TrueTamil provides the latest Movie News, Cast & Crew details, Movie Reviews, Trailers, and Galleries from the Tamil cinema industry. Stay updated with cinema gossip, actor and actress photo galleries, new movie songs, comedies, and memes — updated 17 April 2026.
Tamil cinema, popularly known as Kollywood (a portmanteau of Kodambakkam and Hollywood), is one of the oldest and largest film industries in India and the world. Kolambakkam, a suburb of Chennai, has historically been the heart of Tamil film production. The Tamil film industry produces over 200 films annually and has a massive audience not only in Tamil Nadu, but also among Tamil-speaking communities in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE, the UK, the USA, and Canada.
Tamil cinema traces its origins to 1916, when the first silent Tamil film, Keechaka Vadham, was produced by Nataraja Mudaliar. The first Tamil talkie, Kalidas, was released on October 31, 1931 — the same day as the first Hindi talkie, making Tamil cinema among the earliest sound film industries in Asia. Legendary actors like MGR (M. G. Ramachandran) and Sivaji Ganesan defined Tamil cinema from the 1950s through the 1980s, with MGR later becoming Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu — a testament to cinema's deep cultural influence in the state.
Modern Kollywood is globally recognised for its storytelling, music, action sequences, and technical innovation. Superstar Rajinikanth remains one of the world's most recognisable film personalities, with a pan-Asian fan following. Kamal Haasan, known as "Ulaganayagan" (Universal Hero), is celebrated for his range as an actor, director, and screenwriter. Directors like Mani Ratnam, S. Shankar, and Pa. Ranjith have brought Tamil cinema to international film festival circuits. Tamil films regularly earn National Film Awards — Tamil Nadu's Jai Bhim (2021) became one of the highest-rated Indian films on IMDb globally.
Tamil music is a defining feature of Tamil films. Legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja has scored music for over 1,000 films and is widely considered the most influential composer in Indian cinema. A. R. Rahman, who began his career in Tamil films, went on to win two Academy Awards (Oscars) for Slumdog Millionaire (2009) — the first Indian to do so. Today, composers like Anirudh Ravichander, Yuvan Shankar Raja, and D. Imman dominate the Tamil music charts.
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