For the uninitiated, the phrase “Malayalam cinema” might evoke images of song-and-dance sequences or hyperbolic melodrama, common stereotypes of Indian film industries. However, to the people of Kerala—the highly literate, politically conscious southwestern state of India—Malayalam cinema (affectionately known as ‘Mollywood’) is far more than just Friday night entertainment. It is a vibrant, breathing archive of the region’s soul, a relentless social critic, and a mirror held unflinchingly to the complexities of Malayali life.