Malayalam films have evolved over the years. Initially the mythological films were popular amongst the audience but with time their preferences changed and so did the themes of the Malayalam films. It took a little bit of time for the Malayalam films to find their separate identity. At one point of time films were made as a remake of the popular Tamil and Telugu films. However there were films in the initial years too that are worthy of appreciation.

Malayalam films reached new heights primarily due to the contribution of directors like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, G. Aravindan and Shaji Karun, that the Malayalam films have achieved international recognition. While popular films that bear the imprint of melodramatic musicals are produced in large numbers, the artistic cinema continues to grow.

1950 - Nallathanka: Directed by P.V. Krishna Iyer, the film starred Augustine Joseph, Vaikkom Moni, Miss Kumari, Omana, S.P. Pillai, and Matheppan. A princess marries a king, but when drought occurs in their kingdom, she turns to her brother for assistance. A jealous sister-in-law aggravates the situation to the point that the sister comes close to killing herself and her seven children. The film, based on a legend, was a major success.

1951 - Navalokam: Directed by V. Krishnan, the film starred Kumari, Sethulakshmi, Lalitha, Thikkurissi Sekumaran Nair, and Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai. The differences between the estate owner and workers come to a head over his cruelty towards a woman he had seduced. Eventually, however, she is able to reconcile the two parties. This film marked a deviation from the mythologicals that had dominated Malayalam films.

1953 - Thiramala: Directed by P.R.S. Pillai, the film starred Kumari Thangam, Miss Chandni, Kumari Kalyani, M.L. Rajam, and Sathyan. Lovers are separated, but meet up again in the city - the hero is witness to the heroine`s disintegrating marriage. They return to their homes in the village, and he dies while attempting to rescue her from a stormy river.

1954 - Neelakuyil: Directed by P. Bhaskaran, the film starred Kumari, Prema, Kodangallur Ammini Amma, P. Bhaskaran, and Sathyan. The illegitimate child of a dead Harijan woman is brought up by the high caste postman. This causes ripples in the caste-conscious village, and finally, the child`s father, another high-caste villager, acknowledges the child. This film is regarded as a breakthrough film - the realism hitherto unseen on the Malayalam screen.

1965 - Chemmeen: Directed by Ramu Kariat, the film starred Sathyan, Sheela, Madhu, Kottarakkara Sridharan Nair, S.P. Pillai, and Adoor Bhawani. Based on a work by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, the film is about the fisherfolk and their belief - the safety of the fishermen depends upon the virtue of their wives. An important film, it brought meaningful cinema to the fore. It was awarded the Certificate of Merit at the Chicago film festival and the most prestigious national award, Golden Lotus.

The Malayalam films went a drastic change in the middle of the 1970s. It was no longer the mythological characters or the love stories that were in vogue but Indian cinema at large that underwent a change. So did the Malayalam films. While the other film industries dealt with the common man as its subject the `New Wave Malayalam Cinema` or the `Malayalam Parallel Cinema` emerged. The movement started with Adoor Gopalakrishnan`s first film Swayamvaram in 1972. For the first time Malayalam films got noticed at the International film arena.

The `middle of the road` films were also simultaneously being made. For the first time on the silver screen of Indian cinema the hero was a common man who went to office, had a life that most of the Indians have. The hero faced similar problems as did the middle classes. Such Malayalam films were directed by K G George, Padmarajan and Bharathan. The role of the women in films also underwent changes portraying the then contemporary situations. These films went onto portray slices from life itself. A list of such films would include:

1973 - Nirmalayam: Directed by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, the film starred P.J. Anthony, Kaviyoor Ponnamma, Ravi Menon, Sukumaran, and Sumitra. The story of a village oracle, long redundant, who is once again the focus of the village because of an outbreak of small pox. The day of the ceremony is the very day he discovers, among other things, that his family has been financially dependent upon his wife`s lover. At the end, he dies by the ceremonial sword before his deity. P.J. Anthony`s performance as the oracle was described as `electrifying`.

