The rise of Mollywood, India’s more subtle film hub
Instead of relying on big dance numbers, Malayalam movies tell stories
To outsiders, and indeed many in the country, Indian cinema is all about masala movies. Named after the blend of spices ubiquitous in the country’s cuisine, these films feature a mix of genres, formulaic plots and larger-than-life heroes. Most of India’s highest-grossing movies—many from Bollywood, the behemoth Hindi-language film industry—can be classified as masala. But these big-budget, action-packed melodramas belie India’s diverse cinematic output.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Features great and small”
From the July 6th 2024 edition
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