Avichi Meiyappa Chettiar
Encyclopedia
Avichi Meiyappa Chettiar (28 July 1907 – 12 August 1979), also known as A. V. Meiyappan or AVM was an Indian film producer
, director
and philanthropist
who established the AVM Productions
in Vadapalani
, Chennai
. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Tamil cinema
, and one of three movie moguls
of the South Indian film industry along with S. S. Vasan
and L. V. Prasad
. His production company AVM Productions
is the only production company in Kollywood
(Tamil film industry) to run successfully for five decades and three generations.
AVM was born in Karaikudi
in a well-to-do Nagarathar
family. He moved to Chennai (then known as Madras) at an early age and established Saraswathi Stores which sold gramophone records. Subsequently, he entered the film industry and started directing his own films. After some initial setbacks, AVM delivered a string of hits in the early 1940s. Following the immense success of his 1947 film Nam Iruvar
, AVM moved to film production and established AVM Productions
in Chennai
, first at Santhome
and then at Kodambakkam. In 1951, AVM entered the Hindi film industry with the film Bahar starring Vyjayanthimala
. By the time he died in 1979, he had produced 167 films.
Some of the greatest hits produced by AVM Productions are Vazhkai, Parasakthi
, Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke, Bhookailash, Kalathur Kannamma
, Server Sundaram
and Major Chandrakanth
. AVM also directed a number of films in the 1930s and 1940s, the notable ones being Alli Arjuna
, Bhookailash, Sabapathy
, Sri Valli and Nam Iruvar
.
AVM was born in Karaikudi
on 28 July 1907 to father Avichi Chettiar and mother Lakshmi Achi basically a Nagarathar. Avichi Chettiar owned a department store called AV & Sons which sold gramophone records. AVM was born in the aristocratic Nagarathar
community whose members had gained a fine reputation in the mercantile and money-lending business in the later half of the 19th century and early years of the 20th century. At an early age, AVM envisioned better prospects in the trade of manufacturing records than simply selling them. Hence, he moved to Madras with his friends K.S.Narayana Iyengar and Subbaiah Chettiar and established a new firm called Saraswathi Stores on 9 September 1932. This new firm also manufactured gramophone records apart from selling them. In this new venture, he got excellent support from the manager K.P.Varadachari and his lawyer friend Thoothukudi Govindachari Raghavachari. Some of AVM's early productions were dramas on mythological subjects like Ramayana
m.
In 1938, AVM bought the rights for the Tamil remake of a Marathi film
on the boyhood of Lord Krishna. This film Nandakumar was an average grosser. AVM introduced a 14-year old boy, T. R. Mahalingam
, for the part of the young Lord Krishna. This young boy would later become an efficient singer turning in a number of melodious hits. Lalitha Venkataraman sang for the character Devaki making Nandakumar the first film to introduce the concept of playback singing in the Tamil film industry. Nandakumar was also one of the first Tamil movies to be shot on location as AVM leased the Club House off Mount Road in Chennai to shoot scenes without erecting sets.
AVM started his own studios in 1940 and named it Pragathi Studios. In the same year, AVM produced Bhoo Kailash which became one of the most popular film versions of the Ramayana
. The film was made in Telugu
, its lead actors were from Kannada cinema and it was directed by Sundar Rao Nadkarni, a Mangalore
an who had received his training in Bombay. AVM's comedy flick Sabapathy(1941) starring T.R. Ramachandran, K. Sarangapani and Kali N. Ratnam was a runaway hit as also Poli Panchali, another comedy. Sabapathy eventually emerged as one of the greatest comedy films of the era. He followed this with another hit En Manaivi.
In 1943, he produced the film Harischandra in Kannada based on the legend of a king who attempted to kill his own son to defend justice. The next year, the film was dubbed
into Tamil
making it the first Indian film to be dubbed from one language to another. During the making of Sri Valli in 1945, he employed singer Periyanayaki to sing for actress Rukmini. This was AVM's second film to make use of playback. Pragati technicians worked round the clock to synchronise voice and lip. Reels were shipped back and forth in cars and trains between Madras and Karaikkudi to ensure good quality.
On 14 November 1945, riding on the phenomenal success of his first few films, AVM established his new production company, AVM Productions
at Santhome
, Chennai
. He wanted to start his studio in Kodambakkam but was unable to, due to the acute power shortage during the Second World War. Left with no other choice, AVM established his studio at his hometown of Karaikudi. AVM's first film under the banner of AVM Productions was Vedala Ulagam.
In 1947, AVM produced the film Nam Iruvar
based on Sahasranamam's play of the same name. Reflecting the intense patriotic fervour and hope which engulfed the newborn nation, the film released in January 1947 after six months of shooting and was "a thundering success". The story begins with a Subramania Bharati anniversary and ends with Gandhi's 77th birthday celebrations. The success of Naam Iruvar was followed by the success of Vedala Ulagam in 1948 and Vazhkai in 1949. Vazhkai saw the introduction of Vyjayanthimala
who would later emerge as one of the top film stars of India. The film ran for 25 weeks and was released as Jeevitham(1949) in Telugu
and Bahar in Hindi. With the success of Vazhkai, AVM Productions began to produce films in Tamil
, Telugu
, Kannada, Bengali
and even Sinhalese
. Following India's independence, the power shortages had been met and AVM studios shifted to the sprawling location in Kodambakkam chosen by AVM, in the year 1948.
.
In 1952, AVM's Tamil film Parasakthi released in theatres all over Madras and was an instant success. With a powerful storyline and fiery dialogues by a future Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi
, the film preached social revolution and questioned the authority of Hindu temple priests. Sivaji Ganesan
, then a new-comer, was cast in the lead role. By the mid-1950s, he had emerged as one of the top-stars in Kollywood
.
