Kerala is often called the "State of Letters." With a literacy rate hovering near 100% and a history of robust public debate, Malayalis are famously argumentative. This cultural DNA has rejected the illogical heroism of mainstream Bollywood or the hyper-masculinity of neighboring industries.
As long as there is a Malayali with a smartphone and an opinion, Malayalam cinema will thrive, not because it has the biggest budgets, but because it has the deepest roots. It remains, unequivocally, the moving image of a culture that refuses to be photographed smiling prettily; it demands to be seen thinking. Kerala is often called the "State of Letters