J. C. Daniel
Encyclopedia
J. C. Daniel was the first film-maker from Kerala
, India
. He produced, directed, wrote, photographed, edited and acted in the first film
made in Kerala, named Vigathakumaran
meaning the Lost Child. He also established the first film studio in Kerala, named The Travancore National Pictures. It was near the present Public Service Commission office, Pattom, Trivandrum... He is considered as the father of Malayalam cinema. The Government of Kerala
instituted the J. C. Daniel Award as a part of the Kerala State Film Awards, to honour lifetime achievements in Malayalam cinema
.
, Travancore
. The place in now under the governance of the State of Tamilnadu. He finished his formal education from Maharaja's College, Trivandrum. He was interested in martial arts
and was an expert in Kalarippayattu
, the traditional martial art of Kerala
. He published an English book titled Indian Art of Fencing
and Sword Play in 1915, when he was 22.
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 for the purpose. Madras 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 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 could gather enough knowledge and equipments for film production from Bombay and came back to Kerala
to fulfil his dream.
named The Travancore National Pictures. He made money for the purpose by selling a piece of land in his name for Rs. 4 lakh. With all set, he started production works of the film of his dreams. He wrote the script and titled it Vigathakumaran. He directed and wielded the camera for the film, which was mute. He was also the pratogonist 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 one of the early films in that genre. Most of the Indian films at that time were based on stories from the puranas
and films with social themes were scarse.
groups in Kerala
, due to the presence of a woman in the film. At that time acting in films were considered as an act at par with prostitution. During the screening, stones were pelt on the screen, damaging it. The film did moderate business at the box office
and the collections were way less than the expenditure.
The movie was also exhibited in Alleppey at the Star Theatre . Since it was a silent movie, there was an announcer at the theatre who would explain the story and the situation. Alleppey being one of the most important port towns in Kerala during that time, the audience were more liberal. 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 movie, there will be some minor problems and the audience received the statement with applause.
It is said that J.C.Daniel himself came to Alleppey with the film box, since there was only one print.
The first Malayalam actress was a daily wage labourer named Rosie
from a place called Thaikkat near Trivandrum. She used to come with lunch to act in the movie and go for her work in the evening. Since she acted in the movie and that was considered at par with prostitution, some of the orthodox society burned down her hut. She fled to Tamilnadu where she got married and spent the rest of her life. Nobody knows the whereabouts of Rosie after she left Trivandrum.
Vigathakumaran was also screened at Quilon
, Trichur, Tellichery and Nagercoil
.
Daniel suffered from debts and to overcome the situation, he had to sell his equipments and close down his studio. That was the end of his film career.
Daniel spent the rest of his life as a dentist at Palayamkottai
. He was into poverty towards the last days of his life spent at Agastheeswaram
. Though he applied for pension under the scheme for ailing artists, the Government rejected it since he was born in Tamilnadu state. In his book and articles noted Film Journalist Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan
firstly established that Vigathakumaran
was the first Malayalam Cinema and J. C. Daniel was its architect as Director, Producer, Cinematographer and Hero. He described the story of Vigathakumaran in articles published since 1960, but Kerala Government has rejected his crusade because of Daniel was not a Malayalee. The Government version was that if Daniel want Pension or financial assistance, he has to apply it for Tamil Nadu Government, because he is living Agastheeswaram in Kanyakumari district. Though his ancestors were from Changanacherry, in Kerala and Daniel was born in Neyyattinkara and educated in Trivandrum, the Kerala government was reluctant to approve him as a Keralite. The crusade of Chelangattu Gopalakrishnan against this negative attitude has finally met victory. The same Kerala government has approved Daniel as a Keralite and even placed him as the 'Father of Malayalam Cinema'.
In May 1975, J. C. Daniel died.
instituted the J. C. Daniel Award
in honour of him in 1992. The award, a part of the Kerala State Film Awards is to honour lifetime achievements in outstanding contributions to Malayalam cinema
. From 1998, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy
, an autonomous body under the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala
hosts the award.
