Pioneered beginnings in the reel world

CHENNAI: First studio in the world

In October 1911, the Nestor Film Company established Hollywood and the world’s first permanent film studio. The next year Universal Studios was formed, merging Nestor and several other motion picture companies. India, is the largest producer of films in the world today, and second oldest film industry in the world. Studios were mainly established across the world to enable all-weather shooting. But in Madras, studios began coming up only when the movie talked and audio interference necessitated it.

First cinema show in Madras

Cinema shows in Madras began in December 1896. They were pretty much low key events totally in contrast to its gigantic future now. T Stevenson, the operator of the Madras Photographic Store on Mount Road, showcased the first ‘cinematograph or animated photograph’ presentations over 3 nights, charging Rs 3, Rs 2, and Re 1 tickets, which were quite expensive at the time. His premiere was at the Victoria Public Hall and consisted of 10 short films featuring Madras vistas such as the Guindy horse races and a Mowbray’s Road street scene. Some films also dealt with the harnessing of a donkey, a sailing ship, and the Czar’s recent visit to Paris. The arrival of cinema in Madras was, to put it mildly, a terrible flop. The clip shows began during a cyclonic storm that poured over 14 cm of rain on the area. According to reports, only ‘a few daring souls went forth to see his show’.

First cut-out

Cut outs and milk abhishekams have become common in Tamil cinema. But who had the first honour of having a cut-out? Bhaktha Chetha is a 1940-Tamil language film directed and produced by K Subrahmanyam under his own brand, Madras United Artistes Corporation. This later became Gemini Studio after a disastrous fire. G Subbulakshmi made her acting debut in Bhakta Chetha but acted only in two films. Her contemporary namesakes SD Subbulakshmi and MS Subbulakshmi were obviously more popular. A life-size cut-out of Subbulakshmi in a silk sari was put on a hoarding site near to the Broadway China Bazaar intersection. The saris were changed every week attracting curious crowds. This was the first time such a marketing strategem had been used for a Tamil film.

First double action

It was difficult for a yesteryear hero to perform two roles simultaneously without the aid of special effects technology but that came in the later years. But once it began and the cameramen learnt the trick, heroes started playing four, nine, and even 10 roles. Uthama Puthiran was adapted from The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas and it involved royal twins fighting for justice and a throne. TR Sundaram, a Salem-based film magnate, produced and directed the picture, which was a success and launched the action and singing sensation of the 1940s, PU Chinnappa. Unlike his contemporaries, Chinnappa could sing and also do stunt scenes. Hence, most of his films were action packed. Chinnappa became the first Tamil actor to do a double role. It wasn’t easy making the film but with German cameraman Bodo Gutschwager shooting Chinnappa’s dual action scenes, it became a success. Crowds thronged to see this novelty, especially a sequence in which the twins engaged in a sword fight, and would sing a duet tossing challenges to each other.

First cinematic politician

In Tamil politics, film stars have been supreme. Its legislatures have been filled with actors. The State has been led by 5 Chief Ministers who had either been leading stars or script writers. KB Sundarambal was an actor who specialised in religious films. She was a superstar in her own merit. But there was another side to her as well. Sundarambal and her husband, SG Kittappa, were profoundly impacted by the Independence movement and became staunch supporters of the Indian National Congress. They used their fame and talent to support the cause. Sundarambal remained a vocal supporter of the movement, recording multiple phonograph albums glorifying the effort and sacrifices of the freedom fighters. She also made a point of wearing khadi all the time. At various elections, she aggressively campaigned in support of Congress party candidates. Following India’s independence, Sundarambal was elected to the Madras State Legislative Council as a Congress nominee in 1951, making her the first film artist to serve in the Indian legislature.

The first theatre

There were many temporary theatres like the Bioscope in Broadway run by an Anglo Indian called Mrs Klug. Boxing and magic shows were organised when the projector got heated. The building survived till recently as a sabha. ‘Tent kottaais’ also started in a big way due to the lower cost. The Electric Theatre on Mount Road started in the early 1900s and was built by Warwick major. It was built of brick and had a corrugated tin roof. It’s surprisingly small indicating the smaller audiences that could be expected those days. The building today survives as a philatelic bureau of the postal department. It had only a two-year run, after which it was taken over by the government but it encouraged that part of Mount Road to have many more theatres.

