115-521: Malayalam cinema is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Malayalam language , which is widely spoken in the state of Kerala and Lakshadweep islands of india. Malayalam cinema includes the commercial film industry, sometimes known as Mollywood, as well as independent cinema made in Malayalam. The first Malayalam feature film was Vigathakumaran ,
230-554: A communist inclination, began to take shape through the 1940s and the 1950s. IPTA plays, such as Nabanna (1944), prepared the ground for realism in Indian cinema, exemplified by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas 's Dharti Ke Lal ( Children of the Earth , 1946). The IPTA movement continued to emphasise realism in films Mother India (1957) and Pyaasa (1957), among India's most recognisable cinematic productions. Following independence,
345-477: A neorealistic film, drew inspiration from Italian neorealism . Padayottam (1982) is India's first indigenously produced 70 mm film , while My Dear Kuttichathan (1984) is India's first 3D film. O' Faby (1993) is India's first Live action / animation hybrid film. Amma Ariyan (1986) is the first film made in India with money collected from the public. It was produced by Odessa Collective, founded by
460-616: A silent film directed and produced by J. C. Daniel . Production started in 1928, and it was released at the Capitol Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram on 23 October 1930. The first talkie in Malayalam was Balan (1938) directed by S. Nottani . During the 1920s, the Malayalam film industry was based in Thiruvananthapuram, although the film industry started to develop and flourish by the late 1940s. Later
575-815: A Certificate of Merit at the Chicago International Film Festival , and a gold medal at the Cannes Film Festival for Best Cinematography. Swaham (1994) won the Bronze Rosa Camuna at the Bergamo Film Meeting in Italy . Malayalam cinema has also produced India's first 3D film , My Dear Kuttichathan (1984). The first CinemaScope film produced in Malayalam was Thacholi Ambu (1978). Active Malayalam film production did not take place until
690-612: A blockbuster hit Narasimham starring Mohanlal . In 2001 came the world's first film with only one actor in the cast, The Guard . Slapstick comedy was the predominant theme of the films of this era. C.I.D. Moosa (2003) by Johny Antony , Meesa Madhavan (2002) by Lal Jose and Kunjikoonan (2002) directed by Sasi Shanker are examples. Sequels to a number of successful films were made. Some movies were examples of exemplary film making, such as Meghamalhar , Madhuranombarakattu , Nandanam , Perumazhakkalam , and Kaazhcha . In 2008, Malayalam movie artists came together in
805-421: A distinct style of Malayalam music. Kamukara Purushotaman, Mehboob, Kozhikode Abdul Kader , AM Raja, P. B. Sreenivas , K. P. Udayabhanu , Santha P. Nair , P. Leela , S. Janaki , P. Susheela , B. Vasantha, Renuka, and Jikki were the most prominent singers of the 1950s. The drama artist and school teacher Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai lent many of his skills to the cinema in this period. Ramu Kariat , one of
920-582: A film all by himself in those days. As for the new generation, they don't know me. But it is not their fault, I soothe myself." Long after Daniel's death in 1975, as an afterthought, the Kerala Government instituted the J. C. Daniel Award in 1992, as a part of the Kerala State Film Awards , to honour lifetime achievements in Malayalam cinema . Daniel is now known as the father of Malayalam cinema . The failure of Vigathakumaran
1035-470: A large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century. Indian cinema is made up of various film industries , each producing films in different languages, including Hindi , Telugu , Tamil , Kannada , Malayalam , Marathi , Bengali , Punjabi , Bhojpuri and others. Major centres of film production across the country include Mumbai , Hyderabad , Chennai , Kolkata , Kochi , Bangalore , Bhubaneswar - Cuttack , and Guwahati . For
1150-426: A lead actor was solidified by crime-action films Zanjeer and Sholay (1975). The devotional classic Jai Santoshi Ma (1975) was made on a low budget and became a box office success and a cult classic. Another important film was Deewaar (1975, Yash Chopra ), a crime film with brothers on opposite sides of the law which Danny Boyle described as "absolutely key to Indian cinema". The term " Bollywood "
1265-700: A mid the COVID-19 lockdown, Sufiyum Sujatayum , starring Jayasurya and Aditi Rao Hydari , has become the first Malayalam film to be released on the Amazon Prime Video ( OTT ) platform as theatres remain shut in Kerala due to the pandemic. In 2021, Drishyam 2 , Nayattu , Kala , Joji , The Great Indian Kitchen and Malik made their list in the highest rated 2021 movies in Imdb . Malayalam Cinema's first ever original superhero Minnal Murali
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#17327721289101380-647: A number of years, the Indian film industry has ranked first in the world in terms of annual film output. In 2022, Indian cinema earned ₹ 15,000 crore ($ 1.9 billion) at the box-office. Ramoji Film City located in Hyderabad is certified by the Guinness World Records as the largest film studio complex in the world measuring over 1,666 acres (674 ha ). Indian cinema is composed of multilingual and multi-ethnic film art. The term ' Bollywood ', often mistakenly used to refer to Indian cinema as
1495-424: A pivotal role in the film. The release date of the film is unknown. There are 2 dates proposed. The film was released on 7 November 1928. Vigathakumaran was exhibited in Thiruvananthapuram at the Capitol Theatre at 6:30 p.m. on 23 October 1930. The theatre was located opposite the present day AG's office near the present day State Legislature Building in the centre of Thiruvananthapuram city. The screening
1610-412: A poll conducted by CNN-IBN among those 100 films, Mayabazar was voted by the public as the "Greatest Indian film of all time". K. Viswanath , one of the prominent auteurs of Indian cinema, he received international recognition for his works, and is known for blending parallel cinema with mainstream cinema. His works such as Sankarabharanam (1980) about revitalisation of Indian classical music won
1725-454: A reason. In 2019, Lucifer became the highest grossing Malayalam film of all time. Lucifer became the highest grossing Indian film in Dubai. The film collected a final gross of 2000 million at the box office. In November 2020, Lijo Jose Pellissery 's film Jallikattu was selected as India's submission for Oscar for best foreign language film making as third Malayalam film as entry. In 2020
