: By the 1950s and 60s, the industry began focusing on social issues and literature-based scripts, moving away from the mythological themes common in other Indian industries. Defining Cultural Characteristics
In the 1990s, star Mohanlal played the upper-caste Nair hero in dozens of films who casually oppressed lower-caste characters without the script ever naming it. The cultural shift came with films like Perariyathavar (2018) (aka The Outsider ), which dealt with untouchability in the 21st century, and Aatma (2023), which examined honor killings based on caste.
Malayalam cinema has evolved from its early focus on social reform and literature to exploring contemporary issues: Literary Influence