No discussion of Kerala culture is complete without its rituals, and Malayalam cinema has become the primary documentarian of these dying or evolving art forms.
Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Ee.Ma.Yau (2018) is a masterpiece centered on a funeral. It is a dark comedy about the Catholic death ritual of Kattanam village—the politics of the coffin, the price of the shroud, the competition for the biggest funeral procession. It is a deep dive into the culture of Christian materialism blended with pagan death rites. No discussion of Kerala culture is complete without
Then there is Jallikattu (2019), which, despite its title referencing a Bull taming sport banned by the Supreme Court, is actually about the primal chaos of releasing a buffalo in a village. The film uses the rhythmic beats of the Chenda (drum) to evoke the spirit of Thrissur Pooram. Similarly, Kanguva and Bramayugam (2024) have reintroduced Theyyam, the spectacular ritual dance of North Malabar, to a global audience. It is a deep dive into the culture
When a film shows a Theyyam performer descending from a sacred grove (Kavu), it is not merely a visual effect. It is an anthropological record. These films remind the younger, urbanized Malayali of a world where gods walk the earth, and nature is not just scenery but a deity. and M.T. Vasudevan Nair. Post-2010
This period is often cited as the era when Malayalam cinema reached its artistic peak. It produced filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, G. Aravindan, and M.T. Vasudevan Nair.
Post-2010, a paradigm shift occurred. The "New Wave" of Malayalam cinema retained the realism of the Golden Age but adopted modern cinematic techniques and global narratives. Filmmakers like Aashiq Abu, Dileesh Pothan, and Lijo Jose Pellissery brought a raw, unpolished aesthetic that resonated with global audiences.