T. R. Sundaram

T. R. Sundaram

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Category: Cinema

T. R. Sundaram Profile

  • Name:
  • T. R. Sundaram
  • Other Name:
  • Tiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram

T. R. Sundaram Biography

T. R. Sundaram was a film actor, director, and producer associated with south Indian films who founded production company Modern Theatres, known for many landmark movies like Alibabavum Narpadhu Thirudargalum (First Tamil colour film shot in Geva colour), Kandam Becha Kottu (First colour Malayalam film), Uthama Puthiran (First double role in Tamil films), Balan (First Malayalam Talkie film), The Jungle (First English film in Tamil Nadu), Chow Chow (First anthology film) etc. The first most expensive film to be produced under this banner was Manonmani (1942), starring P. U. Chinnappa and TR Rajakumari.

 

Tiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram was born in 1907 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to a wealthy family of textile merchant. He did graduation in textile engineering in England and managed family business once he returned. In between he plunged into film production and kept a momentum with his business and film career. He was the co-producer of first Tamil talkie Kalidas in 1931, which was a profitable business. Prior to his own production company Modern Theatres, he owned a production company - Angel Pictures in Salem along with S. S. Velayutham. Modern Theatres later became one of the landmark production companies of south Indian film industry, beginning many new techniques to south Indian cinema, including colour and talkies.

 

Sathi Ahalya in 1937 was his first film under the new banner, followed by Malayalam’s first talkie – Balan. He played a significant role in popularizing actor MGR through his movies. In fact MGR’s first major break Manthirikumari was given by T. R. Sundaram. In 1961, he made the first Malayalam colour film Kandam Becha Kottu which won a National award for second best film in Malayalam. He was the first film producer to experiment the idea of seeking public opinion on the choice of the female and male leads and made it possible through ads on newspapers. In the 97th film of Sundaram, Manorama played her first heroine role.

Published: N/A

Updated: February 03, 2016

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