Sivaji also starred in AVM's next Tamil film Andha Naal (1954) directed by Sundaram Balachander. The film, the first film without any songs to be released in any Indian language, was about a radio engineer who intrigues with the invading Japanese during the Second World War and is eventually killed by his wife. The style of narration had been heavily borrowed from Akira Kurosawa
's Rashomon
.
In 1953, AVM produced the Kannada film Jatakaphala which was dubbed into Jatakaphalam in Tamil and Telugu. In 1958, AVM made Bhookailas
in Telugu, which triggered the "golden age of Telugu cinema". It was subsequently remade as Bhakta Ravana in Tamil and Bhakti Mahima in Hindi.
In 1961, AVM produced the Telugu film Papa Pariharam which was a remake of the Tamil film Pavamanippu which released in the same year. Both were directed by eminent director A. Bhimsingh
and starred Shivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan
, Savitri and Devika. Like most of AVM's early films, Pavamanippu too had a storyline based on the Second World War.
Kalathur Kannamma
in 1960 saw the introduction of another star in Tamil cinema, the thespian Kamal Hassan who played an unforgettable supporting role as a young orphan. He was barely six years old at the time.
His next Tamil venture Server Sundaram (1964) featuring Nagesh
, who was a budding comedian then and debutant Major Sundarrajan was a roaring success. Server Sundaram was one of Nagesh's early hits which set the pace for an illustrious career. It also launched Major Sundarrajan as a character actor in the Tamil film industry. Sundarrajan's second hit, Major Chandrakanth where his famous portrayal of title role earned him the screen name "Major" Sundarrajan was also produced by AVM.
Pavithra Prema, Penchina Prema, Naadi Aada Janme, Chitti Chellelu, Letha Manasulu and Mooga Nomu were some good Telugu films which were produced by AVM during the period. However, AVM's greatest success of the 1960s was Bhakta Prahalada
which was produced in Telugu and subsequently dubbed into Tamil and Hindi. The film was based on the story of Narasimha
Avatar
from Hindu mythology
. It was directed by Chitrapu Narayana Murthy and starred S. V. Ranga Rao
as Hiranyakasyapu and Baby Rojaramani as Prahlada. Narayanmurthy had earlier directed a black-and-white version of Bhakta Prahlada
in 1942 which had failed at the box-office. However, the colour version which was produced a quarter of a century later under the banner of AVM Productions was a resounding success. Of the 10 different filmized versions of the Prahlada story, the 1967 colour version remains the most famous and remembered.
Another successful film by AVM in the 1960s was the 1966 film Anbe Vaa featuring the legendary M. G. Ramachandran
, Saroja Devi and Nagesh
. The film was a major success and the song Rajavin Paarvai topped the charts for a long time. In 1970, AVM produced Enga Mama featuring Sivaji Ganesan. '"Enga Mama was a Tamil remake of the Hindi film Brahmachari produced by G. P. Sippy
and performed moderately at the box-office.
In 1951, AVM made his entry into the Hindi film industry with Bahar. Starring Karan Dewan, Vyjayanthimala, Padmini, Pran, Om Prakash and Tabassum, it was a remake of the 1948 Tamil film Vazhkai. Apart from being AVM's first film in Hindi, it also marked the launch of Vyjayanthimala in the Hindi film industry. In 1954, he made Ladki, his second film in Hindi, with Vyjayanthimala again in the lead. Both these films were directed by M. V. Raman.
After enjoying moderate successes in his first two films in Hindi which went unnoticed, AVM ascended the heights of Bollywood with the third one Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke(1957). It was a children's film based on the theme of national integration and won him the Prime Minister's gold medal.
After the phenomenal success of Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke, AVM produced some good films like Bhai Bhai(1956), which was popular for the song Mera Naam Abdul Rehman sung by Kishore Kumar
and Miss Mary(1957), the dubbed version of the Tamil film Missiamma. Bhabhi
(1957) featured Balraj Sahni
, Pandari Bai
and Nanda
, apart from comedian
Jagdeep
in his first romantic role. Jagdeep also acted in other films produced by AVM as Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke and Barkha.
The Hindi films Miss Mary, Bhakti Mahima and Bhakt Prahlad were dubbed versions of AVM's Tamil or Telugu hits.
The 1961 film Chhaya won Nirupa Roy
the Filmfare Award for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Other notable Hindi films made by AVM during the 1960s were Man Mauji, Main Chup Rahungi, Pooja Ke Phool and Mehrban.
AVM's last Hindi film was Jaise Ko Taisa directed by Krishnan-Panju in 1973.
was an average grosser as was the Hindi film Dil Ka Raja which released in 1972. Akka Thamudu directed by the successful partnership of Krishnan-Panju was AVM's last film in Telugu. It was also AVM's only Telugu film featuring Jayalalithaa. In 1973, AVM produced his last film Jaise Ko Taisa starring Jitendra in the lead role.
AVM did not produce any movies following Jaise Ko Taisa in 1973. He spent his time on social activities and the charitable instituitions he had built as well as looking after his massive business empire.
AVM died on 12 August 1979 at the age of 72. In 1980, as per AVM's last wishes, AVM Studios commenced film production under Meiyappan's son M. Saravanan
, after a seven-year hiatus.
's first playback singers, made India's first dubbed film and Kollywood's first film shot on location. He has also had the distinction of having had five chief ministers work in his films - C. N. Annadurai
wrote the script for AVM's Ore Iravu, M. Karunanidhi
scripted the dialogues for Parasakthi
, M. G. Ramachandran
played the hero in Anbe Vaa, J. Jayalalithaa
was the heroine in AVM's Major Chandrakanth and Akka Thamudu and N. T. Rama Rao
starred in AVM's Jeevitham, Ramu and Bhookailash. During his four decades in the Indian film industry, he also introduced actors as T. R. Mahalingam
, Vyjayanthimala
, Sivaji Ganesan
, Kamal Hassan and Major Sundarrajan who later became top stars in Kollywood. But his greatest achievement is undoubtedly his massive business empire which comprises a production company, a movie theatre, a movie studio and a string of educational instituitions and charities.
