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clean up, typo(s) fixed: full length → full-length (11)

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}}
The South Indian film industry produced colour films since the 40s, especially the [[Tamil cinema|Kollywood]]. The earliest colour films in India were also produced in South India.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}}

==Tamil cinema==

===Hand-coloured films===

Some Indian films were hand-coloured, beginning in the 1940s.

''[[Bhaktha Chetha]]'', a [[List of Tamil films of 1940|1940]] [[Tamil language]] film directed and produced by [[Krishnaswami Subrahmanyam]], contained sequences which were hand-coloured. This is known to be the earliest Tamil film to have scenes in colour. This process colourises film shot originally in black and white by colouring the negatives frame by frame.

''[[Mangamma Sapatham (1943 film)|Mangamma Sabatham]]'' (1943) included hand-tinted scenes.

''[[Haridas (1944 film)|Haridas]]'', released in 1944, has a clear statement of its release in full new colour copy in its poster.

''[[Saalivaahanan]]'', a 1945 film by B. N. Rao, had a hand-coloured sequenced of a romantic scene by [[Ranjan (actor)|Ranjan]] and [[T. R. Rajakumari]]. This film is currently known to be lost with no surviving prints.

[[A. V. M. Productions]]'s ''[[Naam Iruvar]]'' (1947) and ''[[Vedhala Ulagam]]'' (1948) had hand-coloured sequences. The last sequence of ''Vethala Ulagam'' was hand tinted and drew large crowds because such coloured sequences in Tamil cinema were a rarity then. Murugesan was an expert craftsman, who could paint every frame in the positive print.

===Gevacolor===
[[Gevacolor]] is a colour [[Color motion picture film|motion picture]] process. It was established in 1948, originally based in [[Belgium]] and an affiliate of [[Agfacolor]]. The process and company flourished in the 1950s as it was suitable for on location shooting. The companies merged in 1964 to form [[Agfa-Gevaert]], and continued producing film stock until the 1980s.<ref>{{cite book |title=Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts|author=Susan Hayward|publisher=Routledge |year=2013|edition=4 |isbn= 1135120854|page=86 |url=https://books.google.com/?id=6vyun52nQtAC&pg=PA86&dq=Gevacolor#v=onepage&q=Gevacolor&f=false }}</ref> Gevacolor was among the cheapest colour film, which encouraged Tamil cinema to produce colour films. Gevacolor films produced in India were mostly processed in the Film Centre, Mumbai.

Gevacolor made its debut in Tamil cinema through the film ''[[Pelli Chesi Choodu|Kalyaanam Pannippaar]]'', a 1952 Indian bilingual Tamil-Telugu [[Satire|satirical]] [[comedy film]] directed by [[L. V. Prasad]] and produced by [[B. Nagi Reddy]] and [[Aluri Chakrapani]] under their company [[Vijaya Vauhini Studios]]. The film's credits state the presence of Gevacolor sequences. However, the simultaneously shot Telugu version, ''[[Pelli Chesi Choodu]]'', did not have any sequences in colour.

In 1955, ''[[Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam]]'', a Tamil language [[fantasy film]] directed by [[T. R. Raghunath]], had dance sequences by [[Anjali Devi]] in Gevacolor, which was rare in that decade. It clearly states this in its credits. This film was inspired by a 1954 [[Hindi language]] film, ''[[Nagin (1954 film)|Naagin]]'', to have its dance sequence in colour. ''[[Devta (1956 film)|Devta]]'', a Hindi film released in 1956, is a remake of'' Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam'', which also had sequences in colour. Both the versions were great successes.<ref>features/cinema/Blast-from-the-past-Kanavaney-Kankanda-Deivam/article16856290.ece</ref>

''[[Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum (1956 film)|Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum]]'' made history in Tamil cinema by being the first Tamil film to be entirely shot and released in Gevacolor. It was also the first full-length colour film released in South India. A production of [[Modern Theatres]] and released in 1956, the film starred [[M. G. Ramachandran]] and [[Bhanumathi Ramakrishna]] in lead roles. This film was a swashbuckler which is still remembered by the current generation. ''[[Marma Veeran]]'', released in the same year, is believed to contain sequences in Gevacolor.

