Furthermore, the popularity of these films highlighted a failure of the mainstream industry to cater to a specific demographic. The youth in rural areas, often unemployed or underemployed, found a disconnect with the polished urban narratives of the superstars. They found resonance in the crude, aggressive, and unpolished world of B-grade cinema.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Malayalam film industry saw a surge in low-budget, adult-themed films (often referred to as ). These movies typically featured formulaic scripts, minimal production design, and were produced quickly to capitalize on the massive commercial popularity of their lead actresses. Ennathoni was part of this specific wave of cinema that dominated a segment of the Kerala box office before mainstream "superstar" films regained their footing. ennathoni malayalam b grade movie