Relevance of Tea Shops and Cafes as Spaces for plot progression in Malayalam Cinema

Abstract

Currently One of the most significant mass media for communication and storytelling is film. The film uses images, music, and sound effects to convey creative ideas, concepts, and emotions. Through its capability for visual portrayal, films engage, comprehend, and influence audiences. This paper entitled ‘Relevance of Teashops and Cafes as Spaces for Plot Progression in Malayalam Movies’ studies how films especially Malayalam films use the space of teashops and cafes in movies as a space of plot progression. Even though these locations are a necessary component in the production of Malayalam films, the role of teashops and cafes in the making of a film is a less-explored topic. The concept of space is crucial to the creation of films. A perfect setting is necessary for conveying all of the essence of the movie to the audience as well as the core idea of the movie.  The movie makes use of space for a variety of things, including setting up sets, filming scenes, and establishing distinct places. When Malayalam movies are taken into consideration the presence of a teashop or a cafe has always been an inevitable part. The locations of teashops and cafes were given a lot of attention in movie narratives, particularly in Malayalam films. In the atmosphere of these places, significant story developments and character growth take place. The teashop settings have been a major part of setting the overall tone and portraying the beauty of the film's setting in the majority of ancient Malayalam films. The cafes in the new Malayalam film function similarly by improving the mood of the film by creating lovely settings. The audience will be drawn to these locations as a result. The study attempts to provide a comprehensive understanding of the significance of teashop and cafe scenes in Malayalam films. The study focuses on the purpose of the teashop and café environments in the development of the story and other significant events in the film's narration. The study will use a qualitative methodology. Six major Malayalam films will be the subject of the analysis. For the study, a content analysis of six films from different periods that prominently featured cafe and teashop settings was chosen.