Films like ''Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum'' and ''Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam'' influenced other Tamil film directors and producers to make their films in colour. Due to the high price of colour then, some films had songs and dance sequences in colour, with their film's censor certificate stating "partly coloured".

"Partly coloured" films such as ''[[Thangamalai Ragasiyam]]'', ''[[Ambikapathy (1957 film)|Ambikapathy]]'' and ''[[Allavuddin Adbhuta Deepam|Allavudinum Arputha Vilakkum]]'' were released in 1957. The carnatic cinema song "Ehalogame" rendered by [[P. Leela]] and [[T. M. Soundararajan]] from the film ''Thangamalai Ragasiyam'' starring [[Sivaji Ganesan]] and [[Jamuna (actress)|Jamuna]] was shot in Gevacolor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/thangamalai-rahasiyam1957/article2038865.ece|title=Thangamalai Rahasiyam1957|first1=Randor|last1=Guy|date=22 May 2011|access-date=28 November 2017|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> Three duet songs from the film ''Ambikapathy'' were shot in colour; the credits say its Gevacolor sequences were cinematographed by W. R. Subba Rao, who mostly cinematographed Gevacolor sequence in Tamil cinema. The song "Chaelaadum Neerodai Meethaey" from the film ''Alauvidinum Arputha Vilakkum'' was shot in colour.

''Nadodi Mannan'', a 1958 film directed by and starring [[M. G. Ramachandran]], had its second half in Gevacolor. The entry of the colour sequence began with a dance song by [[B. Sarojadevi]]. ''[[Illarame Nallaram]]'', released the same year, contained a dance sequence for the song "Maaraney Un Malarkanai" in colour. [[B. Sarojadevi]] and [[Kumari Kamala]] appeared in this sequence.

''[[Thirumanam]]'', released on 18 July 1958, has a dance sequence by [[B. Sarojadevi]], [[Kumari Kamala]] and [[Gopi Krishna (dancer)|Gopi Krishna]] in colour. This film, starring [[Gemini Ganesan]] and [[Savitri (actress)|Savitri]], is known to be lost with no surviving copies. [[B. R. Panthulu]]'s ''[[School Master (1958 film)|Engal Kudumbam Perisu]]'' (1958) had a sequence of school children's dance drama in colour. This film was simultaneously shot in Kannada as ''[[School Master (1958 film)|School Master]]''.

[[Veerapandiya Kattabomman (film)|Veerapandiya Kattabomman]] is a 1959 Indian Tamil-language [[biographical film|biographical]] [[war film]] directed by [[B. R. Panthulu]] which was entirely shot in Gevacolor and released its prints in [[Technicolor]]. It had a very good colour preservation although it was shot in Gevacolor. This is because of its prints released in Technicolor. It was expensive at that time to shoot a film entirely in Technicolor. This method helped the film's colour not to fade compared to other Gevacolor film such as ''Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum'', whose colour has faded badly. ''Veerapandiya Kattabomman'' is the first Tamil film to release its prints in Technicolor.

Also in 1959, ''[[Athisaya Penn]]'' was entirely shot in Gevacolor with some portions in Technicolor. It is the first Tamil film to contain sequences originally shot in Technicolor.

Gevacolor continued to be used in Tamil cinema even after the entry of [[Eastmancolor]] to Tamil cinema through the films ''Deiva Balam'' and ''[[Raja Malaya Simha|Raja Malayasimman]]''. These films had song and climax sequences in colour. [[Anjali Pictures]]'s ''[[Adutha Veettu Penn]]'' starring [[Anjali Devi]], [[T. R. Ramachandran]] and [[K. A. Thangavelu]] had a colourful sequence for the songs "Enakkaaga Neeyae Raajaa" and "Mannavaa Vaa Vaa Magizhavaa" in colour, which were notable parts of the film. The censor certificate and credits state the presence of these colour sequences processed at the Film Centre, Mumbai.

