BEGINNING OF TAMIL CINEMA FACTS

 

Anathai Penn(1938) - Subbu is credited as M.Subramaniam in the film. The film was directed by Raghupathi Prakasa, the pioneering film maker, from the Silent film era. 

Subbu' and Mk.Radha, are visible in this actual photo still, shot during the making of the film at MPPC Studios.Anathai Penn (1938) -

Subbu says by this point, he is usually playing the role of a chettiar, quite regularly, and in this film as well. This is also, the first time, his life matches with M.K.Radha. Film is Produced by Jupiter Pictures and shot at MPPC Studios. making much money. Narayanan needs talented people, but has no money. Subbu has the talent, but needs exposure. They find a mutual agreement. Subbu writes 'anonymously' for Narayanan's films, but is neither paid, nor credited. This he, himself admits to, in one of his memoirs.

Pavalakkodi(1934) - oldest known surviving Tamil film, is screened in Malaya, in the 1930s. Source - 

@nlbsingapore

  

The film continues to be locked up in the golden cages of the 

@NFAIOfficial

SAME TITLES - DIFFERENT MOVIES - Gnanasoundari. This was a popular Christian themed stage play, performed actively in the early 20th century. It was made as a silent film , by the General Pictures Corporation, a 1935 version by Sakunthala Films (A.Narayanan&Raja C Shekar

a 1948 parallel version by Citadel films, featuring the pretty MV Rajamma and TR Mahalingam and a Gemini Studios version, featuring Kannamba, the same year. The Citadel version was a major success, while the Gemini version bombed heavily. Only the citadel's version survives today

STAR ADS - Ranjan, who starred in Nandanar, Mangamma Sabatham ( as the mad prince) and villain in Gemini's iconic master piece 'Chandra Lekha' appears in Narasu's Tea AD. Narasu himself would start up his own film production studio sometime in the late 40s.

Vedavathi(or) Seetha Jananam (1941) - A young M.G.R and popular villain P.S.Veerappa in Seetha jananam. Credits - IndianExpress archives.

Sathi Leelavathi(1936) - Produced by Manorama films and directed by Ellis R Dungan. This is S.S.Vasan's first formal entry into cinema, as a writer. B

Trivia - Madana kamarajan(1941) was Gemini Studio's first formal release, after the studio's inauguration.

Mangamma Sabatham - For some reason, lot of @ikamalhaasan movie titles, are based on movies, made by Gemini Studios