1840-452: A scheduled caste labourer named P. K. Rosy from a place called Thayycaud near Trivandrum. The cinematographer of the film was Lala (a Britisher). She used to come with lunch to act in the movie and go for her work in the evening. Daniel had earlier signed an actress from Bombay named Lana to act in the heroine role. Another important role was played by Johnson, who is the father of actress B. S. Saroja. Daniel's friend Sundar Raj also acted in
1955-664: A series of comedy films produced between the late 1980s and late 1990s made actors like Jagadish , Siddique , Mukesh , Sreenivasan and Jayaram became very popular for their comedy roles. This series of comedy films begun in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with comedy films by Sathyan Anthikad and Siddique-Lal , like Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu , Mazhavilkavadi , Ramji Rao Speaking , Thalayana Manthram , In Harihar Nagar , and Godfather , and some of them went on to be remade by other directors in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and other languages. The success of In Harihar Nagar led to
2070-563: A stage play by Mylavaram Bala Bharathi Samajam. The film received an honorary diploma at the 2nd Venice International Film Festival . Chittoor Nagayya was one of the first multilingual filmmakers in India. Jumai Shasthi was the first Bengali short film as a talkie . Jyoti Prasad Agarwala made his first film Joymoti (1935) in Assamese, and later made Indramalati . The first film studio in South India, Durga Cinetone,
2185-414: A tool to revitalise society. A noted director, Aravindan, was famous in Kerala as a cartoonist before he started making films. His important movies include Kanchana Sita (1977), Thampu (1978), Kummatty (1979), Chidambaram (1985), Oridathu (1986), and Vasthuhara (1990). The 1970s also saw the emergence of the notable director P. G. Viswambharan with his debut film Ozhukinethire and
2300-475: A truthful King and its success led many to consider him a pioneer of Indian cinema. Phalke used an all Indian crew including actors Anna Salunke and D. D. Dabke . He directed, edited, processed the film himself. Phalke saw The Life of Christ (1906) by the French director Alice Guy-Blaché , While watching Jesus on the screen, Phalke envisioned Hindu deities Rama and Krishna instead and decided to start in
2415-657: A whole, is only the Hindi-language segment, with Indian cinema being an umbrella term that includes various film industries, each offering films in diverse languages and styles. In 2021, Telugu cinema emerged as the largest film industry in India in terms of box office. In 2022, Hindi cinema represented 33% of box office revenue, followed by Telugu representing 20%, Tamil representing 16%, Kannada representing 8%, and Malayalam representing 6%. Other prominent film industries are Marathi , Punjabi , Bengali , Gujarati , Bhojpuri , and Odia cinema . As of 2022,
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#17327721289102530-548: A wrestling match at the Hanging Gardens in Bombay, was the first film to be shot by an Indian and the first Indian documentary film. From 1913 to 1931, all the movies made in India were silent films , which had no sound and had intertitles . In 1913, Dadasaheb Phalke released Raja Harishchandra (1913) in Bombay, the first film made in India. It was a silent film incorporating Marathi and English intertitles. It
2645-467: Is British, takes a liking to him and in time, Chandrakumar rises to the post of superintendent. At this time Jayachandran, a distant relative of Chandrakumar happens to come to Ceylon. Incidentally, he is robbed of all his belongings by Bhoothanathan. Stranded, he gets acquainted with Chandrakumar and they become close friends. They come to Travancore where Chandrakumar's sister falls in love with Jayachandran. Meanwhile, Bhoothanathan attempts to kidnap her and
2760-409: Is attributed by some people, to it being a silent film, although all cinemas were silent back then. In reality this cinema was a huge success artistically, and failed only from a financial perspective. A lot of literary and cinema works have been made, based on the life of J. C. Daniel and the making of Vigathakumaran . Nashta Nayika is a novel by Vinu Abraham which details the life of P. K. Rosy,
2875-489: Is attributed to wide critical acclaim, themes that resonated with the audience and tapping into other state markets. Malayalam independent cinema is a subsect of the Malayalam cinema which is not intended for commercial purposes. Major independent films are premiered through International film festival of Kerala . The films conveys key cultural and social messages in Kerala. Notable films are Family by Don Palathara , Chavittu by Rahman brothers Newspaper Boy (1955),
2990-548: Is considered as the father of Malayalam cinema industry for this work. This movie is also the first Indian social drama feature film. This film is lost , as no copy of the film has survived. Chandrakumar, son of a rich man in Travancore , is kidnapped by the villain Bhoothanathan taken to Ceylon . His parents' efforts to find him fail and Chandrakumar is brought up as a labourer on an estate. The estate owner, who
3105-414: Is credited as the father of Malayalam cinema. Daniel founded the first film studio, The Travancore National Pictures Limited, in Kerala. A second film, Marthanda Varma , based on the novel by C. V. Raman Pillai , was produced by R. Sundar Raj Nadar in 1933. However, after only being shown for four days, the film prints were confiscated due to a legal battle over copyright. The first talkie in Malayalam
3220-425: Is particularly revered for its use of technology. The use of special effects, innovative for the 1950s, like the first illusion of moonlight, showcased technical brilliance.. Powerful performances and relatable themes ensure Mayabazar stays relevant, a classic enjoyed by new generations. On the centenary of Indian cinema in 2013, CNN-IBN included Mayabazar in its list of "100 greatest Indian films of all time". In
3335-402: Is said that J.C.Daniel himself came to Alleppey with the film box, since there was only one print. The film was also screened at Kollam , Thrissur , Tellichery and Nagercoil . The film did only a moderate business at the box office and the collections were way less than the expenditure. After the film not generating enough money at the box office, Daniel suffered from debts and to overcome
3450-402: Is the director of Veena Vaadanam , the first documentary film in India shot with the same movie capture medium. Villain (2017) is the first Indian film to be shot entirely in 8K resolution . Vazhiye (2022) is the first found footage film of Malayalam Cinema. Cinema of India The Cinema of India , consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry , has had
3565-488: Is the only Bollywood actor to have starred in a top 10 grossing film each year of her active career (1983–1997). K. V. Reddy 's Mayabazar (1957) is a landmark film in Indian cinema, a classic of Telugu cinema that inspired generations of filmmakers. It blends myth, fantasy, romance and humour in a timeless story, captivating audiences with its fantastical elements. The film excelled in various departments like cast performances, production design, music, cinematography and