[[B. R. Panthulu]] included some Gevacolor sequence in his film ''[[Kuzhandhaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu]]'' which was simultaneously shot in Kannada as ''[[Makkala Rajya]]'' and dubbed into Telugu as ''Pillalu Techina Challani Rajyam''. This film was released on 29 July 1960.

''[[Sri Valli (1961 film)|Sri Valli]]'', a full-length Gevacolor film, was released on 1 July 1961. This was the fourth full-length colour film produced in Tamil. However, it was not a box office success compared to its 1945 version ''[[Sri Valli (1945 film)|Sri Valli]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Blast-from-the-past-Srivalli-1961/article15459707.ece | title=Blast from the past: Srivalli 1961 | date=26 February 2011 | first=Randor | last=Guy | newspaper=The Hindu | access-date=21 May 2019 }}</ref> This film was dubbed into Telugu as ''Sree Valli Kalyanam'' and released in 1962.

''[[Kappalottiya Thamizhan]]'', another film by [[B. R. Panthulu]], contained a Gevacolor sequence as the censor certificate and credits state. Today, that film had no sequences in Gevacolor despite the fact that the censor certificate clearly states "partly coloured".

''[[Lava Kusa]]'' is a 1963 Indian [[List of multilingual Indian films|bilingual]] Telugu-Tamil [[List of Hindu mythological films|Hindu mythological film]], directed by [[C. Pullaiah]] and his son [[C. S. Rao]]. Shot and released entirely in Gevacolor, it is believed to be [[Telugu cinema]]'s first full-length Gevacolor film. It was also the last Gevacolor film in Tamil. Gevacolor was replaced by Eastmancolor, which produced long-lasting colour prints.

=== List of Tamil films in Gevacolor ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Title
! Color
! Year
! Notes
|-
| ''[[Pelli Chesi Choodu|Kalyaanam Pannippaar]]'' || rowspan="2"|[[Gevacolor|Partly in colour]]||[[List of Tamil films of 1952|1952]]|| First Tamil and South Indian film with a colour sequence. Song sequence of "Engu Sendraayo" filmed in colour.
|-
| ''[[Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam]]'' ||[[List of Tamil films of 1955|1955]]||Second Tamil film to have colour sequence. Song sequence of "Jagajothiye" and ending dance sequence in colour.
|-
| ''[[Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum (1956 film)|Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum]]''||[[Gevacolor|Colour]]|| rowspan="3" | [[List of Tamil films of 1956|1956]]||First full length Tamil colour film
|-
| ''[[Marma Veeran]]''|| rowspan="9" |[[Gevacolor|Partly in colour]]||Some scenes shot in colour.
|-
| ''[[Kannin Manigal]]''||Contains sequences in Gevacolor. [[Lost film]].
|-
| ''[[Thangamalai Ragasiyam]]''|| rowspan="3" |[[List of Tamil films of 1957|1957]]||Sequence of the song "Ehalogame" in colour
|-
| ''[[Ambikapathy (1957 film)|Ambikapathy]]''|| Sequence of duet songs in colour
|-
| ''[[Allavuddin Adbhuta Deepam|Allaudinum Arputha Vilakkum]]''|| Song sequence of "Chelaadum Neerodai Meethae" in colour
|-
| ''[[Nadodi Mannan]]''|| rowspan="4" |[[List of Tamil films of 1958|1958]]||Second half in colour
|-
| ''[[Illarame Nallaram]]'' || Dance sequence by [[Saroja Devi]] and [[Kumari Kamala]] in colour.
|-
| ''[[School Master (1958 film)|Engal Kudumbam Perisu]]'' || Children's dance drama in colour
|-
| ''[[Thirumanam]]''|| Dance sequence by Gopi Krishna, [[Kumari Kamala]] and [[B. Sarojadevi]] in colour. This is a [[lost film]] with no surviving prints.
|-
| ''[[Veerapandiya Kattabomman (film)|Veerapandiya Kattabomman]]''||Gevacolor|| rowspan="2" |[[List of Tamil films of 1959|1959]]||Shot entirely in Gevacolor, then prints released in Technicolor.
|-
| ''[[Athisaya Penn]]''|| [[Gevacolor|Partly in Gevacolor]]||Film was shot in Gevacolor. The climax of this film was shot in Technicolor for 45 minutes.
|-
| ''[[Adutha Veetu Penn]]''|| rowspan="2" |[[Gevacolor|Partly in colour]]|| rowspan="2" |[[List of Tamil films of 1960|1960]]||The song "Enakkaga Nee Raja" was shot in colour.
|-
| ''[[Kuzhandhaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu]]''||Some parts of the film appeared in colour.
|-
| ''[[Sri Valli (1961 film)|Sri Valli]]''||[[Gevacolor|Colour]]|| rowspan="2" | [[List of Tamil films of 1961|1961]]||Although shot entirely in colour, the film was not a commercial success because of a draggy storyline.
|-
| ''[[Kappalottiya Thamizhan]]''||[[Gevacolor|Partly in colour]]||A song sequence shot in colour.
|-
| ''[[Lava Kusa]]''||Gevacolor||[[List of Tamil films of 1963|1963]]||Last Tamil film to be shot in Gevacolor. Tamil colour films after 1963 were shot in Eastmancolour.
|-
|}

