Sri Lankan Tamil cinema is a small filmmaking industry based in Sri Lanka, which has made under 100 Tamil language films as of 2013.Sri Lankan Tamil Cinema and the Search for a Distinct Identity 4 December 2013 by D.B.S. Jeyaraj (originally published in the Indian newsmagazine Frontline on 13–26 February 1999, Vol. 16–No. 04, as part of the Symposium on Sri Lanka’s Cultural Experience) it is separate from its Indian counterpart, the Tamil cinema of Kodambakkam in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, as many Sri Lankan Tamil actors work in Sri Lankan films or independent Tamil films overseas, although a few noted Tamil actors in India were born in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Tamil cinema's growth has largely been stalled due to the Sri Lankan Civil War.
History Tamils contributed significantly to Sinhala cinema as well as Indian Tamil cinema. The earliest ever Tamil films were mostly destroyed or unrecovered during wartime. The first known Sinhalese film dubbed in Tamil was released on 29 December 1951. The Sri Lankan Tamil film Samuthayam (transl. Society), an adaptation of C.N. Annadurai’s Velaikkari, was made in 16 mm and technicolor. It was shown in 1962 and 1963. Thottakkari (Plantation Woman), released on 28 March 1962, was the first Sri Lankan Tamil film in the standard 35 mm format. It included speeches by trade unionists S. Thondaman and Azeez and was directed by Krishnakumar, who also played the film's male lead.
Government-instituted development and individual achievement (1971–1979); unprecedented surge in yearly admissions In 1971, a socialist government that sought to overcome the dominance of screen time in Sri Lanka by Tamil and Hindi films came to power in the country. Foreign film dominance had resulted in domestically produced films being relegated to 20% of the screen time while foreign films occupied 80% (60% Tamil, 10% Hindi, 10% English). The government that won power had promised to redress this imbalance. It established the State Film Corporation by Act No. 47 of 1971, charged with the promotion of national film and giving and making available a wide variety of films to the public.
The State Film Corporation (SFC) established a unique credit scheme for film production. Loans were given on the basis of a script evaluation, and those taking part with credit were given on the collateral of the negatives. This was at a time when bank lending was very conventional and such a 'collateral' was unheard of in the banking industry. The directors and main technicians had to have prior training to obtain loans via a system of registration. Prior to these measures, films produced domestically were transliterations of Tamil and Hindi films, to the extent that there was no credit for screenplay. The only credit was for dialogues, as the "screenplay" was a transliteration of the Hindi or Tamil original. The credit scheme ensured original screenwriting for the first time, and stories that were copies of Hindi and Tamil were not entitled to receive loans. Thus, a professional film production industry was established.
As a rebirth of Sri Lankan Tamil cinema, the comedy/thriller movie Komaali Kings was announced on 23 January 2016. The team says, "‘Komaali Kings’ is an attempt to rekindle and re-establish nostalgic memories of the hay days of Sri Lankan Tamil cinema."
The filmography of the Sri Lankan Tamil cinema is as follows.
