The 1970s and 1980s witnessed a significant shift in Kerala cinema with the advent of new wave cinema. Filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, T. V. Chandran, and A. K. Gopan experimented with new themes, narratives, and cinematic techniques. Movies like "Swayamvaram" (1972), "Moksham" (1976), and "Udyanapalakan" (1987) earned international recognition and critical acclaim.