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He produced, directed, wrote, photographed, edited and acted in the first film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
made in Kerala, named Vigathakumaran
Vigathakumaran
Vigathakumaran is a 1928 Indian silent film written, directed and produced by J. C. Daniel, who also played the hero in the film. It is the first Malayalam feature film.-Plot:...
meaning the Lost Child. He also established the first film studio in Kerala, named The Travancore National Pictures. It was near the present Public Service Commission office, Pattom, Trivandrum... He is considered as the father of Malayalam cinema. The Government of Kerala
Government of Kerala
The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
instituted the J. C. Daniel Award as a part of the Kerala State Film Awards, to honour lifetime achievements in Malayalam cinema
Malayalam cinema
The Cinema of Kerala or Malayalam cinema refers to the film industry in the Indian state of Kerala, which makes films in the Malayalam language. Malayalam movies typically portray social or family issues and are considered more realistic than films from other parts of India. Malayalam cinema has...
.
Early life
Daniel was born on 19 April 1893 in Agasthishwaram, NagercoilNagercoil
Nagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...
, Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
. The place in now under the governance of the State of Tamilnadu. He finished his formal education from Maharaja's College, Trivandrum. He was interested in martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
and was an expert in Kalarippayattu
Kalarippayattu
Kalaripayattu is a southern Indian martial art originating in Tamil Nadu but also practiced in contiguous parts of Kerala and Karnataka.Kalari payat includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, weaponry and healing methods...
, the traditional martial art of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. He published an English book titled Indian Art of Fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
and Sword Play in 1915, when he was 22.
Attempts for Film-making
Daniel was well aware of the scope of cinema as a public medium. He wished to popularise KalarippayattuKalarippayattu
Kalaripayattu is a southern Indian martial art originating in Tamil Nadu but also practiced in contiguous parts of Kerala and Karnataka.Kalari payat includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, weaponry and healing methods...
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
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
) to learn techniques of film-making and to acquire necessary equipments for the purpose. Madras was the budding centre of film production in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
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
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
), the centre of Hindi cinema production. He asked 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 could gather enough knowledge and equipments for film production from Bombay and came back to Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
to fulfil his dream.
Production of Vigathakumaran
In 1926, Daniel established the first film studio in KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
named The Travancore National Pictures. He made money for the purpose by selling a piece of land in his name for Rs. 4 lakh. With all set, he started production works of the film of his dreams. He wrote the script and titled it Vigathakumaran. He directed and wielded the camera for the film, which was mute. He was also the pratogonist in the film. He also did most of the post production work including editing
Film editing
Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
. The theme of the film was of social significance and was one of the early films in that genre. Most of the Indian films at that time were based on stories from the puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
and films with social themes were scarse.
Post Release of Vigathakumaran
Vigathakumaran was exhibited in Trivandrum at the Capitol Theatre on 7 November 1928. Despite being the first film made in Kerala and the social significance of the film, it faced wrath of certain orthodoxOrthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
groups in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, due to the presence of a woman in the film. At that time acting in films were considered as an act at par with prostitution. During the screening, stones were pelt on the screen, damaging it. The film did moderate business at the box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
and the collections were way less than the expenditure.
The movie was also exhibited in Alleppey at the Star Theatre . Since it was a silent movie, there was an announcer at the theatre who would explain the story and the situation. Alleppey being one of the most important port towns in Kerala during that time, the audience were more liberal. 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 movie, there will be some minor problems and the audience received the statement with applause.
It is said that J.C.Daniel himself came to Alleppey with the film box, since there was only one print.
