The genre gained massive popularity during a period of decline in mainstream Malayalam cinema, helping many single-screen theaters stay operational.
For quick reference when you sit down to watch and review, keep this cheat sheet handy:
When you grade an actress's performance in an indie film, you are doing more than assigning a letter or a star. You are spotlighting talent that might otherwise go unnoticed. You are telling the industry, "We want to see more of this ," rather than another sequel.