Of AVM's creations, AVM Productions is the most prominent. The production company is into its sixty second year with three generations of the AVM family into the film production business. After AVM's death, the company passed into the hands of his sons M. Balasubramanian and M. Saravanan
. Under the able leadership of M. Saravanan, AVM Productions has continued producing hits as Punnami Naagu
(launchpad for chiranjeevi as most notable actor), Murattu Kalai (which launched Rajnikanth
into superstardom), Samsaram Adhu Minsaram (1989), Minsara Kanavu
(1997), Gemini
(2002), and Perazhagan (2004). In 2007 (which was also AVM's birth centenary year), AVM Productions released Sivaji the Boss starring Rajnikanth
and Shreya
. Made at enormous cost of Rs. 60 to 96 crores (15 to 20 million dollars), it is the costliest Tamil film made to date and had earned a critical reception worldwide. In recent times, AVM Productions has significant lessened film production making only one or two films a year. Instead, the production house is concentrating on making tele serials and documentaries Currently, Saravanan's son M. S. Guhan
and Balasubramanian's son, B. Gurunath are also into show business forming the family's third generation in the business.
In 1955, AVM won the President's gold medal for the Hindi film Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke. In 2006, the Government of India issued a stamp commemorating the achievements of AVM. On the 24th death anniversary of Avichi Meiyappa Chettiar, in 2003, AVM Productions released a VCD on the life of its founder. Starting with his early childhood in Karaikudi, the 2-hour long documentary told the story of AVM's entry into the film industry and his rise to greatness.
On 30 July 2006, in commemoration of AVM's centenary year, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi
unveiled a statue of A. V. Meiyappan at the campus of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce.
in Chennai. This trust has been managed by the descendants of AVM since his death in 1979. The AVM Charities had provided land for old age homes and organizing social events. The AVM family also owns a marriage hall, AVM Rajeswari Kalyana Mandapam which is generally rented for Hindu marriages. This marriage hall is controlled by the AVM family through AVM Charities. Following the astounding success of the 2007 Tamil film Sivaji, AVM Productions declared publicly that it would offer 25% of the revenues from the film as charity.
The AVM Group owns a string of educational institutions all over Chennai. On 10 June 1963, AVM inaugurated Avichi School in Virugambakkam
in memory of his father Avichi Chettiar. The motive behind the founding was to provide good quality education to the poorer sections of society. A number of schools have been established since the creation of Avichi School. In 1994, AVM's son Kumaran established the Avichi High School for girls. This was followed by the establishment of AVM Rajeswari Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Virugambakkam in 1995. These schools which are run by the AVM Group as a part of AVM Charities are regarded as some of the best in Chennai.
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who established the AVM Productions
AVM Productions
AVM is the oldest and largest film production studio in India. It is currently owned by M. Saravanan and his son, M. S. Guhan. The most recent film they have produced since their opening with Nam Iruvar in 1947, is Vettaikkaaran and Leader. The filming studios are located in Vadapalani, Chennai....
in Vadapalani
Vadapalani
-Murugan Koyil:Built about 125 years back, this much-hallowed and regularly frequented Lord Muruga sannidhi has emerged from a thatched shed, an unostentatious one enshrining a Murugan picture only, and established for itself a name on par with ancient places of worship...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
, and one of three movie moguls
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
of the South Indian film industry along with S. S. Vasan
S. S. Vasan
Subramaniam Srinivasan , popularly known by his screen name S. S. Vasan, was anIndian journalist, writer, advertiser, film producer, director and business tycoon...
and L. V. Prasad
L. V. Prasad
Akkineni Lakshmi Vara Prasada Rao , more popularly known as L. V. Prasad was an Indian film producer and actor. He was a recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime contribution to cinema from the Government of India for the year 1982...
. His production company AVM Productions
AVM Productions
AVM is the oldest and largest film production studio in India. It is currently owned by M. Saravanan and his son, M. S. Guhan. The most recent film they have produced since their opening with Nam Iruvar in 1947, is Vettaikkaaran and Leader. The filming studios are located in Vadapalani, Chennai....
is the only production company in Kollywood
Kollywood
Kollywood is a word referring two different movie industries in India and Nepal, derived from the word Hollywood and their local movie centers.* Tamil cinema, the Tamil language film industry based on Kodambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,...
(Tamil film industry) to run successfully for five decades and three generations.
AVM was born in Karaikudi
Karaikudi
Karaikudi is a town in Sivaganga District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Chettinad literally 'Chetti land' in Tamil, is a collection of 76 villages/towns. Chettinad stretched from Ramnad District and Pudukottai State of 'British' India. The Chettiars, or more properly the Nattukottai...
in a well-to-do Nagarathar
Nagarathar
The Nagarathars is a Chettiar community in Shaivism that originated in Kaveripoompattinam under the Chola kingdom of India. They are a prominent mercantile Vaishya, caste in Tamil Nadu, South India...
family. He moved to Chennai (then known as Madras) at an early age and established Saraswathi Stores which sold gramophone records. Subsequently, he entered the film industry and started directing his own films. After some initial setbacks, AVM delivered a string of hits in the early 1940s. Following the immense success of his 1947 film Nam Iruvar
Nam Iruvar
Nam Iruvar is a 1947 Tamil film directed and produced by A. V. Meiyappan.- Production :Based on a play written by Pa. Neelakantan and directed by Sahasranamam, Nam Iruvar was directed and produced by A.V. Meiyappan...
