No article on Kerala’s culture is complete without the Gulf. For four decades, the remittances from Keralites working in the Middle East (the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) have been the engine of the state’s economy.
Malayalam cinema has always pushed boundaries. While the 90s gave us legendary classics like Manichithrathazhu No article on Kerala’s culture is complete without
Despite having smaller budgets compared to other regional industries, Malayalam cinema is a leader in cinematography, editing, and sound design, often setting trends for the rest of Indian cinema. Contemporary Trends While the 90s gave us legendary classics like
Malayalam cinema is the only Indian industry that regularly films in the Gulf, treating it not as a foreign land but as an extension of Malabar. This reflects the reality that one-third of Kerala's economy runs on remittances. However, the last decade has seen a cultural reckoning
However, the last decade has seen a cultural reckoning. Films like Ee.Ma.Yau (a dark comedy about death rituals in a fishing community) and Keshu Ee Veedinte Nadhan have subtly (or not so subtly) addressed caste hierarchies. The landmark film Great Indian Kitchen (2021) became a cultural firestorm. It depicted the drudgery of a patriarchal household—waking up at 4 AM, cleaning the puja room, making tea, being treated as a domestic appliance.