Malayalam literature and theater have had a significant impact on the development of Malayalam cinema. Many films are adaptations of literary works, such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Swayamvaram (1972), which was inspired by the works of writer and social reformer, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. The influence of theater is also evident in the works of directors like K. R. Meera Nair, who drew inspiration from traditional Kerala theater forms.