kerala from a feudal society to a modernizing state. Films like Neelakuyil (1954, The Blue Cuckoo ) broke ground by explicitly criticizing the caste system—a taboo subject in mainstream Indian cinema at the time. This film’s story of an abandoned upper-caste child born to a lower-caste woman exposed the brutal reality of Savarna (upper-caste) hypocrisy. Filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, John Abraham, and Sibi
Malayalam cinema has had a profound impact on Kerala's society, influencing the way people think, behave, and interact. Films have been used to promote social change, with many movies addressing issues like: influencing the way people think