Early films 1960s No Film title Meaning of title Film director Date releasedNotes 1 Samuthayam Society Henry Chandrawansa 1962 16-mm Technicolor Movie 2 Thottakkari A lady from Plantation Krishnakumar 28 March 1962 3 Kadamayin Ellai Limits of Duty M.Vedanayagam 1966 4 Pasa Nila Beloved Moon Joe Dev Anand 1966 16-mm Movie 5 Taxi Driver Taxi Driver T.Sundukuli Somasegaran 1966 6 Nirmala Nirmala A.Ragunathan 1968
Films released in 1970s No Film title Meaning of title Film director Date released Notes 7 Manjal Kungumam Turmeric and Kumkum Balan 1970 8 Vensangu White Conch W. M. S.Thambo 1970 9 Kuthuvilakku Sacred Lamp W. S. Mahendran 1972 10 Meenava Penn Fisherfolk Lady Krishnakumar 1973 11 Pudhiya Kattru A New waves S. Ramanathan 1975 12 Komaligal The Clowns 1976 13 Ponmani Ponmani Dharmasena Patthiraja 1977 14 Kaathirupaen Unakaaha I will wait for you S. V. Chandran 1977 15 Naan Ungal Thozhan I'm Your friend 1978 16 Vadakkattru Cool Breeze Premnath Moraes 1977 17 Thendralum Puyalum Wind and Typhoon M. A. Kapoor 1978 First and only Tamil Cinemasope movie 18 Theivam Thantha Veedu God gave this House Wlfred Silva 1978 19 Aemalikal Fools S. Ramanathan 1978 20 Anuragam Anuragam Yasapalitha Nanayakkara 1978 21 Engalil Oruvan A Man among usS.V.Chandran 1979
Films released in 1980s No Film title Meaning of title Film director Date released 22 Rathathin Rathamae Beloved blood relatives Joe Dev Anand 1980 23 Aval Oru Jeevanathi She is a living river J.B.Robert, Joe Michael 1980 24 Nadu Potra Vaalka Live a great life so that the country will celebrate you Yasapalitha Nanayakkara 1979 25 Nenjukku Neethi Just to the heart T.Sundukuli Somasegaran 1980 26 Pathai Maariya Paruvangal Ages when paths changed NA 1982
Films released in 2000s—present
No Film title Meaning of title Film director Date releasedNotes 27 Sharmilavin Ithaya Ragam Sharmila’s Melody of the Heart Peradeniya Junaideen, Sunil Soma Peiris 199328Kadalora KaatruA Wing Along the CoastN. Kesavarajan31 December 200229 Orey Naalil In a single day Yusuf Rahim released 2011 30 Operation Ellalan Symbol of Supreme Sacrifice Thamilan 2010 31 Ennul Enna Matramo What change do I have within me? S.Kavimaran 14 June 2013 32 School Gang - Kalluri Padaiyani Musical Instrument K.Kiruthigan 16 June 2015 33 Senthanal Red Flame Sutharshan Kanagarajah April 201634 Komaali Kings Kings Of Comedians King Ratnam 23 February 201835 Oru Kuyilum 2 Koattankalum 1 Koel, 2 batons NS Thanaa 26 June 201836 Bodhai Addictive Kirushanth Jeyakumar 26 June 201937 Parthiba Parthiba R. P. Abarnasuthan 21 November 201938 Sinamkol Infuriate Ranjith Joseph 4 January 202039 Theevinai Achcham Scared Dinesh Raveendran 8 Feb 202040Puththi Ketta Manitharellam All dumb people Raj Sivaraj 24 December 202141Munnel SoilVisakesa Chandrasekaram28 January 202342VellinattukkaasuForeign moneySasikaran Yo26 March 202343Soppana Sundhari Mathavan Maheswaran26 August 202344AdhiranThinesh Kanagaraj28 November 2025 45 OTP Oru Trip Powam Joy Jegarthan 15 April 2026
Films yet to be released No Film title Meaning of title Film director Notes 1 Meendum Again Dhurupan made in Norway 2 Kaadhal Kaditham Love Letter Mukesh 3Poiyaa VilakkuThe Lamp of Truth Thanesh Gopal4Venthu Thaninthathu Kaadu The Scorched ForestMathi Sutha
International films No Film title Meaning of title Film director Date released Notes1 Mann Earth Pudhiyavan 24 November 2006made by British expatriates and Indians2 Akoran Very angry person Dinesh Raveendran 10 February 2017released in Australia3 Little Jaffna Lawrence Valin 6 September 2014 released in Venice
Notable filmmakers Lenin M. Sivam 1999 (2009), A Gun & a Ring (2013), Roobha (2018)
Notable personalities B. H. Abdul Hameed K. S. Balachandran
See also Sinhala Cinema Sri Lankan Tamils in Sinhala Cinema Sri Lankan Tamils in Indian cinema Tamil cinema South Asian cinema Cinema of the world
References