, AVM moved to film production and established AVM Productions
AVM Productions
AVM is the oldest and largest film production studio in India. It is currently owned by M. Saravanan and his son, M. S. Guhan. The most recent film they have produced since their opening with Nam Iruvar in 1947, is Vettaikkaaran and Leader. The filming studios are located in Vadapalani, Chennai....
in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, first at Santhome
Santhome
-History:The word Santhome or San Thome is derived from Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The local Christian belief is that the apostle came to India in A.D.52, was martyred in A.D.72 at St.Thomas Mount in the City and was interred in Mylapore. A church was built over his...
and then at Kodambakkam. In 1951, AVM entered the Hindi film industry with the film Bahar starring Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala Bali is an Indian film actress, Bharathanatyam dancer, carnatic singer, dance choreographer, golfer and a Parliamentarian....
. By the time he died in 1979, he had produced 167 films.
Some of the greatest hits produced by AVM Productions are Vazhkai, Parasakthi
Parasakthi (1952 film)
Parasakthi was a 1952 Tamil film starring Sivaji Ganesan, Pandari Bai, S. S. Rajendran, S. V. Sahasranamam and Sriranjani. It was directed by R. Krishnan and S. Panju and produced by AVM. The dialogues for the film were penned by writer M...
, Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke, Bhookailash, Kalathur Kannamma
Kalathur Kannamma
Kalathur Kannamma is a 1959 Tamil language film directed by A. Bhimsingh. This was the first movie that starred iconic Indian actor Kamal Haasan. Kamal Haasan entered the film world at the age of four and this movie won him the President’s Gold Medal. The film's cast includes Gemini Ganesan and...
, Server Sundaram
Server Sundaram
- External links :*...
and Major Chandrakanth
Major Chandrakanth
Major Chandrakanth is a 1993 Telugu film. N.T. Rama Rao and Mohan Babu played the lead roles. It Is Produced by Mohan Babu under His Sri Lakshmi Prasanna Pictures Banner. Presented by Mohan Babu's younger son Manoj Kumar and directed by veteran K. Raghavendra Rao, the film had music by M. M...
. AVM also directed a number of films in the 1930s and 1940s, the notable ones being Alli Arjuna
Alli Arjuna
Alli Arjuna is 2001 released Tamil film directed by Saran. The film featured Manoj Bharathiraja, Richa Pallod, Dhamu, Charle, Karan and Preetha Vijayakumar in major roles. Music was by A. R. Rahman.-Plot:...
, Bhookailash, Sabapathy
Sabapathy (1941 film)
Sabapathy is a 1941 Tamil film directed and produced by A. V. Meiyappan and A. T. Krishnaswamy. It was a comedy film starring T. R. Ramachandran, Kali N. Ratnam and K. Sarangapani.-Production:...
, Sri Valli and Nam Iruvar
Nam Iruvar
Nam Iruvar is a 1947 Tamil film directed and produced by A. V. Meiyappan.- Production :Based on a play written by Pa. Neelakantan and directed by Sahasranamam, Nam Iruvar was directed and produced by A.V. Meiyappan...
.
Early life
Karaikudi
Karaikudi is a town in Sivaganga District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Chettinad literally 'Chetti land' in Tamil, is a collection of 76 villages/towns. Chettinad stretched from Ramnad District and Pudukottai State of 'British' India. The Chettiars, or more properly the Nattukottai...
on 28 July 1907 to father Avichi Chettiar and mother Lakshmi Achi basically a Nagarathar. Avichi Chettiar owned a department store called AV & Sons which sold gramophone records. AVM was born in the aristocratic Nagarathar
Nagarathar
The Nagarathars is a Chettiar community in Shaivism that originated in Kaveripoompattinam under the Chola kingdom of India. They are a prominent mercantile Vaishya, caste in Tamil Nadu, South India...
community whose members had gained a fine reputation in the mercantile and money-lending business in the later half of the 19th century and early years of the 20th century. At an early age, AVM envisioned better prospects in the trade of manufacturing records than simply selling them. Hence, he moved to Madras with his friends K.S.Narayana Iyengar and Subbaiah Chettiar and established a new firm called Saraswathi Stores on 9 September 1932. This new firm also manufactured gramophone records apart from selling them. In this new venture, he got excellent support from the manager K.P.Varadachari and his lawyer friend Thoothukudi Govindachari Raghavachari. Some of AVM's early productions were dramas on mythological subjects like Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
m.
Early film career
With the dawn of the talkies, AVM established the Saraswathi Sound Productions. In 1935, AVM made his debut as a producer with the Tamil film Alli Arjuna which performed miserably at the box-office. His next venture Ratnavali was another failure. He then teamed up with Jayanthilal, a cinema house owner and promoted a new company, Pragati Pictures Ltd.In 1938, AVM bought the rights for the Tamil remake of a Marathi film
Marathi cinema
Marathi cinema refers to films produced in the Marathi language in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is the oldest and pioneer film industry in India...
on the boyhood of Lord Krishna. This film Nandakumar was an average grosser. AVM introduced a 14-year old boy, T. R. Mahalingam
T. R. Mahalingam (actor)
Thenkarai Ramakrishna Mahalingam was a Tamil film actor, singer and music composer of the 1940s and 1950s. He was known for his melodious songs mostly based on romantic or devotional themes.-Early days:...
, for the part of the young Lord Krishna. This young boy would later become an efficient singer turning in a number of melodious hits. Lalitha Venkataraman sang for the character Devaki making Nandakumar the first film to introduce the concept of playback singing in the Tamil film industry. Nandakumar was also one of the first Tamil movies to be shot on location as AVM leased the Club House off Mount Road in Chennai to shoot scenes without erecting sets.
AVM started his own studios in 1940 and named it Pragathi Studios. In the same year, AVM produced Bhoo Kailash which became one of the most popular film versions of the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. The film was made in 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...
