The mighty Periyar river in Thazhvaram (The Valley) dictates the pace of life and death. The winding roads of the Western Ghats in Virus or the sprawling tea plantations in Kilukkam are intrinsic to the narrative. Filmmakers like Blessy and Lijo Jose Pellissery utilize the terrain to dictate the mood.

Perhaps the most poignant evolution of Malayalam cinema is its treatment of the diaspora. With 2.5 million Malayalis working abroad (primarily in the Gulf), the "non-resident Keralite" is now a stock character.

Malayalam cinema has always been a platform for social discourse, echoing Kerala's history of reform movements against caste discrimination