The 1970s and 1980s witnessed a significant shift in Malayalam cinema with the advent of New Wave cinema. Filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, A. K. Gopan, and John Abraham introduced a new style of storytelling that was more realistic and experimental. Their films often explored themes of social inequality, politics, and human relationships. Movies like Swayamvaram (1972), Nirmalyam (1973), and Papanasam (1985) are considered classics of this era.