Tamil writer Suka has released a documentary to commemorate the 70th anniversary of AVM Studios, one of the oldest film studios in Chennai, last week.
The film, titled AVM 70, traces the history of how its founder A V Meiyappa Chettiar began his career in the 1930s selling gramophone records in his native Karaikudi town in Tamil Nadu. In 1943, he set up Saraswathi Sound Production with some friends in Chennai but shifted back to Karaikudi due to frequent power cuts of World War II.
In 1959, he established AVM Studios at Vadapalani in Chennai. It was a full-fledged studio and produced nearly 200 films in all South Indian languages. After Meiyappa Chettiar’s death in 1979, his sons continued his success story and also branched out into producing television programmes. It was the first studio to produce a children’s film Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke that won a national award from India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Suka’s documentary also has inputs from late actor Sivaji Ganesan, leading star Kamalhaasan and filmmakers A C Thirulokachandar, Guhanathan, Aroor Das and others.
Youth brigade
wins actor
association poll
A new faction of young film actors won the closely-contested October 18 polls of the South Indian Actors Association also called Nadigar Sangam in Chennai.
The victorious group titled Pandavar Ani had Nasser as president and actors Vishaal and Karthi as secretary and treasurer respectively. Their group polled 1,445 votes against actor Sarath Kumar-led group’s 1,138 votes.
The Pandavar Ani fell out with Sarath Kumar’s group when he decided to lease out the 70-year-old association’s land to a private business firm without consulting the Sangam. Vishaal went to court and asked for a judge to oversee the Nadigar Sangam polls.
However Sarath Kumar congratulated the Pandavar Ani after the victory and promised all co-operation and advice.
Man,82, cycles
around country
for river linking
An 82-year-old lorry driver is travelling by cycle throughout India demanding interlinking of the country’s rivers.
He had earlier undertaken two similar missions in 2000 and 2002. This time he hopes to meet President Pranab Mukherjee to submit his petition.
Meanwhile, the districts of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri last week launched two drones to map water bodies in the area under a government-funded scheme.
State Education Minister P Palaniappan said the project will help interlink rivers, lakes and ponds in the two districts.
Nine killed in
road accident
Nine people were killed and 15 injured when a Nagercoil-bound government bus rammed into a trailer lorry parked on the highway at Samayapuram near Tiruchi last week.
The incident occurred at night and police suspect that driver slept off at the wheel. The impact ripped off the left side of the bus.
The dead included two women and a boy.
Local residents rushed to help the victims before police, fire personnel and ambulance services came. Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa announced compensation to the families of the dead and injured.
One dies as Tiruchi
building caves in
A middle-aged man was killed and five were injured when a four-storey building caved in near the heritage Nather Wali dargah in Tiruchi’s crowded market area on the Madurai road last week.
