தமிழ் சினிமாவின் சுருக்கமான வரலாறு

Tamil cinema — sometimes called Kollywood, after the Kodambakkam neighbourhood in Chennai where many studios are based — produces around 200 films a year. It is the second largest Indian film industry by output and revenue, after Hindi cinema.

தமிழ் சினிமா — சென்னை கோடம்பாக்கம் பகுதியின் பெயரால் சில சமயம் "Kollywood" என அழைக்கப்படுகிறது — ஆண்டுக்கு சுமார் 200 படங்களை தயாரிக்கிறது. வெளியீடு மற்றும் வருவாயில் இந்திய சினிமாவில் இரண்டாவது இடம், ஹிந்தி சினிமாவுக்கு அடுத்து.

The silent era (1916–1931)

The first South Indian film, "Keechaka Vadham", was directed by R. Nataraja Mudaliar in 1916. Silent films of this era drew on Hindu mythology and Tamil literary epics. Production was small-scale, and most prints have not survived.

பழமையான திரைப்பட ரீல் — Old film reel

The studio era and stars

From the 1940s onward, studios like Modern Theatres, Gemini, and AVM dominated production. Stars like M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), Sivaji Ganesan, and Kamal Haasan became cultural icons. Cinema and politics intertwined deeply — MGR became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1977, a position he held until his death in 1987.

The music revolution

Two composers transformed Tamil film music. Ilaiyaraaja, active since 1976, has scored over 1,000 films and is renowned for his blend of Western classical, Indian classical, and folk traditions. A.R. Rahman, who debuted with Mani Ratnam's "Roja" in 1992, brought digital sound and global influences — winning two Academy Awards for "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2009.

Modern Tamil cinema

Since the 2000s, Tamil cinema has expanded its themes — caste discrimination ("Kaala", "Asuran"), rural life ("Subramaniapuram", "Paruthiveeran"), realistic crime ("Vada Chennai"), and historical epic ("Ponniyin Selvan"). Production budgets have grown significantly, with several films crossing ₹500 crore in worldwide collections.

Tamil cinema continues to evolve — embracing OTT releases, dubbing into Hindi and other languages, and reaching audiences from Malaysia to Canada. Its century-long story is, in many ways, the story of modern Tamil identity itself.