From celluloid to digital: the changing face of Chennai’s cinema industry
This feature traces the evolution of Chennai's film industry, known as Kollywood, from its early days in Kodambakkam to the modern digital era. It highlights the technological shifts and cultural changes that have defined the industry over the last 80 years.
Why it matters
It provides historical context for the transformation of regional cinema hubs in the face of global technological advancements.
Nothing gives a better idea of what Madras was like 80 years ago than scenes from the film En Manaivi, released in 1942. Indian medicine specialist Vembu Iyer, played by the late T.R. Sarangapani, tells his friend and patient that he moved from Pattanam (Mylapore) to the village of Kodambakkam to prevent his wife from visiting her relatives regularly.
The film begins with the arrival of a train at Kodambakkam railway station, surrounded by trees, waterbodies, and houses set amid paddy fields. In 84 years, Kodambakkam — or Kollywood, the heart of Tamil cinema — has changed beyond recognition. So has the Tamil film world.
The film was produced by A.V. Meiyappan, who established the AVM studio in Vadapalani on 10 acres of land that once housed a tannery. He bought the land for ₹37,500, a princely sum in those days.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in