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3680-407: The 7th Busan ; Rajnesh Domalpalli's Vanaja (2006) won "Best First Feature Award" at the 57th Berlinale . Vigathakumaran Vigathakumaran (English: The Lost Child ) is a 1930 Indian silent film written, produced and directed by J. C. Daniel . He also played the role of hero in the movie. A social drama, Vigathakumaran was the first Malayalam feature film and J. C. Daniel
3795-606: The Academy Awards to be considered for nomination in the Best Foreign Film category in 2011. Christian Brothers (2011) was released worldwide with a total of 310 prints on 18 March; it went to 154 centres in Kerala, 90 centres outside Kerala and 80 centres overseas, making it the widest release for a Malayalam film at that time. This record was later broken by Peruchazhi (2014), which released in 500 screens worldwide on 29 August. Drishyam (2013) became
3910-726: The British Film Institute award. The year 1981 also saw the rise of actor Mammootty through the movie Sphodanam directed by P. G. Viswambharan . In the 1980s Padmarajan made some of the landmark motion pictures in Malayalam cinema, including masterpieces like Oridathoru Phayalvaan (1981), Koodevide (1983), Thinkalaazhcha Nalla Divasam (1985), Arappatta Kettiya Gramathil (1986), Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal (1986), Thoovanathumbikal (1987), Moonnam Pakkam (1988), Innale (1989) and Season (1989). He wrote several short stories that were unique in content and presentation. His novels handled
4025-747: The British Raj banned Wrath (1930) and Raithu Bidda (1938) for broaching the subject of the Indian independence movement . The Indian Masala film —a term used for mixed-genre films that combined song, dance, romance, etc.—arose following the Second World War. During the 1940s, cinema in South India accounted for nearly half of India's cinema halls, and cinema came to be viewed as an instrument of cultural revival. The Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), an art movement with
4140-542: The Indian Cinematograph Enquiry Committee . The ICC consisted of three British and three Indians, led by T. Rangachari , a Madras lawyer. This committee failed to bolster the desired recommendations of supporting British Film, instead recommending support for the fledgling Indian film industry, and their suggestions were set aside. The first Indian sound film was Alam Ara (1931) made by Ardeshir Irani . Ayodhyecha Raja (1932)
4255-507: The Palme d'Or at Cannes and Indian films competed for the award most years in the 1950s and early 1960s. Ray is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema , along with his contemporaries Dutt and Ghatak. In 1992, the Sight & Sound Critics' Poll ranked Ray at No. 7 in its list of Top 10 Directors of all time. Multiple films from this era are included among
4370-947: The Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival , and being named the Most Original Imaginative Film of 1982 by the British Film Institute . Additionally, Marana Simhasanam won the prestigious Caméra d'Or at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival . Several Malayalam films have been India's official entries for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards , including Rajiv Anchal 's Guru (1997), Salim Ahamed 's Adaminte Makan Abu (2011), Lijo Jose Pellissery 's Jallikkattu (2019) and Jude Anthany Joseph 's 2018 (2023). Other globally acclaimed films include Chemmeen (1965), which received
4485-480: The greatest films of all time in various critics' and directors' polls, including The Apu Trilogy , Jalsaghar , Charulata Aranyer Din Ratri , Pyaasa , Kaagaz Ke Phool , Meghe Dhaka Tara , Komal Gandhar , Awaara , Baiju Bawra , Mother India , Mughal-e-Azam and Subarnarekha (also tied at No. 11). Sivaji Ganesan became India's first actor to receive an international award when he won
4600-534: The "Prize of the Public" at the Besançon Film Festival of France in the year 1981. Forbes included J. V. Somayajulu 's performance in the film on its list of "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema". Swathi Muthyam (1986) was India's official entry to the 59th Academy Awards . Swarna Kamalam (1988) the dance film choreographed by Kelucharan Mohapatra , and Sharon Lowen
4715-442: The 1947 partition of India divided the nation's assets and a number of studios moved to Pakistan. Partition became an enduring film subject thereafter. The Indian government had established a Films Division by 1948, which eventually became one of the world's largest documentary film producers with an annual production of over 200 short documentaries, each released in 18 languages with 9,000 prints for permanent film theatres across
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4830-416: The 1960s and became famous later. The 70s saw the emergence of a new wave of cinema in Malayalam. The growth of the film society movement in Kerala introduced the works of the French and Italian New Wave directors to the discerning Malayali film enthusiasts. Adoor Gopalakrishnan 's first film, Swayamvaram (1972), brought Malayalam cinema to the international film arena. In 1973 M. T. Vasudevan Nair , who
4945-506: The 1960s, Indira Gandhi supported the production of off-beat cinema through the FFC. Baburao Patel of Filmindia called B. N. Reddy 's Malliswari (1951) an "inspiring motion picture" which would "save us the blush when compared with the best of motion pictures of the world". Film historian Randor Guy called Malliswari scripted by Devulapalli Krishnasastri a "poem in celluloid, told with rare artistic finesse, which lingers long in
5060-490: The 1970s were Mankada Ravi Varma for Swayamvaram (1972), P. S. Nivas for Mohiniyattam (1977), and Shaji N. Karun for Thampu (1979). John Abraham , K. R. Mohanan , K. G. George , and G. S. Panikkar were products of the Pune Film Institute who made significant contributions. During the late 1970s, some young artists started seeing Malayalam cinema as a medium of expression and thought of it as
5175-688: The 1970s. Madhumati (1958, Bimal Roy ) popularised the theme of reincarnation in Western popular culture . Actor Dilip Kumar rose to fame in the 1950s, and was the biggest Indian movie star of the time. He was a pioneer of method acting , predating Hollywood method actors such as Marlon Brando . Much like Brando's influence on New Hollywood actors, Kumar inspired Hindi actors, including Amitabh Bachchan , Naseeruddin Shah , Shah Rukh Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui . Neecha Nagar (1946) won
