, religious harmony, and the struggles of the working class. Through the 1980s and 90s—often called the "Golden Age"—filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan and G. Aravindan pushed the boundaries of parallel cinema
A Social History of Malayalam cinema from its origins to 1990. - IJHSSI
Kerala has a long history of political engagement, being a state that elected the first communist government in the world. This political consciousness bleeds into its art. While Bollywood often shies away from overt political statements to avoid controversy, Malayalam cinema leans into it.