Neelakuyil - Newspaper Boy ( 1954 - 1955 )
Neelakuyil
Through Neelakuyil Malayalam cinema for the first time had an authentic Malayalam story. The story for Neelakuyil was penned by renowned Malayalam writer Uroob and directed by the duo of P Bhaskaran and Ramu Karyat. This melodramatic film dealt with the issue of untouchability in the society. Satyan and Miss Kumari were elevated to stardom after the huge success of this film. Malayalam film music till then were cheap imitations of Hindi and Tamil film music, also came up with original Malayalam tunes through this film. The lyrics written by P Bhaskaran were arranged by K Rghavan, influenced by Malayalam folk music, which became popular among the masses. This was also the first Malayalam film to be shot outdoors. Neelakuyil announced the presence of Malayalam cinema in Indian film arena. Newspaper Boy
Newspaper Boy (1955) was the reflection of neo-realism in cinema, which became popular all over the world. This film was a result of extreme hard work by a group of college students. Newspaper Boy was directed by P Ramadas, who was totally new to cinema and almost all technical works were handled by amateur students. This film was distributed some months before Satyajith Ray's Pather Panchali came out. This film narrated the sad story of a printing press employee and his family reeling through poverty. He dies of extreme poverty and illness, which forces his children to stop their education. His elder son Appu leaves to Madras in search of a job. Failing to secure a job there, he returns and decides to take up the job of a newspaper boy. 
Popular cinema of Malayalam rarely tried to adopt the language of cinema till the 1980s. Delivering highly dramatic dialogues and singing and dancing in a set that resembled a stage were the widely accepted format of Malayalam commercial cinema. Joshi, whose earlier films like Moorkhan (1980), Raktham (1981) and Sambhavam (1981) were all made in the same old format pioneered this change of form of Malayalam commercial cinema with his later films like New Delhi (1987), Nair Saab (1989) and Pathram (1999). With Joshi, Malayalam cinema too entered into an era of technically superior films. Priyadarshan who started with slapstick comedies like Poochakkoru Mookkuthi (1982) slowly transformed his form to a more serious one. Sentimental stories with a coating of humour became his trademark. His collaboration with Mohanlal created some of the all time hits of Kerala like Thalavattam (1986), Chitram (1988), Kilukkam (1991) and Kaalapani (1995). 
Fazil created a narrative style of his own, and created super hits without the help of superstars. He introduced many newcomers to Malayalam cinema, most of them later became stars. His first film Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980) itself established him as one of the most noted director of commercial Malayalam Cinema. This film also saw the birth of a greater and later superstar, Mohanlal. Films like Ente Mammattikkuttyammkku (1983), Nookketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu (1983), Ente Sooryaputhrikku (1991) and Manichitrathazhu (1993) were all trend-setting films. I V Sasi started with Ultsavam (1975), a small-budget film with no big stars. Since his film form has undergone several transformations and succeeded in almost all of them. His Avalude Raavukal (1979) was a milestone in the history of popular cinema in Kerala. But when many soft-porn movies started arriving on this format, I V Sasi started with star-studded films like Angadi (1980). A series of big-budget films came from him after the huge success of Angadi. While his films like Trishna (1981), Raagam, Anubandham and Aalkkuttathil Thiniye (1984) with screenplay of M T Vasudevan Nair where artistically superior, films like Ee Nadu (1982), Vartha and Aavanazhi (1986) with screenplays of T.Damodaran were made with a political flavour. I V Sasi's film 1921 (1988), a historical, stands apart. 
Balachandra Menon is a cinema-journalist turned director, who has made several popularly acclaimed films like Ishtamanu Pakshe.. (1980), Karyam Nisaram (1983), Prashnam Gurutharam (1983) and April 18 (1984). These films are mostly humorous films with down to earth characters. With Achuvettante Veedu (1987) he tried to take a new path and Samantharangal (1997) was critically acclaimed and won him the Nation award for best actor. Films of Satyan Antikadu have won popular acclaim even while making socially relevant films. Whenever Satyan Antikadu paired up with Sreenivasan as the scriptwriter, Malayalam cinema received films with social relevance and down to earth characters like T P Balagopalan M A, Gandhinagar Second Street, Sanmanasullavarkku Samadhanam and Naadoodikkattu. Kamal started with Mizhineerppookkal (1986) and is one of the biggest presence in Malayalam popular cinema with almost all his films becoming commercial successes. 
Some of the other directors who have guaranteed commercial success are Rajasenan, Vinayan, Bhadran, Anil Babu, Thambi Kannanthanam and T S Suresh Babu. With Prem Nazir leaving the limelight of Malayalam cinema, the concept of superstar-centred cinema also disappeared for a short while. But 1980s saw birth of new superstars, and the entire film industry revolved around these stars. Ignoring the films with more than life characters, which made them the superstars they are today, Mammootty and Mohanlal are two great actors, who have proven their ability whenever they have got chance. Mammootty excelled in his verity roles of Yavanika, Yathra", Thaniyavarthanam, Vidheyan, Mathilukal and Oru Vadakkan Veeragaatha. Mohanlal with his natural and original style excelled in films like Kireedam, Vaastuhara, Vaanaprastham, Kalapaani and Bharatham. The new superstar of Malayalam, Dileep specialises is comedy films. Malayalam cinema has also received some of the best actors of Indian cinema like Gopi, Nadumudi Venu, Thilakan and Murali. 
