OTT platforms have made Malayalam films popular worldwide.

Malayalam cinema is inseparable from the geography and daily lifestyle of Kerala. The lush monsoons, winding backwaters, local tea shops ( chaya kadas ), and local political party offices act as active characters rather than passive backdrops.

The roots of Malayalam cinema are deeply embedded in Kerala's rich literary tradition and progressive social reform movements. The industry's journey began with silent films like Vigathakumaran (1928), directed by J.C. Daniel, which directly confronted the rigid caste hierarchies of the time.

Caste, a sensitive subject often glossed over by other industries, is frequently the central theme. Films like Perariyathavar (Incomplete History) and Keshu explore the brutal realities of untouchability and the erasure of Dalit history. The recent blockbuster Aavesham (2023), while a commercial entertainer, cleverly subverts caste dynamics by making a Muslim don the hero of a story set in a Brahmin-dominated engineering college. This constant negotiation of identity is the heartbeat of the culture.

Malayalam cinema has had a significant influence on Indian cinema as a whole. Many filmmakers from other regions have been inspired by Malayalam films, and some have even remade them in their own languages.