, its lead actors were from Kannada cinema and it was directed by Sundar Rao Nadkarni, a Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
an who had received his training in Bombay. AVM's comedy flick Sabapathy(1941) starring T.R. Ramachandran, K. Sarangapani and Kali N. Ratnam was a runaway hit as also Poli Panchali, another comedy. Sabapathy eventually emerged as one of the greatest comedy films of the era. He followed this with another hit En Manaivi.
In 1943, he produced the film Harischandra in Kannada based on the legend of a king who attempted to kill his own son to defend justice. The next year, the film was dubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
into 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...
making it the first Indian film to be dubbed from one language to another. During the making of Sri Valli in 1945, he employed singer Periyanayaki to sing for actress Rukmini. This was AVM's second film to make use of playback. Pragati technicians worked round the clock to synchronise voice and lip. Reels were shipped back and forth in cars and trains between Madras and Karaikkudi to ensure good quality.
AVM Productions
AVM Productions
AVM is the oldest and largest film production studio in India. It is currently owned by M. Saravanan and his son, M. S. Guhan. The most recent film they have produced since their opening with Nam Iruvar in 1947, is Vettaikkaaran and Leader. The filming studios are located in Vadapalani, Chennai....
at Santhome
Santhome
-History:The word Santhome or San Thome is derived from Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The local Christian belief is that the apostle came to India in A.D.52, was martyred in A.D.72 at St.Thomas Mount in the City and was interred in Mylapore. A church was built over his...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. He wanted to start his studio in Kodambakkam but was unable to, due to the acute power shortage during the Second World War. Left with no other choice, AVM established his studio at his hometown of Karaikudi. AVM's first film under the banner of AVM Productions was Vedala Ulagam.
In 1947, AVM produced the film Nam Iruvar
Nam Iruvar
Nam Iruvar is a 1947 Tamil film directed and produced by A. V. Meiyappan.- Production :Based on a play written by Pa. Neelakantan and directed by Sahasranamam, Nam Iruvar was directed and produced by A.V. Meiyappan...
based on Sahasranamam's play of the same name. Reflecting the intense patriotic fervour and hope which engulfed the newborn nation, the film released in January 1947 after six months of shooting and was "a thundering success". The story begins with a Subramania Bharati anniversary and ends with Gandhi's 77th birthday celebrations. The success of Naam Iruvar was followed by the success of Vedala Ulagam in 1948 and Vazhkai in 1949. Vazhkai saw the introduction of Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala Bali is an Indian film actress, Bharathanatyam dancer, carnatic singer, dance choreographer, golfer and a Parliamentarian....
who would later emerge as one of the top film stars of India. The film ran for 25 weeks and was released as Jeevitham(1949) in 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...
and Bahar in Hindi. With the success of Vazhkai, AVM Productions began to produce films in Tamil
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
, Telugu
Telugu cinema
The Cinema of Andhra Pradesh, also referred to as Telugu Cinema or Tollywood, is the Telugu film industry in India. The Telugu language film industry is known for being one of the three largest in terms of no.of films produced yearly in India. The Prasads IMAX theatre in Hyderabad is one of the...
, Kannada, Bengali
Bengali cinema
Bengali cinema refers to the Bengali language filmmaking industries in the Bengal region of South Asia. There are two major film-making hubs in the region: one in Kolkata, West Bengal, India and the other in Dhaka, Bangladesh .The history of cinema in Bengal dates back to the 1890s, when the first...
and even Sinhalese
Cinema of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cinema encompasses the films made in Sri Lanka. It is a fledgling industry that has struggled to find a footing since its inauguration in 1947 with Kadawunu Poronduwa produced by S.M.Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone.Sri Lankan films are usually made in the Sinhalese language, the...
. Following India's independence, the power shortages had been met and AVM studios shifted to the sprawling location in Kodambakkam chosen by AVM, in the year 1948.
The 1950s
The decade of 1950s was a honeymoon period for AVM Productions which turned out a series of hits. The early years were marked by AVM's attempts to conquer the Hindi film industryBollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
.
In 1952, AVM's Tamil film Parasakthi released in theatres all over Madras and was an instant success. With a powerful storyline and fiery dialogues by a future Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
, the film preached social revolution and questioned the authority of Hindu temple priests. Sivaji Ganesan
Sivaji Ganesan
Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar , commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan , was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century. He is one of the most respected film actors in India. He is well known for his versatility and acting skills with...
, then a new-comer, was cast in the lead role. By the mid-1950s, he had emerged as one of the top-stars in Kollywood
Kollywood
Kollywood is a word referring two different movie industries in India and Nepal, derived from the word Hollywood and their local movie centers.* Tamil cinema, the Tamil language film industry based on Kodambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,...
.
Sivaji also starred in AVM's next Tamil film Andha Naal (1954) directed by Sundaram Balachander. The film, the first film without any songs to be released in any Indian language, was about a radio engineer who intrigues with the invading Japanese during the Second World War and is eventually killed by his wife. The style of narration had been heavily borrowed from Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
's Rashomon
Rashomon (film)
The bandit's storyTajōmaru, a notorious brigand , claims that he tricked the samurai to step off the mountain trail with him and look at a cache of ancient swords he discovered. In the grove he tied the samurai to a tree, then brought the woman there. She initially tried to defend herself with a...
.
In 1953, AVM produced the Kannada film Jatakaphala which was dubbed into Jatakaphalam in Tamil and Telugu. In 1958, AVM made Bhookailas
Bhookailas (1958 film)
Bhookailas is a mythological Telugu film directed by K. Shankar and written by Samudrala Raghavacharya. It is an AVM Productions. The story is based on the Sthala Purana of Gokarna Kshetram in Karnataka.-Plot:...
in Telugu, which triggered the "golden age of Telugu cinema". It was subsequently remade as Bhakta Ravana in Tamil and Bhakti Mahima in Hindi.