5290-466: The 1990s and 2000s and have introduced several new trends to the Malayalam industry. While the new generation's formats and styles are deeply influenced by global and Indian trends, their themes are firmly rooted in Malayali life and mindscapes. The new generation also helped the Malayalam film industry regain its past glory. Salim Ahamed 's Adaminte Makan Abu was chosen as India's official entry to
5405-690: The Best Actor award at the Afro-Asian film festival in 1960 and was awarded the title of Chevalier in the Legion of Honour by the French Government in 1995. Tamil cinema is influenced by Dravidian politics , with prominent film personalities C N Annadurai , M G Ramachandran , M Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa becoming Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu . By 1986, India's annual film output had increased to 833 films annually, making India
5520-678: The Bollywood directors and producers held the rights to their films in Northern India, Salim–Javed retained the rights in South India, where they sold remake rights for films such as Zanjeer , Yaadon Ki Baarat and Don . Several of these remakes became breakthroughs for actor Rajinikanth . Sridevi is widely regarded as the first female superstar of Indian cinema due to her pan-Indian appeal with equally successful careers in Hindi , Tamil , Malayalam , Kannada and Telugu cinema . She
5635-664: The Indian box office since the 1990s. Shah Rukh Khan was the most successful for most of the 1990s and 2000s, while Aamir Khan has been the most successful since the late 2000s; according to Forbes , Shah Rukh Khan is "arguably the world's biggest movie star" as of 2017, due to his immense popularity in India and China. Other notable Hindi film stars of recent decades include Arjun Rampal , Sunny Deol , Akshay Kumar , Ajay Devgn , Hrithik Roshan , Anil Kapoor , Sanjay Dutt , Sridevi , Madhuri Dixit , Juhi Chawla , Karisma Kapoor , Kajol , Tabu , Aishwarya Rai , Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta . Haider (2014, Vishal Bhardwaj ),
5750-546: The Malayalm filim industry . P.J. Cherian introduced play-back singing in Malayalam cinema. The lyrics of the film written by G. Sankara Kurup became popular. Udaya Studios ' Vellinakshatram (1949) was the first movie with audio to be made completely in Kerala. Malayalam cinema has always taken its themes from relevant social issues and has been interwoven with material from literature , drama , and politics since its inception. One such film, Jeevitha Nouka (1951),
5865-467: The Star Theatre. Alappuzha being one of the most important port towns in Kerala during that time, the audience were more tolerant. They received the movie with exhilaration. There was a minor glitch when the screen faded and the audience booed. The announcer explained that since this is the first Malayalam film, there will be some minor problems and the audience received the statement with applause. It
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#17327721289105980-402: The biggest Bollywood movie star of the period. Another landmark was Amar Akbar Anthony (1977, Manmohan Desai ). Desai further expanded the genre in the 1970s and 1980s. Commercial Hindi cinema grew in the 1980s, with films such as Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981), Disco Dancer (1982), Himmatwala (1983), Tohfa (1984), Naam (1986), Mr India (1987), and Tezaab (1988). In
6095-629: The business of "moving pictures". In South India , film pioneer Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu , credited as the father of Telugu cinema , built the first cinemas in Madras (now Chennai ), and a film studio was established in the city by Nataraja Mudaliar. In 1921, Naidu produced the silent film, Bhishma Pratigna , generally considered to be the first Telugu feature film . The first Tamil and Malayalam films , also silent films, were Keechaka Vadham (1917–1918, R. Nataraja Mudaliar ) and Vigathakumaran (1928, J. C. Daniel Nadar ). The latter
6210-744: The combined revenue of South Indian film industries has surpassed that of the Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry (Bollywood). As of 2022, Telugu cinema leads Indian cinema with 23.3 crore (233 million) tickets sold, followed by Tamil cinema with 20.5 crore (205 million) and Hindi cinema with 18.9 crore (189 million). Indian cinema is a global enterprise, and its films have attracted international attention and acclaim throughout South Asia . Since talkies began in 1931, Hindi cinema has led in terms of box office performance, but in recent years it has faced stiff competition from Telugu cinema. Overseas Indians account for 12% of
6325-520: The country. The period from the late 1940s to the early 1960s is regarded by film historians as the Golden Age of Indian cinema. This period saw the emergence of the parallel cinema movement, which emphasised social realism . Mainly led by Bengalis, early examples include Dharti Ke Lal (1946, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas ), Neecha Nagar (1946, Chetan Anand ), Nagarik (1952, Ritwik Ghatak ) and Do Bigha Zamin (1953, Bimal Roy), laying
6440-569: The darkest emotions and considered as classics. Most plots were nascent for that age literature. All works were so cinematic and can be easily visualised to the celluloid version. K. G. George released films including Yavanika and Adaminte Vaariyellu . This was the period during which script writer M. T. Vasudevan Nair started teaming up with director Hariharan to produce works like Panchagni , Nakhakshathangal , Aranyakam and Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha . John Abraham 's films such as Amma Ariyaan addressed people's issues and raised
6555-404: The director John Abraham and friends. The money was raised by collecting donations and screening Charlie Chaplin 's film The Kid . Moonnamathoral (2006) is the first Indian film to be shot and distributed in digital format . Jalachhayam (2010) is the first Indian feature film shot entirely on a Camera phone and it was also an experimental film directed by Sathish Kalathil who
6670-496: The directors of Neelakuyil (along with P. Bhaskaran), went on to become a successful director in the 1960s and 1970s. P. Bhaskaran directed many acclaimed and hit films in the 1960s and 70s. The cameraman of Neelakkuyil , A. Vincent , also became a noted director of the 1960s and 1970s. Notable films of this decade include Odayil Ninnu , Bhargavi Nilayam (1964), Chemmeen (1965), Murappennu (1965) and Iruttinte Athmavu (1966). Malayalam cinema's first colour film
6785-532: The duo's timely intervention saves her. A scar on the back reveals Chandrakumar's identity which eventually leads to the happy reunion of the family. J.C. Daniel Nadar developed a passion for cinema while completing his higher education in Travancore. He was interested in martial arts and was an expert in chelambatam, the traditional martial art of southern Travancore . He published an English book titled Indian Art of Fencing and Sword Play in 1915, when he
