The Malayalam Grade movement can be traced back to the early 2010s, when a group of young filmmakers began to experiment with low-budget, independent films. These filmmakers, many of whom were influenced by international cinema and alternative filmmaking movements, sought to create a new kind of Malayalam cinema that was more authentic and innovative. One of the earliest examples of a Malayalam Grade film is "Byzantium" (2012), directed by Sidhartha Siva, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.