Silent Cinema In Tamil Nadu

1916 R. Nataraja Mudaliar, an automobile spare parts merchant promoted India Film Company Limited and built a silent film studio on Miller’s Road, Purasawalkkam, Madras. Interested in the new medium of cinema he had received training in Cinematography from Stewart Smith, a British cinematographer. Mudaliar’s first silent feature film was “Keechaka Vadam” (1917), first to be made in Tamil Nadu.

Venkaiah sent his son Raghupathy S. Prakash abroad for training in film production. Prakash learnt film technique in Baker’s Motion Picture Studio, London. He also visited Germany and Hollywood; Prakash returned with a 35 mm Williamson silent movie camera. Venkaiah and Prakash launched a movie “Meenakshi Kalayanam” as their first venture. Prakash, the cameraman, editor, printer and director shot the silent film on actual locations in and around the temple town Madurai. As he found it difficult to get artists to act for several reasons he had no option than to cast Anglo-Indians in interest in non-speaking silent cinema. Others refused because of the superstition that facing a camera reduced longevity!

When Prakash screened his film he found all artist appeared with their heads cut. The movie, in short, turned out to be a headless show! Some commented that it was the curse of Gods for having caste non-Hindus in Gods’ roles. However Prakash made experiments with his camera and found that there was a defect in the lens mechanism. Prakash designed his own film-processing laboratory in his house using wooden drums and rollers made of wood, he processed film by hand. This laboratory known as “Hand and Tank Lab”. Prakash’s next venture, was “Bhishma Pratigna” (1922). The actor who played Lord Krishna in this film was A. Narayanan.

Silent films made by Narayanan include “Gajendra Moksham” (1930), (directed by R. Prakash) “Garuda Garva Bhaugam” (1920) (directed by A. Narayanan). Y.V. Rao too directed films like “Pandava Nirvana” (1930) “Sarangadhra” (1930) “Bhoja Raja” (1931), all of them produced by Narayanan. One of the films Narayanan produced and directed by Prakash was “Leila - the Star of Mingrella” (1931), had many half-clad females, prolonged lip to lip kissing scenes. No wonder “Leila” proved to be a box office success all over the country!

Film censoring was in existence from the earliest days in India and the Indian Cinematography Act became law in 1918. Censor Boards were established in Bombay, Calcutta and Madras (Chennai). The Commissioner of Police was the Chairman of the Board. However, the Censor was mere concerned about the political content of films and anything even suggesting call for freedom or rebellion against the British was neatly scissored. The British Indian Censor did not bother much about matters of sex, morals and the like. Most silent films had passionate kissing scenes and intimate love sequences, with no questions asked! R Padmanabhan, another pioneer of Tamil Cinema also produced silent films. He along with his friends formed Associated Films with a Studio in Saidapet, Madras. For his first film “Anathai Penn” (1930), he engaged Raja Sandow as director and hero.

Raja Sandow also made films for R.Padmanabhan like “Rajeswari” (1931) “Usha Sundari” (1931) “Bhakthavatsala” (1931). The heroine of “Rajeswari” was another pioneer of Indian Cinema. T.P. Rajalakshmi. She was a stage star, movie actress and soon became film producer and the first female director of India and possibly, in the world! She was active for many years till the 1950’s. In “Kovalan” (1930) a Narayanan Production directed by R.Prakash there was a shot showing the famous Madurai Meenakshi temple tower in a titled angle with the camera looking up, Moviegoers of Madurai felt that tower was sinking and crashing on them and ran out of the auditorium screaming in sheer terror.

Silent films even in India were not really silent. Appropriate background music was played on harmonium and tabala (drums) by persons seated in front the screen. A man invariably stood in the middle of the half near the wall and narrated the story, and also what might have been the dialogue! Some of them made it so colorful and interesting they became stars and attracted crowds! Even though more than a hundred silent films were made, it is regretful that not even one is available today for screening and study. The only silent film safe and available is “Marthanda Varma” made in the State of Kerala. A copy of this rare film at the National Film Archive of India at Poona in the State of Maharashtra. It was directed by P.V.Rao, one of the persons trained by R. Prakash.

Sun was the only source of lighting for film making in Madras in those days. As the privately owned Madras Electric Supply Corporation Ltd. was not in a position to supply the requirements of higher power for movie lights and no generators were available shooting could be done only at the mercy of sunlight! Raja Sandow or P.K. Nagalingam, originally born in Pudukottai and built up a reputation as wrestler. His went to Bombay to teach wrestling to a millionaire. Soon he entered films as hero in a silent movie produced by the Indian film pioneer Ardeshir Irani. Impressed by his hero’s physic and handsome looks, he gave him a new name “Raja Sandow!” Quickly he earned a reputation as a box office hero of Bombay silent cinema and acted against famous heroines like Miss Gohar.

Raja Sandow felt convinced that the cinema should be something more than mere entertainment. It should not be used merely to thrill but to teach and educate masses.

As silent filmmakers like R. Prakash found it difficult to get persons especially ladies to act in their films they recruited artistes from the local Anglo Indian Community. They did not suffer from superstitious beliefs, and were warm and outgoing. They were fair skinned and had good figures. As the film spoke no language the Anglo-Indian’s ignorance of Tamil did not create problems! However, there were local Indian Heroes of the silent era like “Stunt” Raju and “Battling” Mani. Mani was a star of his day, popularly known as “The Douglas Fairbanks of South India”.

In small towns of South India movies were publicised by bullock-carts going round the places with drum-beats, and music, often like being performed inside the cart! The cart had posters pasted and a person seated in the cart distributed handbills. This medium of publicity was in vogue for a long time even during the 1940’s.