6900-460: The early 1970s, Hindi cinema was experiencing thematic stagnation, dominated by musical romance films . Screenwriter duo Salim–Javed ( Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar ) revitalised the industry. They established the genre of gritty, violent, Bombay underworld crime films with Zanjeer (1973) and Deewaar (1975). They reinterpreted the rural themes of Mother India and Gunga Jumna in an urban context reflecting 1970s India, channelling
7015-571: The fight against obscurantist beliefs, the degeneration of the feudal class, and the break-up of the joint-family system. In the 1960s, M. Krishnan Nair , Kunchacko and P. Subramaniam were the leading Malayali producers. Thikkurusi Sukumaran Nair, Prem Nazir, Sathyan, Madhu, Adoor Bhasi, Bahadur, S.P. Pillai, K.P. Ummer, Kottarakara Sreedharan Nair, Raghavan, G.K. Pillai, Muthukulam, Joseprakash, Paravur Bharatan, Muthayya, Shankaradi, Govindankutty, K.R. Vijaya, Padmini, Ragini, Sharada, Sheela, Ambika, Jayabharathi, Arumula Ponnamma and Sadahna were among
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#17327721289107130-568: The finance directly from people. The period had movies with humour from directors like Priyadarshan , Sathyan Anthikad , Kamal and Siddique-Lal . Piravi (1989) by Shaji N. Karun was the first Malayalam film to win the Caméra d'Or -Mention at the Cannes Film Festival. Ratheesh and Sukumaran also were leading stars in the industry in the early eighties. By the end of 80s, Mammooty and Mohanlal also established themselves as
7245-493: The first Malayalam film to cross the 500 million mark at the box office. The film was critically acclaimed and was remade in four languages. Later, in 2016, Pulimurugan directed by Vyshak became the first Malayalam film to cross the 1 billion mark at the box office. In recent years, Malayalam films have gained popularity in Sri Lanka, with fans citing cultural similarities between Sinhalese people and Malayalis as
7360-556: The first permanent theatre in Kerala was established in Thrissur town by Kattookkaran and was called the Jose Electrical Bioscope , now Jos Theatre . The first film made in Malayalam was Vigathakumaran . Production started in 1928, and it was released at the Capitol Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram on 23 October 1930. It was produced and directed by J. C. Daniel , a businessman with no prior film experience, who
7475-417: The first quarter. Malayalam Cinema achieved its first calendar year ₹1000 crore worldwide gross by May. As of 24 May, total worldwide box office gross stood at ₹1030 crores, including ₹660 crores from India and ₹370 from overseas. The films that led the success story were Manjummel Boys , Aadujeevitham , Premalu , and Aavesham , all of which earned over ₹100 crores at worldwide box office. The success
7590-436: The foundations for Indian neorealism The Apu Trilogy (1955–1959, Satyajit Ray ) won prizes at several major international film festivals and firmly established the parallel cinema movement. It was influential on world cinema and led to a rush of coming-of-age films in art house theatres. Cinematographer Subrata Mitra developed the technique of bounce lighting , to recreate the effect of daylight on sets, during
7705-607: The globe, compared to Hollywood 's 2.6 billion tickets sold. Realistic parallel cinema continued throughout the 1970s, practised in many Indian film cultures. The FFC's art film orientation came under criticism during a Committee on Public Undertakings investigation in 1976, which accused the body of not doing enough to encourage commercial cinema. Hindi commercial cinema continued with films such as Aradhana (1969), Sachaa Jhutha (1970), Haathi Mere Saathi (1971), Anand (1971), Kati Patang (1971) Amar Prem (1972), Dushman (1972) and Daag (1973). By
7820-467: The growing discontent and disillusionment among the masses, unprecedented growth of slums and urban poverty, corruption and crime, as well as anti-establishment themes. This resulted in their creation of the "angry young man", personified by Amitabh Bachchan , who reinterpreted Kumar's performance in Gunga Jumna and gave a voice to the urban poor. By the mid-1970s, Bachchan's position as
7935-497: The heroine of Vigathakumaran . The film was remade in 2003. In 2013, Kamal wrote and directed a biopic on J.C. Daniel titled Celluloid . The film details the struggles of Daniel to produce and exhibit Vigathakumaran , while plunging into financial crisis. The film, based partially on the novel Nashta Naayika by Vinu Abraham and the Life of J. C. Daniel , a biography by film journalist Chelangat Gopalakrishnan, also deals with
8050-894: The highest number of mainstream Indian hit movies that decade. At the end of the decade, Yash Chopra 's Chandni (1989) created a new formula for Bollywood musical romance films, reviving the genre and defining Hindi cinema in the years that followed. Commercial Hindi cinema grew in the late 1980s and 1990s, with the release of Mr. India (1987), Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), Chaalbaaz (1989), Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Lamhe (1991), Saajan (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992), Khalnayak (1993), Darr (1993), Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya (1998) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). Cult classic Bandit Queen (1994) directed by Shekhar Kapur received international recognition and controversy. In
8165-553: The industry shifted to Madras (now Chennai). By the late 1980s, the industry returned to Kerala, establishing Kochi as its hub with most production and post-production facilities located there. As of 2024, Malayalam cinema has earned numerous accolades at the National Film Awards , including 14 for Best Actor , 6 for Best Actress , 13 for Best Film , and 13 for Best Director . Malayalam cinema garnered international recognition, with Elippathayam (1982) winning
8280-746: The industry's revenue. The history of cinema in India extends to the beginning of the film era. Following the screening of the Lumière and Robert Paul moving pictures in London in 1896, commercial cinematography became a worldwide sensation and these films were shown in Bombay (now Mumbai ) that same year. In 1897, a film presentation by filmmaker Professor Stevenson featured a stage show at Calcutta's Star Theatre. With Stevenson's camera and encouragement, Indian photographer Hiralal Sen filmed scenes from that show, exhibited as The Flower of Persia (1898). The Wrestlers (1899), by H. S. Bhatavdekar , showing
