The first Malayalam film, "Balan," was released in 1937. The early years of Malayalam cinema were marked by the dominance of social dramas and mythological films. The 1950s and 1960s saw the rise of social realism, with films like "Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu" (1952) and "Chemmeen" (1965). The 1970s and 1980s witnessed the emergence of commercial cinema, with films like "Mammootty" (1976) and "New Delhi" (1987).