The first Malayalam actress was a daily wage labourer named Rosie
Rosie
-People:* Rosie, nickname of Sierra Casady, , American musician, band member of CocoRosie* Rosie, the first Malayalam actress, , acted in the first Malayalam movie , Vigathakumaran...
from a place called Thaikkat near Trivandrum. She used to come with lunch to act in the movie and go for her work in the evening. Since she acted in the movie and that was considered at par with prostitution, some of the orthodox society burned down her hut. She fled to Tamilnadu where she got married and spent the rest of her life. Nobody knows the whereabouts of Rosie after she left Trivandrum.
Vigathakumaran was also screened at Quilon
Quilon
Quilon may refer to,* Venad, a former state on Malabar Coast, India* Kollam , Kerala state, India* Kollam district, Kerala state...
, Trichur, Tellichery and Nagercoil
Nagercoil
Nagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...
.
Daniel suffered from debts and to overcome the situation, he had to sell his equipments and close down his studio. That was the end of his film career.
Daniel spent the rest of his life as a dentist at Palayamkottai
Palayamkottai
Palayamkottai , known as the "Oxford of South India", is a town in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. It is part of the Tirunelveli city corporation. It is on the eastern bank of the Thamirabarani river, while its twin city Tirunelveli is on the western bank.-Etymology:The archaic word Palayam...
. He was into poverty towards the last days of his life spent at Agastheeswaram
Agastheeswaram
Agastheeswaram is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Demographics: India census, Agastheeswaram had a population of 8978. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Agastheeswaram has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national...
. Though he applied for pension under the scheme for ailing artists, the Government rejected it since he was born in Tamilnadu state. In his book and articles noted Film Journalist Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan
Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan
Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan born at Cherthala in Alappuzha in Kerala as the son of Nediyedathu Kesava Pillai and Thrikkeparambil Ammukkutti Amma. After graduation he started his career as a journalist in a regional newspaper Malayali. Later he worked for some other newspapers including Mathrubhumi...
firstly established that Vigathakumaran
Vigathakumaran
Vigathakumaran is a 1928 Indian silent film written, directed and produced by J. C. Daniel, who also played the hero in the film. It is the first Malayalam feature film.-Plot:...
was the first Malayalam Cinema and J. C. Daniel was its architect as Director, Producer, Cinematographer and Hero. He described the story of Vigathakumaran in articles published since 1960, but Kerala Government has rejected his crusade because of Daniel was not a Malayalee. The Government version was that if Daniel want Pension or financial assistance, he has to apply it for Tamil Nadu Government, because he is living Agastheeswaram in Kanyakumari district. Though his ancestors were from Changanacherry, in Kerala and Daniel was born in Neyyattinkara and educated in Trivandrum, the Kerala government was reluctant to approve him as a Keralite. The crusade of Chelangattu Gopalakrishnan against this negative attitude has finally met victory. The same Kerala government has approved Daniel as a Keralite and even placed him as the 'Father of Malayalam Cinema'.
In May 1975, J. C. Daniel died.
J.C. Daniel Award
The Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of KeralaGovernment of Kerala
The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
instituted the J. C. Daniel Award
J. C. Daniel Award
The J. C. Daniel Award is an annual award given by the Government of Kerala. The Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala instituted the award in honour of J. C. Daniel in 1992. The award, a part of the Kerala State Film Awards is to honour lifetime achievements and outstanding...
in honour of him in 1992. The award, a part of the Kerala State Film Awards is to honour lifetime achievements in outstanding contributions to Malayalam cinema
Malayalam cinema
The Cinema of Kerala or Malayalam cinema refers to the film industry in the Indian state of Kerala, which makes films in the Malayalam language. Malayalam movies typically portray social or family issues and are considered more realistic than films from other parts of India. Malayalam cinema has...
. From 1998, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy
Kerala State Chalachitra Academy
Kerala State Chalachitra Academy is an autonomous non-profit institution working under the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. It was founded in August 1998 for the promotion of cinema in Kerala, considering the fact that cinema is the most popular art form in Kerala...
, an autonomous body under the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala
Government of Kerala
The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
hosts the award.