, the state already had a rich visual culture of shadow puppetry ( Tholpavakkuthu ) and classical dance-dramas like The Pioneer J.C. Daniel
Malayalam cinema has received numerous national and international awards, including several National Film Awards and Kerala State Film Awards. Films like "Guru" (1997) and "Kanchivaram" (2008) have won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam. , the state already had a rich visual