8395-455: The late 1980s, Hindi cinema experienced another period of stagnation, with a decline in box office turnout, due to increasing violence, decline in musical melodic quality, and rise in video piracy, leading to middle-class family audiences abandoning theatres. The turning point came with Indian blockbuster Disco Dancer (1982) which began the era of disco music in Indian cinema. Lead actor Mithun Chakraborty and music director Bappi Lahiri had
8510-567: The late 1990s, there was a resurgence of parallel cinema in Bollywood, largely due to the critical and commercial success of crime films such as Satya (1998) and Vaastav (1999). These films launched a genre known as "Mumbai noir", reflecting social problems in the city. Ram Gopal Varma directed the Indian Political Trilogy , and the Indian Gangster Trilogy ; film critic Rajeev Masand had labelled
8625-485: The latter series as one of the "most influential movies of Bollywood. The first instalment of the trilogy, Satya , was also listed in CNN-IBN 's 100 greatest Indian films of all time. Since the 1990s, the three biggest Bollywood movie stars have been the " Three Khans ": Aamir Khan , Shah Rukh Khan , and Salman Khan . Combined, they starred in the top ten highest-grossing Bollywood films , and have dominated
8740-1037: The leading actors in Malayalam. The mid of 80s saw the emergence of low-quality Malayalam softcore films made with fairly low budgets . They were remarked as B-grade films, and were certified as fit for adults only (A rated). These films emerged parallel with the mainstream Malayalam cinema. In 1986, roughly 14 of the 32-odd films released were classified as B-grade films. Some examples are Mathilukal (1990) directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan , Kattukuthira (1990) directed by P. G. Viswambharan , Amaram (1991) directed by Bharathan , Ulladakkam (1992) directed by Kamal , Kilukkam (1991) directed by Priyadarshan , Kamaladalam (1992) by Sibi Malayil , Vidheyan (1993) by Adoor Gopalakrishnan , Devaasuram (1993) by I. V. Sasi , Manichitrathazhu (1993) by Fazil, Ponthan Mada (1993) by T. V. Chandran , Spadikam (1995) by Bhadran , Commissioner (1994) The King (1995) by Shaji Kailas , Hitler (1996) by Siddique and Desadanam (1997) by Jayaraj . Due to
8855-566: The life of Rosy, the lead actress in Vigathakumaran . Prithviraj plays the role of Daniel, while Mamta Mohandas plays his wife Janet and newcomer Chandni plays Rosy. The film generated criticism over its subtle reference to an IAS Officer and the then Kerala Chief Minister , which purportedly points to the bureaucrat and writer Malayattoor Ramakrishna Iyer and K. Karunakaran , who allegedly worked together to deny J. C. Daniel credit for his contribution to Malayalam cinema since he
8970-515: The masses (admission as low as an anna [one-sixteenth of a rupee] in Bombay). Young producers began to incorporate elements of Indian social life and culture into cinema, others brought new ideas from across the world. Global audiences and markets soon became aware of India's film industry. In 1927, the British government, to promote the market in India for British films over American ones, formed
9085-461: The memory". Commercial Hindi cinema began thriving, including acclaimed films Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959, Guru Dutt ) Awaara (1951) and Shree 420 (1955, Raj Kapoor ). These films expressed social themes mainly dealing with working-class urban life in India; Awaara presented Bombay as both a nightmare and a dream, while Pyaasa critiqued the unreality of city life. Epic film Mother India (1957, Mehboob Khan )
9200-585: The more popular actors active in this period. During the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, Kunchacko made significant contributions to Malayalam cinema, both as a producer and as director of some notable movies. He started Udaya Studios in Alappuzha in 1947, reducing the travel to Madras (Chennai) for film crew and actors. This boosted Malayalam film production in Kerala. Many directors sprang up in this period. P.N. Menon made Rosy and later Chemparanthi . G. Aravindan and Adoor Gopalakrishnan also started work in
9315-526: The multistar film Twenty:20 to raise funds for the AMMA. The 2000-2003 period also saw witnessed the Shakeela tharangam , that resulted in the series of production of low budget softporn films in Malayalam cinema . The continued failure of comedy films and the theater strikes in Kerala, that started in the early 2000s, were the major reasons behind the comeback of B-grade films in Malayalam. Around 57 of
9430-527: The mythical film Satyavan Savithri , which were well accepted. Also, commercial cinema in this period saw several worker-class themed films which mostly had M. G. Soman , Sukumaran and Sudheer in the lead followed by the emergence of a new genre of pure action-themed films, in a movement led by Jayan . However, this was short-lived, and almost ended when Jayan died while performing a stunt in Kolilakkam (1980). The Malayalam cinema of this period
9545-503: The production of a series of comedy films in the early and mid-1990s. Swaham (1994), directed by Shaji N. Karun , was the first Malayalam film entry for the competition in the Cannes International Film Festival , where it was a nominee for the Palme d'Or . Murali Nair 's Marana Simhasanam later won the Caméra d'Or at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival . Guru (1997), directed by Rajiv Anchal ,
9660-613: The second film of the trilogy and later pioneered other effects such as the photo-negative flashbacks and X-ray digressions. During the 1950s, Indian cinema reportedly became the world's second largest film industry, earning a gross annual income of ₹ 250 million (equivalent to ₹ 26 billion or US$ 320 million in 2023) in 1953. The government created the Film Finance Corporation (FFC) in 1960 to provide financial support to filmmakers. While serving as Information and Broadcasting Minister of India in
9775-487: The second half of the 20th century: there were only two silent films, and three Malayalam-language films before 1947. With support from the Kerala state government production climbed from around 6 a year in the 1950s, to 30 a year in the 1960s, 40 a year in the 1970s, to 127 films in 1980. The first cinema hall in Kerala , with a manually operated film projector, was opened in Thrissur by Jose Kattookkaran in 1907. In 1913,
9890-493: The situation, he had to sell his equipments and close down his studio. Despite the setbacks, Daniel went on to make one more film, a documentary on martial arts, Adithadi Murai . He was completely bankrupt after the completion of this film. Almost a pauper, he left Thiruvananthapuram to seek a livelihood. Daniel spent the rest of his life as a dentist at Palayamkottai , Madurai and Karaikudi . The Kerala Government initially refused to give Daniel any honour because J.C. Daniel
