Modern Theatres
Encyclopedia
Modern Theaters Ltd was a motion picture movie studio
in Salem, Tamil Nadu
, India
, started by Thiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram
(aka TRS) in 1935. The studio produced over more than 150 movies until 1982 in Tamil
, Telugu
, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi
, Sinhalese and even English
of which Tamil movies were the majority.
(1935) and Nalla Thangal (1935). Then he decided to start his own company, Modern Theatres Limited. He realized that to make film making a business, it had to be organized and managed like a business enterprise. He also planned a schedule of producing films on a tight budget (two or three a year), so that the market and consumers were regularly and continually supplied with his products.
The maiden production of Modern Theatres, directed by Sundaram, was Sathi Ahalya, a mythological plot was released in 1937. Sundaram promoted Modern Theatres as a joint stock company and built a studio on a vast stretch of land on the outskirts of Salem town. The hundred odd films that came from his studio covered a wide spectrum of themes — mythology
, comedy
and original screenplays to adaptation of classic works of literature and murder mysteries. It is, however, the James Bond
style of films starring Jaishankar
that are almost synonymous with the banner.
Following the Hollywood studio system, TRS had on his rolls writers, technicians, actors and so on. He paid generously and promptly, a rarity in the film circle.
Movie studio
A movie studio is a term used to describe a major entertainment company or production company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to film movies...
in Salem, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, 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...
, started by Thiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram
T. R. Sundaram
Tiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram was a Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Sinhalese film actor, director and iconic film producer...
(aka TRS) in 1935. The studio produced over more than 150 movies until 1982 in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Sinhalese and even English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
of which Tamil movies were the majority.
History
In the early 1930s, T. R. Sundaram entered the world of Tamil cinema as a partner of a Salem-based film company, Angel Films. He was involved in productions such as Draupadi Vastrapaharanam (1934), DhruvaDhruva
In the Hindu mythology, Dhruva is a devotee of the god Vishnu, who blessed to attain the position of the polar star, also known as Dhruva in Sanskrit. Dhruva was the son of Uttānapāda...
(1935) and Nalla Thangal (1935). Then he decided to start his own company, Modern Theatres Limited. He realized that to make film making a business, it had to be organized and managed like a business enterprise. He also planned a schedule of producing films on a tight budget (two or three a year), so that the market and consumers were regularly and continually supplied with his products.
The maiden production of Modern Theatres, directed by Sundaram, was Sathi Ahalya, a mythological plot was released in 1937. Sundaram promoted Modern Theatres as a joint stock company and built a studio on a vast stretch of land on the outskirts of Salem town. The hundred odd films that came from his studio covered a wide spectrum of themes — mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
and original screenplays to adaptation of classic works of literature and murder mysteries. It is, however, the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
style of films starring Jaishankar
Jaishankar
Jaishankar is a yester-year actor of the Tamil Film Industry. He is fondly referred to as Thennagathu James Bond . His penchant for dashing roles earned him the sobriquet of James Bond of South India, thanks to his roles in films like Vallavan Oruvan, CID Shankar and so on...
that are almost synonymous with the banner.
Following the Hollywood studio system, TRS had on his rolls writers, technicians, actors and so on. He paid generously and promptly, a rarity in the film circle.
Notable Contributions
- First Double role in Tamil Films introduced in Uthama PuthiranUthama PuthiranUthama Puthiran might refer to* Uthama Puthiran , a 1957 Tamil-language film starring Sivaji Ganesan.* Uthamaputhiran , a 2010 Tamil-language film starring Dhanush and Genelia D'Souza....
starring PU Chinnappa in the year 1940.
- The first most expensive film to be produced was Manaonmani in 1942, starring PU Chinnappa and TR Rajakumari.
- First Tamil Color film(Geva Color) was Alibabavum Narpadhu Thirudargalum-1956
- First Malayalam Talkie film called BalanBalan (film)Balan is a 1938 Malayalam film directed by S. Nottani. It was the first talkie in Malayalam. Based on the short story Vidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum by A. Sundaram, its screenplay and dialogues are written by Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai. The film is a melodrama and was the first movie in this genre in...
directed by Notani was produced in 1938
- First Malayalam Color film was Kandam Vecha Kottu in 1961
- First English film in Tamil Nadu: Modern Theatres teamed up with an American Film company to produce the first English movie in 1952- The Jungle
- First film in which Manorama starred as an heroine is Konjum Kumari in 1963. This is the 97th film for T.R.Sundaram.
- First film to have 3 separate stories within a movie was Chow ChowChow ChowChow chow is a breed of dog that was developed in China, where it is referred to as Songshi Quan , which literally means "puffy-lion dog".- Appearance :...
. The 3 stories are Kaligala Mainar, School Drama and Soorapuli.
- When Zoom lens was not invented such an effect was pioneered in PonmudiPonmudiPonmudi is a hillstation in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala in South India. Its located 61 km north-east of Trivandrum city at an altitude of 1100 m. It is a part of the Western Ghats mountain range that runs parallel to the Arabian Sea.-Tourism:Ponmudi is connected to...
for which the French Government awarded the cameraman.
- Has a unique record of having five former Chief Ministers of India in its payroll.
- Frequently used foreigners like Ellis R. Dungan, Mani Lal Tandon, Bomman D. Irani to bring up the quality factor of his films.