Central Studios
Central Studios was an Indian film studio in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, started by B.Rangaswamy Naidu and other prominent industrialists like Swamikannu Vincent of Coimbatore in 1935 to make Tamil and other South Indian language movies. The studio was a major hub of Tamil movie production and notable for its association with many early day Tamil Movie Superstars, directors and script writers etc. and many making their career debuts here. The studio is best remembered for movies like Sivakavi, Velaikari and Haridas.
History
Movie industry in Coimbatore
Movies became a major industry in Coimbatore when in 1905 a South Indian Railways employee Samikannu Vincent purchased a film projector along with some silent films from a Frenchman named Du Pont who had fallen ill on his touring exhibition. Samikannu Vincent then built a business as film exhibitor first by traveling around the country and finally erecting tents theaters for screening films. His tent cinema became popular as he traveled all over the state with his mobile unit. In 1917, Samikannu Vincent built South India's first permanent cinema theater, Variety Hall Cinema, at the Town Hall; it is now called the Delite Theater. As Samikannu Vincent also generated his own electric power for his theaters, he built a series of theaters in and around the city to screen silent films. He also became a distributor for the French Pathé Frères movie projectors. In the early 1930s he launched the Variety Hall Talkies banner to make sound film and released a few movies which were mainly shot in Calcutta. Feeling a need to have a movie studio, he was instrumental, along with other industrialists and movie makers, in establishing a fully equipped studio in Coimbatore.Also during the late 1920s, another firm under Sabapathy was involved in the distributorship of an Italian movie projector company, eventually leading to the manufacture of their own brand of movie projectors in Coimbatore. By the early thirties Coimbatore already had a studio named Premier Cinetone Studio . In 1935 a London-educated graduate, T. R. Sundaram, built a fully equipped movie studio, Modern Theatres, in Salem, and the region became the central hub for movie activity.
Studio beginnings
Central Studio was founded by a group of prominent industrialists B. Rangaswamy Naidu, R. K. Ramakrishnan Chettiar, Samikannu Vincent, and another new movie director S. M. Sriramulu Naidu. Studio commenced its operation in 1936 with their first release being Thukkaram in 1937 directed by S. M. Sriramulu Naidu. By the early 1940s the Studio became the central hub of Tamil Movie industry.Facilities
The Studio is located in Uppilipalayam near Singanallur township, Trichy Road which is today a part of Coimbatore city. The Studio had almost all modern facilities required for a Movie studio along with Sound and film editing labs and technical workshops. The sound engineers and cameramen were all Germans during the 30s and most of the Make-Up team were from Mumbai. The studio also had a music department headed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu. The studio also boasted the BNC Mitchell Camera, then a Hollywood standard, which cost a whopping Rs 500,000 in the 1930s and the Studio was equipped with 10 KW, 5 KW AND 2 KW lights. Most of the artists and technicians were on monthly payroll.Studio system
The Silver Jubilee hit movie of 1936 Sivakavi starring M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, was an in-house production, as well as several socially significant movies. Central Studio released few movies, but the Studio housed lot of other production banners. The most popular being Jupiter Pictures and Pakshiraja Films. Other production houses that operated inside the studio were Narayanan and Company, Manorama Pictures and Venu Pictures. The then popular comedian trio N. S. Krishnan and T. Mathuram had their independent production unit, Ashoka Films inside the premises. They often made their comedy track independently and sold to other Movie producers who later released as ‘side reel’.Notable film personalities
The studio was a central hub during the early days for Tamil movies first 'Superstars' P. U. Chinnappa and M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and the popular comedian N. S. Krishnan and T. A. Mathuram. The studio was also a starting point for four of Tamil Nadu state Chief Ministers C. N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, M. G. Ramachandran and V. N. Janaki. The Studio housed famous musicians S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, while G. Ramanathan along with Papanasam Sivan and K. V. Mahadevan composed for some of the Studio Movies. The popular music composer M. S. Viswanathan was an assistant to S. M. Subbiah Naidu. Playback singer T. M. Soundararajan made his early foray as playback singer here so was Lyricist Kannadasan in his initial career. Central Studio was a launch pad for many later day directors like Muktha Srinivasan who was an Associate Director for 1954 release Sorgavasal. and K. Shankar who was in the editing department. Actress Sachu as childhood artist appeared in few films shot here. T. R. Rajakumari featured in many films shot in Central Studioc.Famous directors who operated out of the Studio were S. M. Sriramulu Naidu, Ellis R. Dungan, A. S. A. Sami, A. P. Nagarajan and popular duo Krishnan–Panju of Parasakthi fame who directed their first movie in Central Studios. India's pioneering Cinematographer Adi Merwan Irani worked in this studio for Sivakavi and Haridas. Sando Chinnappa Thevar, of Devar Films living nearby in Ramanathapuram was a body builder who worked as stunt actor before becoming one of Indias successful movie producers.
Final years
In 1945 S. M. Sriramulu Naidu left Central Studios to start his own Studio called Pakshiraja Studios and B. Rangaswamy Naidu family bought out majority of its shares. During the late 1940s the management leased the Studio to Jupiter Pictures. After B. R. Naidu's demise the Studio management passed on to Lakshmi Mills family who closed it in 1959 as Chennai by then emerged as the major Movie hub and also as a result of other lobbying groups who wanted to keep movie industry out of Coimbatore, as it was then emerging into an Industrial and Educational hub. The Studio with its equipments were leased to other producers in 1958 and continued Film distribution till 1962.Present day
Most of the Studio structure is still intact as the B. R. Naidu family uses the premises for various industrial activities. Some of the buildings houses Textile production units and small workshops. During the 70s and 80s race car constructor and driver S. Karivardhan used the studio premises to build and test his race cars.Till 2009 the text impression ‘ Central Studios’ can found at their main entrance gate. Recently in 2010 some structures were pulled down to make way for new developments. Post 2013 the studio premises was split between the family members of B. R. Naidu and though the buildings remain as it, the approach roads are different and still remain private.
