Also from the South came film makers such as Jayakantan, John Abraham, Bharathan, Padmarajan, Balu Mahendra, Bharathi Raja, T.S.Ranga, T.S.Nagabharana, K.R. Mohanan, G.S.Panicker, Chandrasekhara Kambar, P.Lankesh, C. Radhakrishnan and Bhagyaraj who presented significant films like UnnaiPol Oruvan, Agraharathil Kazhuthai, Prayanam, Peruvazhiambalam and Oridathoru Phayalvan, Kokila, 16 Vayathinile and Kizhakke Pokum Rail, Geejegana Goodu, Grahana, Aswathama, Ekakini, Kaadu Kudre, Pallavi, Agni, Suvar Illatha Chithrangal and Mundani Mudichu.

The new cinema movement continued with full spirit in the next decade (eighties) also. Shyam Benegal presented some good movies like Manthan, Bhumika, Nishant, Junoon, and Trikal. Nihlani's Aaghat and Tamas were remarkable works.

Other important films with new style of treatment include Damul(Prakash Jha), 36 Chowringhee Lane(Aparna Sen), New Delhi Times (Ramesh Sharma), Mirch Masala (Ketan Mehta), Rao Saheb (Vijaya Mehta), Debshishu (Utpalendu Chakraborthy), Massey Saheb (Pradeep Kishan), Trishagni (Nabayendu Ghosh), Ijaazat (Gulzar), Umrao Jaan (Musafir Ali), Dakhal, Paar (Gautam Ghose), Dooratwa, Neem Annapurana, Andhi Gali (Buddhadeb Dasgupta), Aajka Robin Hood (Tapan Sinha), Tabarana Kathe, Bannada Vesha (Girish Kasara Valli), Accident & Swamy (Shaker Naag), Daasi (B.Narasinga Rao) and Phaniyamma (Prema Karanth).

The new wave masters of Kerala, Adoor and Aravindan, consolidated their position in the eighties with their films Elippathayam, Mukha Mukbam, Anantharam, Esthappan, Pokkuveyil, Chidambaram, and Oridath.

Elippathayam won the prestigious British film Institute award for 1982. Shaji N. Karun's maiden film Piravi (1988) bagged several national and international awards and was shown in nearly forty film festivals. Meera Nair, the young woman director, won the Golden Camera award at Cannes for her first film Salaam Bombay in 1989. In 1990, Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Mathilukal won the FIPRESCI and UNICEF awards.