The 1960s
In 1961, AVM produced the Telugu film Papa Pariharam which was a remake of the Tamil film Pavamanippu which released in the same year. Both were directed by eminent director A. Bhimsingh
A. Bhimsingh
A. Bhimsingh or Bhim Singh was a film maker, producer, editor and writer . He was born on October 15, 1924. His film career started as an assistant editor with the film making duo Krishnan-Panju, in the late 1940s. His directorial debut was with Ammaiyappan , he directed several movies thereafter....
and starred Shivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan
Gemini Ganesan
Ramaswami Ganesan , popularly known as Gemini Ganesan , was an Indian actor. He was nicknamed "Kadhal Mannan" of Tamil cinema for the romantic roles he played in movies....
, Savitri and Devika. Like most of AVM's early films, Pavamanippu too had a storyline based on the Second World War.
Kalathur Kannamma
Kalathur Kannamma
Kalathur Kannamma is a 1959 Tamil language film directed by A. Bhimsingh. This was the first movie that starred iconic Indian actor Kamal Haasan. Kamal Haasan entered the film world at the age of four and this movie won him the President’s Gold Medal. The film's cast includes Gemini Ganesan and...
in 1960 saw the introduction of another star in Tamil cinema, the thespian Kamal Hassan who played an unforgettable supporting role as a young orphan. He was barely six years old at the time.
His next Tamil venture Server Sundaram (1964) featuring Nagesh
Nagesh
Nagesh , was a Tamil film actor, mostly remembered for his roles as a comedian during the 1960s. He is regarded as one of the most prolific comedians in Tamil cinema....
, who was a budding comedian then and debutant Major Sundarrajan was a roaring success. Server Sundaram was one of Nagesh's early hits which set the pace for an illustrious career. It also launched Major Sundarrajan as a character actor in the Tamil film industry. Sundarrajan's second hit, Major Chandrakanth where his famous portrayal of title role earned him the screen name "Major" Sundarrajan was also produced by AVM.
Pavithra Prema, Penchina Prema, Naadi Aada Janme, Chitti Chellelu, Letha Manasulu and Mooga Nomu were some good Telugu films which were produced by AVM during the period. However, AVM's greatest success of the 1960s was Bhakta Prahalada
Bhakta Prahlada (1967 film)
Bhakta Prahlada is a Telugu film made in 1967 by AVM Productions about a devotee Prahlada in Hindu mythology.-Crew:* Producer - A. V. Meiyappan using the banner AVM productions along with Veerappan & Co....
which was produced in Telugu and subsequently dubbed into Tamil and Hindi. The film was based on the story of Narasimha
Narasimha
Narasimha or Nrusimha , also spelt as Narasingh and Narasingha, whose name literally translates from Sanskrit as "Man-lion", is an avatar of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism...
Avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
from Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
. It was directed by Chitrapu Narayana Murthy and starred S. V. Ranga Rao
S. V. Ranga Rao
Samarla Venkata Ranga Rao Popularly Known as S.V.R. was an Indian Theater actor, Tollywood actor, director and producer...
as Hiranyakasyapu and Baby Rojaramani as Prahlada. Narayanmurthy had earlier directed a black-and-white version of Bhakta Prahlada
Bhakta Prahlada (1942 film)
Bhakta Prahlada is a 1942 Telugu film made by Sobhanachal banners about a devotee Prahlada in Hindu mythology. This is the second movie of the same story with more advanced technicians.-Plot:...
in 1942 which had failed at the box-office. However, the colour version which was produced a quarter of a century later under the banner of AVM Productions was a resounding success. Of the 10 different filmized versions of the Prahlada story, the 1967 colour version remains the most famous and remembered.
Another successful film by AVM in the 1960s was the 1966 film Anbe Vaa featuring the legendary M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
, Saroja Devi and Nagesh
Nagesh
Nagesh , was a Tamil film actor, mostly remembered for his roles as a comedian during the 1960s. He is regarded as one of the most prolific comedians in Tamil cinema....
. The film was a major success and the song Rajavin Paarvai topped the charts for a long time. In 1970, AVM produced Enga Mama featuring Sivaji Ganesan. '"Enga Mama was a Tamil remake of the Hindi film Brahmachari produced by G. P. Sippy
G. P. Sippy
Gopaldas Parmanand Sippy was a Bollywood movie producer and director. He was of Sindhi Hindu descent...
and performed moderately at the box-office.
Films in Hindi
From the initial phase of his career, AVM was associated with a number of producers and directors from North India. His 1938 film Nandakumar was the Tamil remake of a Marathi film. His 1940 film Bhookailash was directed by Sundar Rao Nadkarni who had received his training in Bombay.In 1951, AVM made his entry into the Hindi film industry with Bahar. Starring Karan Dewan, Vyjayanthimala, Padmini, Pran, Om Prakash and Tabassum, it was a remake of the 1948 Tamil film Vazhkai. Apart from being AVM's first film in Hindi, it also marked the launch of Vyjayanthimala in the Hindi film industry. In 1954, he made Ladki, his second film in Hindi, with Vyjayanthimala again in the lead. Both these films were directed by M. V. Raman.
After enjoying moderate successes in his first two films in Hindi which went unnoticed, AVM ascended the heights of Bollywood with the third one Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke(1957). It was a children's film based on the theme of national integration and won him the Prime Minister's gold medal.
After the phenomenal success of Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke, AVM produced some good films like Bhai Bhai(1956), which was popular for the song Mera Naam Abdul Rehman sung by Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar , born Abhas Kumar Ganguly, was an Indian film playback singer and an actor who also worked as lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenwriter and scriptwriter.Kishore Kumar was one of India's greatest performers of the late 20th century...
and Miss Mary(1957), the dubbed version of the Tamil film Missiamma. Bhabhi
Bhabhi (1957 film)
Bhabhi is 1957 Hindi urdu film directed by R Krishnan Raju and S Panju for AVM Productions. The film stars Balraj Sahni, South Indian actress Pandari Bai, Nanda in pivotal roles....
