The journey of Malayalam cinema began in 1928 with the release of the film "Balan," directed by S. Nottanandan. However, it was not until the 1950s that the industry started gaining momentum. The 1950s and 1960s are often referred to as the "Golden Age" of Malayalam cinema, with films like "Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu" (1953) and "Chemmeen" (1965) achieving critical acclaim and commercial success.