If you want proof of culture, look at the dining table. In Hindi or Telugu cinema, food is often a prop. In Malayalam cinema, food is emotion. The staple Kappa (tapioca) and Meen Curry (fish curry) appear not as exotic dishes, but as markers of class and geography. In Kumbalangi Nights , the brothers eat canned sardines and instant noodles, signifying their neglect. In Aravindante Athithikal , the elaborate sadya (feast) on a banana leaf is a symbol of community and reparation.