10005-459: The story of a printing press employee and his family being stricken with extreme poverty. The music took a turn away from the trend of copying Tamil and Hindi songs. The poets Tirunainaarkurichy Madhavan Nair – Thirunaiyarkurichy, P. Bhaskaran , O. N. V. Kurup , and Vayalar Ramavarma rose up in this period as film lyricists. Brother Lakshmanan, Dakshinamurthy , K. Raghavan , G. Devarajan , M. S. Baburaj , and Pukhenthey Velappan Nair started
10120-445: The studio owners for entry claiming that he is a teacher from Kerala and wanted to teach his students about cinema and got entry to the studios there. He was able to gather enough knowledge and equipment for film production from Bombay and came back to Kerala to fulfil his dream. The film was finally shot in his own studio. In 1926, J.C. Daniel established the first film studio in Kerala named The Travancore National Pictures. It
10235-1533: The third instalment of the Indian Shakespearean Trilogy after Maqbool (2003) and Omkara (2006), won the People's Choice Award at the 9th Rome Film Festival in the Mondo Genere making it the first Indian film to achieve this honour. The 2000s and 2010s also saw the rise of a new generation of popular actors like Shahid Kapoor , Ranbir Kapoor , Ranveer Singh , Ayushmann Khurrana , Varun Dhawan , Sidharth Malhotra , Sushant Singh Rajput , Kartik Aaryan , Arjun Kapoor , Aditya Roy Kapur and Tiger Shroff , as well as actresses like Vidya Balan , Priyanka Chopra , Kareena Kapoor , Katrina Kaif , Kangana Ranaut , Deepika Padukone , Sonam Kapoor , Anushka Sharma , Shraddha Kapoor , Alia Bhatt , Parineeti Chopra and Kriti Sanon with Balan, Ranaut and Bhatt gaining wide recognition for successful female-centric films such as The Dirty Picture (2011), Kahaani (2012), Queen (2014), Highway (2014), Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015), Raazi (2018) and Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022). Salim–Javed were highly influential in South Indian cinema . In addition to writing two Kannada films , many of their Bollywood films had remakes produced in other regions, including Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam cinema. While
10350-477: The total 89 films released in 2001 belonged to the soft-porn category and Shakeela featured in many of them . After several years of quality deterioration, Malayalam films saw the signs of massive resurgence after 2010 with the release of several experimental films (known as New Wave or New Generation films), mostly from new directors. New Wave is characterised by fresh and unusual themes and new narrative techniques. These films differ from conventional themes of
10465-526: The world's largest film producer. Hindi film production of Bombay, the largest segment of the industry, became known as "Bollywood". Summary of the 2022 box office revenues. By 1996, the Indian film industry had an estimated domestic cinema viewership of 600 million people, establishing India as one of the largest film markets, with the largest regional industries being Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil films. In 2001, in terms of ticket sales, Indian cinema sold an estimated 3.6 billion tickets annually across
10580-503: Was Balan , released in 1938. It was directed by S. Nottani with a screenplay and songs written by Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai . It was produced by Modern Theatres at Salem in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu . Balan was followed by Gnanambika in 1940, which was directed by S. Nottani. Then came Prahlada in 1941, directed by K. Subramoniam of Madras and featuring Guru Gopinath and Thankamani Gopinath. Until 1947 most Malayalam films were made by Tamil producers, P. J. Cherian
10695-502: Was Kandam Bacha Coat (1961). Chemmeen (1965), directed by Ramu Kariat and based on a novel of the same name by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai , went on to become very popular and became the first South Indian film to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film . Most of the films of the 1960s were animated by the nationalist and socialist projects and centered on issues relating to caste and class exploitation,
10810-467: Was Kisan Kanya (1937, Moti B). Viswa Mohini (1940) was the first Indian film to depict the Indian movie-making world. Swamikannu Vincent , who had built the first cinema of South India in Coimbatore , introduced the concept of "tent cinema" in which a tent was erected on a stretch of open land to screen films. The first of its kind was in Madras and called Edison's Grand Cinema Megaphone. This
10925-401: Was 15. Daniel was well aware of the scope of cinema as a public medium. He wished to popularise chelambatam by harnessing the popular influence of cinema. At that time the common mass of Kerala were not even aware of cinema, hence the idea was quite a challenge. He took the challenge and left to Madras (now Chennai ) to learn techniques of film-making and to acquire necessary equipments. Madras
11040-497: Was a musical drama that spoke about the problems in a joint family. In 1954, the film Neelakuyil captured national interest by winning the President's silver medal. It was scripted by the well-known Malayalam novelist Uroob , and directed by P. Bhaskaran and Ramu Kariat . Newspaper Boy (1955) contained elements of Italian neorealism . This film is notable as the product of a group of amateur college filmmakers. It told
11155-469: Was a period when female roles in even plays were played by males. When Vigathakumaran was released at Capitol Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram, she was not allowed into the theatre as some upper-caste Hindus, outraged that a converted dalit could play a Nair lady in the film, created a ruckus. During the screening, stones were pelt on the screen, damaging it. The movie was also exhibited in Alappuzha at
11270-585: Was born and also later settled in Kanyakumari district which later became a part of Tamil Nadu , in 1956. The Government's insistence was that if Daniel wanted any financial assistance, he had to apply for it from the Tamil Nadu Government. At the far end of his life, he had told R. Kumaraswamy, the editor of the film magazine Nana : "Malayalam cinema is a thriving industry now. But never have anyone bothered to recognise me as someone who made
11385-498: Was built in 1936 by Nidamarthi Surayya in Rajahmundry , Andhra Pradesh. The advent of sound to Indian cinema launched musicals such as Indra Sabha and Devi Devyani , marking the beginning of song-and-dance in Indian films. By 1935, studios emerged in major cities such as Madras, Calcutta and Bombay as filmmaking became an established industry, exemplified by the success of Devdas (1935). The first colour film made in India
11500-465: Was by then recognised as an important author in Malayalam, directed his first film, Nirmalyam , which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film . G. Aravindan followed Adoor 's lead with his Uttarayanam in 1974. K. P. Kumaran 's Adhithi (1974) was another film that was acclaimed by the critics. Cinematographers who won the National Award for their work on Malayalam films in