===Technicolor===

[[Technicolor]] is a series of colour [[Color motion picture film|motion picture]] processes, the first version dating from 1916,<ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=1208490|status=patent|fdate=1916-02-16|gdate=12 December 1916}}</ref> and followed by improved versions over several decades. Technicolor had never been widely used in Tamil cinema as it is the world's most expensive colour process. Only three Tamil films were associated with Technicolor.

''[[Athisaya Penn]]'', a 1959 remake of the Hindi film ''[[Aasha (1957 film)|Aasha]]'' was entirely shot in Gevacolor with dance portions in Technicolor. This is the first Tamil film to contain sequences shot and released originally in Technicolor.

''[[Veerapandiya Kattabomman (film)|Veerapandiya Kattabomman]]'', entirely shot in Gevacolor, had its prints released in Technicolor for a long-lasting colour image. This process kept the colour of the film well preserved. Only this film in South India used this process.

The only Indian Tamil film entirely shot and released in Technicolor was M. V. Raman's ''[[Konjum Salangai]]''. It starred [[Gemini Ganesan]], [[Savitri (actress)|Savitri]] and [[Kumari Kamala]] and [[R. S. Manohar]]. It was released in India on 14 January 1962, coinciding with [[Thai Pongal]].<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1962-cinedetails8.asp |title=Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru |publisher=Sivagami Publishers |year=2004 |location=Chennai |language=ta |trans-title=Tamil film history and its achievements |author=Film News Anandan |author-link=Film News Anandan |archive-url=https://archive.is/20170511091827/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1962-cinedetails8.asp |archive-date=11 May 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=29 November 2017 }}</ref> It was the first Tamil film to be exhibited in [[Poland]] with a dubbed version.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/article3701369.ece | title=This day that age | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=30 July 2012 | access-date=23 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/tamil/did-you-know-/The-first-Tamil-film-in-Poland/articleshow/19147122.cms |title=The first Tamil film in Poland? |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=24 March 2013 |access-date=23 May 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141002053604/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/tamil/did-you-know-/The-first-Tamil-film-in-Poland/articleshow/19147122.cms |archive-date= 2 October 2014 }}</ref> In a review dated 28 January 1962, ''[[The Indian Express]]'' said, "''Konjum Salangai'', the first Technicolor feature film of South India is a revealing experience that even our technicians can bring out in a film the rich, glossy sheen and pleasing tonal gradations comparable with that of any Technicolor product made abroad."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19620128&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|title=Pleasing Photography In ''Konjum Salangai''|date=28 January 1962|work=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=11 May 2017|page=3}}</ref>

[[Sri Lanka]]'s first Tamil language film, ''Samuthaayam'', released in 1962, was entirely shot in 16mm Technicolor.