(1957) featured Balraj Sahni
Balraj Sahni
Balraj Sahni , born Yudhishthir Sahni , was a famous Hindi film actor. He belonged to a Punjabi Khatri family from Bhera now in Punjab, Pakistan...
, Pandari Bai
Pandari Bai
Pandari Bai was a prominent heroine of South Indian languages films mostly in Kannada and Tamil during the 1950s and 60s. She has the distinction of having acted as both heroine and mother to stalwarts such as Dr. Rajkumar and Sivaji Ganesan...
and Nanda
Nanda (actress)
- Early life :Nanda was born in a show-business family to Vinayak Damodar Karnataki, a successful Marathi actor-director and Marathi actress, Meenakshi Shirodkar . Minakshi's granddaughters are actresses Namrata Shirodkar and Shilpa Shirodkar. Shirodkars belong to Gomantak Maratha Samaj or Nutan...
, apart from comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Jagdeep
Jagdeep
Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jaffry, better known as Jagdeep, is an Indian film actor known for his comic roles. He played Soorma Bhopali in Sholay , Gabbar in Purana Mandir , Chief Zabardast in Tehkhana , Hotel Receptionist in Veerana , Salman Khan's father In Andaaz Apna Apna and later directed a movie...
in his first romantic role. Jagdeep also acted in other films produced by AVM as Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke and Barkha.
The Hindi films Miss Mary, Bhakti Mahima and Bhakt Prahlad were dubbed versions of AVM's Tamil or Telugu hits.
The 1961 film Chhaya won Nirupa Roy
Nirupa Roy
-Filmography:* Lal Baadshah * Mard * Mawali * Betab * Khoon aur Pani * Aatish * Kartavya .... Vijay's mother* Khandaan .... Savitri G. Srivastav...
the Filmfare Award for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Other notable Hindi films made by AVM during the 1960s were Man Mauji, Main Chup Rahungi, Pooja Ke Phool and Mehrban.
AVM's last Hindi film was Jaise Ko Taisa directed by Krishnan-Panju in 1973.
Later Years and Death
With dawn of the 1970s, production had slowed down considerably. This was due to the fact that AVM himself was ageing. Moreover, the AVM family chose to focus their attention upon social activities other than filming. AVM Productions produced not more than four films during the decade: Bomma Borusa, Dil Ka Raja,Akka Thamudu and Jaise Ko Taisa. Bomma Borusa made in Telugu by K. BalachanderK. Balachander
K. Balachander is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer. Balachander is known for his distinct film-making style. His films analyse unusual or complicated interpersonal relationships and social themes. He has directed nearly 80 films and has worked in 100 films either as director or...
was an average grosser as was the Hindi film Dil Ka Raja which released in 1972. Akka Thamudu directed by the successful partnership of Krishnan-Panju was AVM's last film in Telugu. It was also AVM's only Telugu film featuring Jayalalithaa. In 1973, AVM produced his last film Jaise Ko Taisa starring Jitendra in the lead role.
AVM did not produce any movies following Jaise Ko Taisa in 1973. He spent his time on social activities and the charitable instituitions he had built as well as looking after his massive business empire.
AVM died on 12 August 1979 at the age of 72. In 1980, as per AVM's last wishes, AVM Studios commenced film production under Meiyappan's son M. Saravanan
M. Saravanan
Saravanan Surya Mani or M. Saravanan is a producer of Tamil films. His production company is AVM Productions. He has been involved in hits such as Sivaji: The Boss, Thirupathi, Minsaara Kanavu, and Ayan. He is the father of M. S. Guhan, another producer of movies. He owns the AVM Studios in...
, after a seven-year hiatus.
Legacy
During a career spanning four decades, AVM had produced 167 movies in all. He also directed most of his early movies. He is credited with having introduced KollywoodKollywood
Kollywood is a word referring two different movie industries in India and Nepal, derived from the word Hollywood and their local movie centers.* Tamil cinema, the Tamil language film industry based on Kodambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,...
's first playback singers, made India's first dubbed film and Kollywood's first film shot on location. He has also had the distinction of having had five chief ministers work in his films - C. N. Annadurai
C. N. Annadurai
Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai , popularly called Anna , or Arignar Anna was a former Chief Minister of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
wrote the script for AVM's Ore Iravu, M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
scripted the dialogues for Parasakthi
Parasakthi (1952 film)
Parasakthi was a 1952 Tamil film starring Sivaji Ganesan, Pandari Bai, S. S. Rajendran, S. V. Sahasranamam and Sriranjani. It was directed by R. Krishnan and S. Panju and produced by AVM. The dialogues for the film were penned by writer M...
, M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
played the hero in Anbe Vaa, J. Jayalalithaa
J. Jayalalithaa
Jayalalithaa Jayaram ; born 24 February 1948) commonly referred to as J. Jayalalitha, is the Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. She is the incumbent general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian party. She is called Amma and Puratchi Thalaivi by her...
was the heroine in AVM's Major Chandrakanth and Akka Thamudu and N. T. Rama Rao
N. T. Rama Rao
Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao , also known as NTR and fondly referred to as Anna Garu, was an Indian film actor, director, producer, and a politician...
starred in AVM's Jeevitham, Ramu and Bhookailash. During his four decades in the Indian film industry, he also introduced actors as T. R. Mahalingam
T. R. Mahalingam (actor)
Thenkarai Ramakrishna Mahalingam was a Tamil film actor, singer and music composer of the 1940s and 1950s. He was known for his melodious songs mostly based on romantic or devotional themes.-Early days:...
, Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala Bali is an Indian film actress, Bharathanatyam dancer, carnatic singer, dance choreographer, golfer and a Parliamentarian....
, Sivaji Ganesan
Sivaji Ganesan
Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar , commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan , was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century. He is one of the most respected film actors in India. He is well known for his versatility and acting skills with...