List of Major Releases
Movies listed here are partial list only. The list includes other Production houses operating from Central Studios.| Year | Title | Language | Production | Lead Cast | Director | Music Composer | Notes |
| 1938 | Thukkaram | Tamil | Central Studios | Musiri Subramania Iyer Chokkalinga Bhagavathar K. Seetha Meenambal R. Balasaraswathi | B. N. Rao | Musiri Subramania Iyer | The only movie of the iconic Carnatic musician Musiri Subramania Iyer. Telugu version was played by C. S. R. Anjaneyulu as the lead |
| 1939 | Rambaiyin Kaadhal | Tamil | Central Studios, Sri Murugan Talkies | K. Sarangkapani, K. L. V. Vasantha, N. S. Krishnan | B. N. Rao | Debut movie for comedian T. S. Durairaj | |
| 1941 | Aryamala | Tamil | Pakshiraja Films K. S. Narayanan Iyengar | P. U. Chinnappa M. S. Sarojini M. R. Santhanalakshmi N. S. Krishnan | Bomman Irani | G. Ramanathan | |
| 1943 | Sivakavi | Tamil | Central Studios, Pakshiraja Films | M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar S. Jayalakshmi T. R. Rajakumari N. S. Krishnan | S. M. Sriramulu Naidu | Papanasam Sivan | Shooting started in 1942 with P. K. Raja Sandow as the director. But soon disputes arose between Raja Sandow and the producer S. M. Sriramulu Naidu who took over the reins himself. The script was written by Elangovan. Upon release this was the major blockbuster of the year with full houses in all over Madras Presidency. |
| 1944 | Haridas | Tamil | Royal Talkies | M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar T. R. Rajakumari N. C. Vasanthakokilam N. S. Krishnan | Sundar Rao Nadkarni | Papanasam Sivan, G. Ramanathan | One of the record setting blockbuster hit, released for 1944 Deepavali, it ran continuously in Madras Broadway Theater with full shows for 110 weeks, crossing 1945 and 1946 Deepavali's |
| 1946 | Valmiki | Tamil | Central Studios | C. Honnappa Bhagavathar U. R. Jeevarathinam T. R. Rajakumari N. C. Vasanthakokilam | Sundar Rao Nadkarni | Papanasam Sivan | The movie was originally signed with M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and shooting commenced in 1944 with M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar as the lead before his arrest in the Lakshmikanthan Murder Case. Later, all the scenes had to be re-shot with C. Honnappa Bhagavathar . |
| 1948 | Bilhanan | Tamil | TKS Brothers | T. K. Shanmugam T. K. Bhagavathi M. S. Draupathi | K.V. Srinivasan | T. A. Kalyanam | The story and screenplay was by A.S.A. Sami was popular in AIR played by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhaghavathar. |
| 1949 | Velaikkaari | Tamil | Jupiter Pictures | K. R. Ramasamy Janaki Ramachandran M. N. Nambiar | A. S. A. Sami | S. M. Subbaiah Naidu C. R. Subburaman | The film script was written by C. N. Annadurai, his second film to be based on his plays... |
| 1949 | Kanniyin Kaadhali | Tamil | Jupiter Pictures | Madhuri Devi Anjali Devi N. S. Krishnan T. A. Mathuram | K. Ramnoth and A. K. Sekhar | S. M. Subbaiah Naidu C. R. Subburaman | The movie featured a dance sequence by the famed sister duo Lalitha and Padmini. |
| 1950 | Krishna Vijayam | Tamil | Jupiter Pictures | N. C. Vasanthakokilam P. V. Narasimha Bharathi | Sundar Rao Nadkarni | S. M. Subbaiah Naidu C. S. Jayaraman | Th efilm featured dance by Lalitha and Padmini . |
| 1951 | Marmayogi | Tamil | Jupiter Pictures | M. G. Ramachandran M. N. Nambiar Anjali Devi Madhuri Devi | K. Ramnoth | S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, C. R. Subburaman | Jupiter Pictures remade the film in Telugu with same name starring N. T. Rama Rao. The film was also made in Hindi as Ek Tha Raja in 1951 with M. G. Ramachandran played the lead role at the same time. |
| 1954 | Sorgavasal | Tamil | Parimalam Pictures | K. R. Ramaswamy S. S. Rajendran Anjali Devi P. S. Veerappa Padmini | A. Kasilingam | Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy | The film was partly shot at Central Studion and Neptune Studios, Adyar, Madras. Parimalam Pictures was jointly promoted by Jupiter Pictures and N. K. Kaliappa |
| 1955 | Town Bus | Tamil | M. A. Venu | N. N. Kannappa Anjali Devi A. Karunanidhi | K. Somu | K. V. Mahadevan | Story by A. P. Nagarajan'' |
| 1955 | Mullaivanam | Tamil | Arvind Pictures | Sriram Kumari Rukmini P. S. Veerappa A. Karunanidhi | V. Krishnan | K. V. Mahadevan | |
| 1955 | Pennarasi | Tamil | M. A. Venu | P. Kannamba A. P. Nagarajan Rajasulochana M. N. Nambiar P. S. Veerappa | K. Somu | K. V. Mahadevan | Story by A. P. Nagarajan |
- The 1947 Sinhala film Asokamala was also shot in Central Studios
- The 1954 Prem Nazir hit movie Manasakshi was produced here.