===Eastmancolor===

[[Eastmancolor]] is a trade name used by Eastman Kodak for a number of related film and processing technologies associated with colour motion picture production. First introduced in 1950, it was one of the first widely successful "single-strip colour" processes, and eventually displaced the more cumbersome Technicolor.

Eastmancolor was known by a variety of names such as ''Deluxe'' colour ([[20th Century Fox]]), Warnercolor, Metrocolor, Pathecolor and Columbiacolor.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.nfsa.gov.au/site_media/uploads/file/2010/09/09/NFSAJournal-Vol3-Nos2_3.pdf |format=PDF |title=NFSA Journal |volume=3 |date=2008 |publisher=Nfsa.gov |access-date=2015-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310091955/http://nfsa.gov.au/site_media/uploads/file/2010/09/09/NFSAJournal-Vol3-Nos2_3.pdf |archive-date=10 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>Peter Lev. ''Transforming the Screen, 1950-1959.'' University of California Press, 2003. p. 108.</ref><ref>Stephen Neale. ''Contemporary Hollywood Cinema.'' Psychology Press, 1998. p. 120.</ref>

Eastmancolor made its debut in Tamil cinema in 1959 through the films ''[[Raja Malaya Simha|Raja Malayasimman]]'' and ''Deiva Balam''. Both were simultaneously shot in Telugu with the same titles and were "partly coloured".

Director [[K. Shankar]] announced that his film ''Parma Pidha'' (1961) would be shot entirely in Eastmancolor. Starring [[M. G. Ramachandran]] and [[B. Sarojadevi]] in the lead roles, shooting took place for two days but unfortunately, the film was not released because of [[M. G. Ramachandran]]'s role as a Catholic priest.<ref>http://mgrroop.blogspot.my/2012/11/unfinished-mgr-movies.html?m=1</ref> In the same year, [[T. R. Raghunath]]'s ''Naaga Nandhini'' starring [[Anjali Devi]] and [[K. Balaji]] had dance sequence and fight scenes in Eastmancolor, as its credits say.

After three years, Eastmancolor made its comeback through the 1964 Indian Tamil-language [[romantic comedy]] film produced and directed by [[C. V. Sridhar]], ''[[Kadhalikka Neramillai]]''. This was Tamil cinema's first film entirely in Eastmancolor. It was a great success at the box office which influenced other directors and producers to film their movies in Eastmancolor. After the release of this film, Eastmancolor was vastly used in Tamil cinema, making the cinema colourful. In 1964, four films, ''[[Kadhalikka Neramillai]]'', ''[[Karnan (1964 film)|Karnan]]'', ''[[Puthiya Paravai]]'' and ''[[Padagotti]]'', were shot and released entirely in Eastmancolor. Films were rarely "partly coloured" during this period.

Director [[C. V. Sridhar]] used unique cinematography in his Eastmancolor films which were hits in Tamil cinema, including ''[[Kadhalikka Neramillai]]'', ''[[Vennira Aadai]]'' and ''[[Ooty Varai Uravu]]''.

Many devotional films directed by [[A. P. Nagarajan]] in the '60s were released in Eastmancolor, and their colours have never faded. These films include ''[[Thiruvilaiyadal]]'', ''[[Saraswathi Sabatham]]'', ''[[Kandhan Karunai]]'', ''[[Thiruvarutchelvar]]'' and ''[[Thirumal Perumai]]''. ''[[Thillana Mohanambal]]'', starring [[Sivaji Ganesan]] and [[Padmini (actress)|Padmini]], was entirely shot in colour. ''[[Rajaraja Cholan]]'' (1973) was the first [[Cinemascope]] film in South India, which was coloured by Eastmancolor.

Films such as ''[[Veerabhimanyu]]'' (1965), ''[[Thunaivan]]'' (1969), ''Swathi Natchathiram'' (1974), ''[[Andharangam]]'' (1975) and ''Mazhai Maegham'' (1976) were among films "partly coloured" by Eastmancolor, while entirely Eastmancolor-shot films like ''Kannamma'' (1972) and ''[[Rajapart Rangadurai]]'' (1973) were partly in black and white.