, Kamal Hassan and Major Sundarrajan who later became top stars in Kollywood. But his greatest achievement is undoubtedly his massive business empire which comprises a production company, a movie theatre, a movie studio and a string of educational instituitions and charities.
Of AVM's creations, AVM Productions is the most prominent. The production company is into its sixty second year with three generations of the AVM family into the film production business. After AVM's death, the company passed into the hands of his sons M. Balasubramanian and M. Saravanan
M. Saravanan
Saravanan Surya Mani or M. Saravanan is a producer of Tamil films. His production company is AVM Productions. He has been involved in hits such as Sivaji: The Boss, Thirupathi, Minsaara Kanavu, and Ayan. He is the father of M. S. Guhan, another producer of movies. He owns the AVM Studios in...
. Under the able leadership of M. Saravanan, AVM Productions has continued producing hits as Punnami Naagu
Punnami Naagu
Punnami Naagu is a Telugu film that was directed by Rajasekhar and produced by AVM Productions. Chiranjeevi, Rati Agnihotri, Narasimha Raju, and Padmanabham played important roles. The film was released on June 13, 1980...
(launchpad for chiranjeevi as most notable actor), Murattu Kalai (which launched Rajnikanth
Rajnikanth
Rajinikanth is an Indian film actor, media personality, and cultural icon. He made his debut as an actor in the National Film Award-winning motion picture Apoorva Raagangal , directed by K. Balachander, whom the actor considers his mentor....
into superstardom), Samsaram Adhu Minsaram (1989), Minsara Kanavu
Minsaara Kanavu
Minsara Kanavu is a 1997 Tamil, Romance film, directed by Rajiv Menon. The film's score and soundtrack is composed by A. R. Rahman. Originally produced in Tamil, it went on to be dubbed in Telugu and in Hindi owing to its popularity....
(1997), Gemini
Gemini (2002 film)
Gemini is a Tamil language film which was released in 2002. It was directed by successful director, Saran and it was produced by the AVM company headed by M. S. Guhan and M. Saravanan. The film starred Vikram and Kiran Rathod in the lead roles with Kalabhavan Mani in a villain role. Kiran Rathod...
(2002), and Perazhagan (2004). In 2007 (which was also AVM's birth centenary year), AVM Productions released Sivaji the Boss starring Rajnikanth
Rajnikanth
Rajinikanth is an Indian film actor, media personality, and cultural icon. He made his debut as an actor in the National Film Award-winning motion picture Apoorva Raagangal , directed by K. Balachander, whom the actor considers his mentor....
and Shreya
Shreya
Shriya is a contemporary Hindu Indian name which means 'Auspicious' or 'Lucky' in Sanskrit. It also refers to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi in many ancient religious hymns. Shriya may also mean 'most beautiful' or 'most talented' and also it means 'success'...
. Made at enormous cost of Rs. 60 to 96 crores (15 to 20 million dollars), it is the costliest Tamil film made to date and had earned a critical reception worldwide. In recent times, AVM Productions has significant lessened film production making only one or two films a year. Instead, the production house is concentrating on making tele serials and documentaries Currently, Saravanan's son M. S. Guhan
M. S. Guhan
M. S. Guhan is a producer of Tamil films. He has been involved in hits such as Sivaji: The Boss, Thirupathi and Minsaara Kanavu, and recently Ayan. He is the son of noted producer M. Saravanan, who owns the AVM Studios in Chennai. His grandfather was Avichi Meiyappa Chettiar.-References:...
and Balasubramanian's son, B. Gurunath are also into show business forming the family's third generation in the business.
In 1955, AVM won the President's gold medal for the Hindi film Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke. In 2006, the Government of India issued a stamp commemorating the achievements of AVM. On the 24th death anniversary of Avichi Meiyappa Chettiar, in 2003, AVM Productions released a VCD on the life of its founder. Starting with his early childhood in Karaikudi, the 2-hour long documentary told the story of AVM's entry into the film industry and his rise to greatness.
On 30 July 2006, in commemoration of AVM's centenary year, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
unveiled a statue of A. V. Meiyappan at the campus of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce.
Philantropy
Apart from his contributions to the growth of motion picture industry in Tamil Nadu, AVM has also donated extensively for charitable causes. The charitable activities of the AVM group were channeled through an organization called AVM Charities established at MylaporeMylapore
Mylapore is a cultural hub and neighborhood in the southern part of the city of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. Earlier, Mylapore used to be called Vedapuri....
in Chennai. This trust has been managed by the descendants of AVM since his death in 1979. The AVM Charities had provided land for old age homes and organizing social events. The AVM family also owns a marriage hall, AVM Rajeswari Kalyana Mandapam which is generally rented for Hindu marriages. This marriage hall is controlled by the AVM family through AVM Charities. Following the astounding success of the 2007 Tamil film Sivaji, AVM Productions declared publicly that it would offer 25% of the revenues from the film as charity.
The AVM Group owns a string of educational institutions all over Chennai. On 10 June 1963, AVM inaugurated Avichi School in Virugambakkam
Virugambakkam
Virugambakkam is a residential neighbourhood of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is an important residential area and is famous for its schools, market, residential colonies and residences of film artists...
in memory of his father Avichi Chettiar. The motive behind the founding was to provide good quality education to the poorer sections of society. A number of schools have been established since the creation of Avichi School. In 1994, AVM's son Kumaran established the Avichi High School for girls. This was followed by the establishment of AVM Rajeswari Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Virugambakkam in 1995. These schools which are run by the AVM Group as a part of AVM Charities are regarded as some of the best in Chennai.
As producer
| Year | Film | Language | Cast | Director |
| 1935 | Alli Arjuna | Tamil |
Further reading
- Enatu Valkkai Anuppavangal (English: My Experiences in Life), Autobiography by A. V. Meiyappan.