1975 - Kabani Nadi Chuvannappol: Directed by P.A. Backer, the film starred T.V. Chandran, Raveendran, J. Siddiqui, Salam, Pailunni, Shalini, and Dawn. An idealistic revolutionary discovers love, but since the police have branded him a criminal, he is killed. His lady love finds out about his death through the newspaper. The film was censored, and barred from exhibition during the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. It remained an important film in the industry, influencing many.

1977 - Kodiyettam: Directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, the film starred Gopi, Lalitha, Thikkurisi Sukumaran Nair, and Adoor Bhawani. A wandering fool whose obvious stupidity seems to overshadow the dismal lives of the villagers. As an assistant to a truck driver, he experiences the world and undergoes many changes. Gopalakrishnan did not idealize poverty - he observed it all with warmth and humour. The film`s soundtrack was unforgettable - the Kathakali drums in particular.

1981 - Aparna: Directed by Padmakumar, the film starred Prathap Pothan, Sudeshna, and Master Tony. A young woman prefers to live her life in her hopes - real life is harsh and she clings to her love for a man who is no longer around. Her illusions are finally shattered when she visits the banyan tree where he was seen last - realizing that reality too is an illusion. - An unusual film.

1984 - Elippathayam: Directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, the film starred Karamana Janardanan Nair, Sharda, Jalaja, Rajam K. Nair, and Prakash. The rat trap recurs throughout the film - as the film`s title, a motif, and as the life of the protagonist. - A man lazy and selfish to the extreme, scurrying away like a rat from life and its flow. If it chronicles human decay, the film also presents human fortitude. Gopalakrishnan himself pointed out the autobiographical element in the film - `Elippathayam is probably the closest to me. I have almost reproduced my own family in it.` The film won the British Film Institute Award for its director as the `maker of the most original and imaginative film`.

Vanaprastham: A classic film by Shaji Karun that starred Mohanlal as the protagonist. The film brought National Award for Mohanlal and both national and international acclaim for the director.

As far as popular cinema was concerned it was charged with melodrama and there was a lot of song and dance. These kinds of Malayalam films were quite popular till 1980s. Directors like Joshi followed this set pattern and made films like Moorkhan (1980), Raktham (1981) and Sambhavam (1981). However it was the same director who changed this established form with movies such as New Delhi (1987), Nair Saab (1989) and Pathram (1999). Joshi helped the Malayalam cinema to enter a new era. these films were technically superior.

Priyadarshan brought back the magic of comic genre. Poochakkoru Mookkuthi (1982) however was in amore serious vein that the others. Priyadarshan teamed up with Mohanlal and delivered some of the finest Malayalam films till date: like Thalavattam (1986), Chitram (1988), Kilukkam (1991) and Kaalapani (1995).

However it was Fazil who gave Malayalam cinema one of its most celebrated actors, Mohanlal in Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980). Films like Ente Mammattikkuttyammkku (1983), Nookketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu (1983), Ente Sooryaputhrikku (1991) and Manichitrathazhu (1993) were trendsetters in their own rights.

Malayalam films like Ultsavam (1975), directed by IV Sasi, is a small budget film with almost unknown faces. Avalude Raavukal (1979) was a landmark film in the history of commercial cinema in Kerala. But IV Sasi changed his style with his big budgeted film like Angadi (1980). Trishna (1981), Raagam, Anubandham and Aalkkuttathil Thiniye (1984) were artistically superior but he also made political films like Ee Nadu (1982), Vartha and Aavanazhi (1986).

Other commercially successful Malayalam directors were Rajasenan, Vinayan, Bhadran, Anil Babu, Thambi Kannanthanam and T S Suresh Babu. However it was Prem Nazir who brought with him the pattern of multi starrers in commercial Malayalam films. But with his exit this trend lost its magical spell. 1980s brought in the new superstars and with them arrived a completely different genre of filmmaking. Mammootty and Mohanlal delivered some of the most memorable Malayalam films. The industry also received some of the finest actors of Indian cinema like Suresh Gopi, Nadumudi Venu, Thilakan and Murali. Due to the preference of the audience the comedy film have also returned on the big screen.

The Malayalam firms have always depicted the contemporary social and political scenarios to the audiences while entertaining them. Even today Malayalam films juggle and present a fine balance between commercial and parallel cinema.