===Partial list of Tamil films in Eastmancolor===

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Raja Malaya Simha|Raja Malayasimman]]'' (1959) (''partly coloured'')
* ''[[Deiva Balam]]'' (1959) (''partly coloured'')
* ''[[Naaga Nandhini]]'' (1961) (''partly coloured'')
* ''[[Naagamalai Azhagi]]'' (1962) (''partly coloured'')
* ''[[Kadhalikka Neramillai]]'' (1964)
* ''[[Karnan (1964 film)|Karnan]]'' (1964)
* ''[[Pudhiya Paravai]]'' (1964)
* ''[[Padagotti]]'' (1964)
* ''[[Thiruvilaiyadal]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Enga Veetu Pillai]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Idhayak Kamalam]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Vennira Aadai]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Aayirathil Oruvan (1965 film)|Aayirathil Oruvan]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Veerabhimanyu]]'' (1965) (''partly coloured'')
* ''[[Anbe Vaa]]'' (1966)
* ''[[Saraswathi Sabatham]]'' (1966)
* ''[[Parakkum Paavai]]'' (1966)
* ''[[Adhey Kangal]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Bhakta Prahlada (1967 film)|Bhakta Prahlada]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Kandhan Karunai]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Naan (1967 film)|Naan]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Ooty Varai Uravu]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Pattanathil Bhootham]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Thiruvarutchelvar]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Kudiyiruntha Kovil]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Ragasiya Police 115]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Thillana Mohanambal]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Thirumal Perumai]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Moondrezhuthu]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Adimaippen]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Nam Naadu (1969 film)|Nam Naadu]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Shanti Nilayam]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Sivandha Mann]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Thanga Surangam]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Thunaivan]]'' (1969) (''partly coloured'')
* ''[[En Annan]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Engal Thangam]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Engirundho Vandhaal]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Maattukara Velan|Maattukkaara Velan]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Sorgam]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Thedi Vandha Mappillai]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Thirumalai Thenkumari]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Vilaiyattu Pillai]]'' (1970)
{{div col end}}

Eastmancolor was used in Tamil films until the late 70s. Other colour processes such as [[ORWO]] colour were a cause of the decline of Eastmancolor.

===ORWO colour ===

ORWO (for ''ORiginal WOlfen'') is a brand of photographic products and magnetic recording tape.

It was established in [[East Germany]] as a brand for [[photographic film]] and [[magnetic tape]], mainly produced at the former ''ORWO Filmfabrik Wolfen'' (now CChemiepark Bitterfeld-Wolfen|Chemical Park Bitterfeld-Wolfen).

In 1909 the ''Filmfabrik Wolfen'' was founded as part of the [[Agfa-Gevaert|Aktien-Gesellschaft für Anilin-Fabrikation (Agfa)]] and belonged to [[IG Farben|I.G. Farben]] since 1925. The Agfa Wolfen plant developed the first modern colour film, with incorporated [[dye coupler|colour couplers]], [[Agfacolor]], in 1936.

[[ORWO]] colour had caused Tamil cinema to have all films in colour. ORWO Colour was among the cheapest methods at that time (in the late 70s). ''Pattina Pravesam'', a 1977 film directed [[K. Balachander]], was Tamil cinema's first film to be shot in ORWO colour. Colour films after 1978 were mostly shot in ORWO Colour. It gave a similar colour quality as Eastmancolor. Tamil films in the 80s were all shot using ORWO Colour. Films like ''[[Mullum Malarum]] (1979)'' and ''[[Samsaram Adhu Minsaram]] (1986)'' were shot and released in ORWO colour.

=== End of black and white era ===

After 1975, the number of black and white films decreased. ''[[Avargal]]'' (1977) was among the black and white Tamil films that was successful. Tamil cinema rarely produced black and white films in the 1980s. ''[[Sandhya Raagam (1989 film)|Sandhya Ragam]]'' (1989) was Tamil cinema's last full length black and white Tamil film. Although in black and white, this film won the 37th National Film Awards and it the Award for Best Film on Family Welfare (1990). ''[[Iruvar]]'' (1997) had some sequences in black and white. ''[[Mugam (1999 film)|Mugham]]'' (1999) had some black and white sequences and was a box office failure.