Fan clubs and fist fights

Superstars and their rivalry started pretty early in Tamil cinema. Within the first decade, the battle lines had been drawn between PU Chinnappa and MK Thyagaraja Bagavathar. Though the latter did only one talkie a year in comparison to Chinnappa’s many, he was clearly ahead in the race. Sometimes their films were released simultaneously and would run to full houses at the same time. Also, the Film Control Act, during the World War times, limited the number of new films being produced. The producers decided to go on with time-tested heroes and the two remained in the peak. It was a surprising phenomenon to see fan clubs being formed for both actors. It was reported that fans would deface the posters of the rival actor with cow dung. When MKT was arrested for murder, many of his half-shot films were shifted to Chinnappa to complete.

The first talkie

Kalidas (1931) is accepted as a Tamil movie but contains ample dialogues in Telugu and Hindi as well. While the heroine Rajalakshmi spoke Tamil, the hero Venkatesan spoke only Telugu due to his lack of eloquence in Tamil, and the additional character LV Prasad spoke only Hindi. While people said it was a half-hearted attempt and hence, so much of linguistic confusion, there are reports that Irani, the filmmaker, was not sure if south Indian languages could sound well in recording and was experimenting. While some call it a Tamil film, historians call it the first multi-lingual film in India. The introduction of sound in the movie created a whole new trend unexpectedly. Shooting was done outdoors when the sun was bright. However, the natural sounds of the urban civilisation created a cacophony in the final product. Some early Tamil films even employed a crow shooter to send the birds scurrying. Irani realised the days of outdoor shooting were over and moved indoors. Architecture to create new studios, art directors to create sets, make-up to look better in, and artificial lighting, all evolved.

The first film

Surprisingly named after the villain character of the movie, Keechaka Vadham (Extermination of Keechaka) was the first Madras-shot feature film. Though a silent movie, its stars were Tamilians and hence it’s often counted as the first Tamil movie. R Nataraja Mudaliar, a car dealer based in Madras, developed an interest in motion pictures after watching Dadasaheb Phalke’s 1913 mythological film, Raja Harishchandra. He bought a second-hand camera, and in 1916, set up a studio, the first in south India, at 10 Millers Road, Kilpauk. He called it the India Film Company. Tutors from Suguna Vilasa Sabha, a theatre company then, were hired to train the actors. The story was from virata purana of Mahabharata and the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma provided Mudaliar with a source of inspiration for creating the sets on screen. He cast stage actors Raju Mudaliar and Jeevarathnam as Keechaka and Draupadi respectively.

The first playback singer

AV Meiyappan had finished shooting Sri Valli, a colourful romance from Hindu mythology. He had Rukmini play the heroine. Rukmini had practically every personal advantage which nature could bestow on a woman with the exception of a musical voice. In one scene, she was lifted by an elephant, which could have been a bother to another girl however tame it was. But those were the days when lead actors had to be qualified singers. Rukmani’s voice sounded terrible on the screen and audiences were reported to be rushing out during song sequences. A very good film was about to flop because of the heroine’s voice. Meiyappan had the reels brought back to the studio and had PA Periya Nayagi sing the songs with lip synchronisation. This was the first instance of playback singing and opened up a big opportunity for charismatic actors like MGR who couldn’t sing.

Colour in Tamil cinema

Tamil films, or at least some scenes, were hand-coloured, in the 1940s. This process colourised film shot originally in black and white by colouring the negatives frame by frame. Expert craftsmen, known for their patience could paint every frame in the positive print. Bhakta Chetha is known to be the earliest Tamil film to have scenes in colour. Mangamma Sabatham, Saalivaahanan, Naam Iruvar and Vedhala Ulagam had many hand-coloured sequences. Since colour filming was expensive, producers with interest chose important sequences and shot them in colour, the film’s censor certificate stating ‘partly coloured’. The last sequence of Vethala Ulagam was hand-tinted and drew large crowds because such coloured sequences in Tamil cinema were a rarity then. Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam, a Tamil language fantasy film, had dance sequences by Anjali Devi in Gevacolor. Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum made history in Tamil cinema by being the first Tamil film to be entirely shot and released in Gevacolor.

The first film ban

The British had permitted the Indians to form governments in the presidencies with limited powers. Rajaji formed his ministry in Madras. It was like a whiff of fresh air. Bans on Bharathi songs were lifted. Nationalistic films and even a documentary on Gandhi were produced. In 1939, K Subramanyam’s Thyaga Bhoomi was released in Gaiety and Star theatres. It ran to packed houses mainly because of the publicity Ananda Vikadan had given it. While shooting was in progress, the magazine serialised the story with actual cinema-stills as illustrations. However, in the 22nd week of the film’s run, Rajaji resigned. Erskine, the British governor, banned the movie. It was widely reported that the producer and director, learning of the ban in the grapevine before the actual order was served, allowed audiences to watch it for free. This finally led to a lathi charge and shutting of the theatre.