11615-450: Was characterised by detailed screenplays dealing with everyday life with a lucid narration of plot intermingling with humour and melancholy. This was aided by the cinematography and lighting. The films had warm background music. In 1981 Fazil directed Manjil Virinja Pookal the film also introduced then Romantic star Shankar (actor) and later actor Mohanlal to the world. Adoor Gopalakrishnan made Elippathayam in 1981. This movie won
11730-529: Was chosen as India's official entry to the Oscars to be considered for nomination in the Best Foreign Film category for that year, making it the first film in Malayalam to be chosen for Oscar nomination. Noted script writer A.K. Lohithadas made his directorial debut with Bhoothakkannadi , for which he won the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director . The millennium started with
11845-451: Was coined in the 1970s, when the conventions of commercial Bombay-produced Hindi films were established. Key to this was Nasir Hussain and Salim–Javed's creation of the masala film genre, which combines elements of action , comedy , romance , drama , melodrama and musical . Their film Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973) has been identified as the first masala film and the first quintessentially Bollywood film. Masala films made Bachchan
11960-585: Was due to the fact that electric carbons were used for motion picture projectors. Bombay Talkies opened in 1934 and Prabhat Studios in Pune began production of Marathi films. Sant Tukaram (1936) was the first Indian film to be screened at an international film festival, at the 1937 edition of the Venice Film Festival. The film was judged one of the three best films of the year. However, while Indian filmmakers sought to tell important stories,
12075-620: Was featured at the Ann Arbor Film Festival , fetching three Indian Express Awards . B. Narsing Rao , K. N. T. Sastry , and A. Kutumba Rao garnered international recognition for their works in new-wave cinema. Narsing Rao's Maa Ooru (1992) won the " Media Wave Award " of Hungary; Daasi (1988) and Matti Manushulu (1990) won the Diploma of Merit awards at the 16th and 17th MIFF respectively. Sastry's Thilaadanam (2000) received "New Currents Award" at
12190-495: Was inaugurated by Adv. Malloor Govinda Pillai. Since it was a silent movie, there was an announcer at the theatre who would explain the story and the situation. Despite being the first cinema made in Kerala and the social significance of the cinema, it faced the wrath of certain Hindu orthodox groups in Kerala , due to the presence of a woman in the film. At that time acting in films were considered as an act worse than prostitution. It
12305-401: Was mute. He was also the protagonist in the film. He also did most of the post production work including editing . The theme of the film was of social significance and was the first in that genre. Most of the Indian cinemas at that time were based on stories from the puranas and cinemas with social themes were scarce. The film was shot using a debrie camera. The first Malayalam actress was
12420-400: Was near the present Public Service Commission office, Pattom , Trivandrum . He made money for the purpose by selling a piece of land in his name for 4 lakh British Indian Rupees. With all set, he started production works of the film of his dreams. He wrote the script and titled it Vigathakumaran (literally translated as The Lost Child ). He directed and wielded the camera for the film, which
12535-559: Was premiered in Coronation cinema in Girgaon . Although some claim Shree Pundalik (1912) of Dadasaheb Torne is the first ever film made in India, some film scholars have argued that Pundalik was not a true Indian film because it was simply a recording of a stage play, filmed by a British cameraman and it was processed in London. Raja Harishchandra of Phalke had a story based on Hindu Sanskrit legend of Harishchandra ,
12650-629: Was released through Netflix on 24 th December 2021. Tovino Thomas as Minnal Murali which was directed by Basil Joseph under Weekend Blockbusters gained great reviews by critics and became top watched Non-English movie on Netflix. It broke all records of Malayalam Cinema trailers on YouTube crossing 6 Million Views and 500K+ likes in 24 hours. in 2023 , disaster film 2018 was selected as India's submission for Oscar for best international film Malayalam Cinema enjoyed unprecedented box office success in early months of 2024, with worldwide box office collection of Malayalam films touching ₹900 crores in
12765-407: Was the budding centre of film production in South India and had the only permanent talkies in South India, named Gaiety which was established in 1912. However, he could not get what he wanted from Madras and was even denied permission to enter various studio premises in there. That didn't make him to give up. He travelled to Bombay (now Mumbai ), the centre of Hindi cinema production. He asked
12880-481: Was the first Indian film to be nominated for the US-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and defined the conventions of Hindi cinema for decades. It spawned a new genre of dacoit films . Gunga Jumna (1961, Dilip Kumar ) was a dacoit crime drama about two brothers on opposite sides of the law, a theme that became common in Indian films in
12995-503: Was the first Indian social drama film and featured the first Dalit -caste film actress. The first chain of Indian cinemas, Madan Theatre , was owned by Parsi entrepreneur Jamshedji Framji Madan , who oversaw the production and distribution of films for the chain. These included film adaptations from Bengal's popular literature and Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra (1917), a remake of Phalke's influential film. Films steadily gained popularity across India as affordable entertainment for
13110-402: Was the first Malayali producer to venture into this field after JC Daniel Nadar. PJ Cherian produced Nirmala in 1948 with Joseph Cherian and Baby Joseph his son and daughter-in-law as hero and heroine. He also cast many other family members in other roles, trying to break the taboo that noble family people do not take up acting. Nirmala is the first movie which introduced play-back singing in
13225-529: Was the first sound film of Marathi cinema . Irani also produced South India's first sound film, the Tamil–Telugu bilingual talking picture Kalidas (1931, H. M. Reddy ). The first Telugu film with audible dialogue, Bhakta Prahlada (1932), was directed by H. M. Reddy , who directed the first bilingual (Telugu and Tamil) talkie Kalidas (1931). East India Film Company produced its first Telugu film, Savitri (1933, C. Pullayya ), adapted from
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