In Indian cinema, Adoor Gopalakrishnan is arguably the true heir to Satyajit Ray. The first film to bring him international acclaim, Rat-Trap is outstanding for its characterizations and detail. Set in Kerala in the early 1980's, the film takes a look into the life of a lazy feudal lord, unable to accept socio-economic changes, who subsequently falls prey to the metaphorical rat-trap set by his own escapism and arrogance.