For the uninitiated, the southern Indian state of Kerala is often painted with broad, romantic strokes: the “God’s Own Country” tagline, swaying houseboats on the backwaters, and a coastline of coconut palms. But for those who speak Malayalam, the soul of Kerala is not found in a tourist brochure. It is found in the frames of its cinema. Over the last century, Malayalam cinema has evolved from a modest imitator of Western and Tamil trends into arguably the most nuanced, realistic, and culturally rooted film industry in India.