===Milestones===

* First Tamil film with hand-coloured sequence – ''[[Bhaktha Chetha]]'' (1940)
* First full length hand-coloured Tamil film – ''[[Haridas (1944 film)|Haridas]]'' (1944)
* Last film with hand-coloured sequence – ''[[Vedhala Ulagam]]'' (1948)
* First film with Gevacolor sequence – ''[[Pelli Chesi Choodu|Kalyaanam Pannippaar]]'' (1952)
* First full length Tamil colour film (Gevacolor) – ''[[Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum (1956 film)|Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum]]'' (1956)
* First Tamil film with sequence originally shot in Technicolor – ''[[Athisaya Penn]]'' (1959)
* First full length Tamil film that released its prints in Technicolor – ''[[Veerapandiya Kattabomman (film)|Veerapandiya Kattabomman]]'' (1959)
* Earliest Tamil films with Eastmancolor sequences – ''[[Raja Malaya Simha|Raja Malayasimman]]'' and ''Deiva Balam'' (1959)
* Only South Indian film entirely shot and released its prints in Technicolor – ''[[Konjum Salangai]]'' (1962)
* Last Tamil film entirely shot in Gevacolor – ''[[Lava Kusa]]'' (1963)
* First Tamil film entirely shot in Eastmancolor – ''[[Kadhalikka Neramillai]]'' (1964)
* First South Indian colour film in [[Cinemascope]] – ''[[Rajaraja Cholan]]'' (1973)
* Last Tamil film to be "partly coloured" – ''Swathi Natchathiram'' ''(1974)'', ''[[Andharangam]] (1975)'' & ''Mazhai Maegham'' ''(1976)''
* First Tamil film shot in [[ORWO]] colour – ''Pattina Pravaesam'' (1978)
* Last Tamil film in black and white – ''[[Sandhya Raagam (1989 film)|Sandhya Raagam]]'' (1989)

==Telugu cinema==

Telugu cinema produced films with colour portions since the late 50s. ''[[Allauddin Adhbhuta Deepam]]'', released in 1957, is the earliest Telugu film to have a colour sequence. ''[[Lava Kusa]]'' (1963) was Telugu cinema's first full-length colour film.

===Gevacolor===
''[[Allauddin Adhbhuta Deepam]]'' (1957) was Telugu cinema's first film to have a colour sequence. The song ''"Andhaala Konetilona"'' (the last sequence of the film) was shot in Gevacolor. ''[[Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu]]'' (1959) had a dance sequence by [[E. V. Saroja]] in colour. In 1960, ''[[Runanubandham]]'' had its first 15 minutes in Gevacolor. ''Pillalu Techina Challani Rajyam (1960)'' too had some colour sequence. ''[[Aradhana (1962 film)|Aaraadhana]]'', a 1962 film starring [[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]] and [[Savitri (actress)|Savithri]], had a song sequence, ''"Ohoho Maavayya"'', in Gevacolor. ''[[Lava Kusa]]'' (1963), Telugu cinema's first full-length colour film, was the last Telugu film to be shot in Gevacolor. Later, Telugu colour films were shot in Eastmancolor.

===Eastmancolor===
''[[Raja Malaya Simha]]'' and ''Daiva Balam'', both released in 1959, had sequences in Eastmancolor. Both simultaneously shot in Tamil, these films were the earliest to contain sequences of Eastmancolor in [[South India]]. ''[[Amara Silpi Jakkanna]]'', released in 1964, is Telugu cinema's first full-length Eastmancolor film. Many partly coloured Telugu films by Eastmancolor were released in the late 60s.

''[[Tene Manasulu]]'' (1965) was Telugu cinema's first social colour film. In the late 1960s and 1970s, films such as ''[[Ave Kallu]]'', ''[[Bhakta Prahlada (1967 film)|Bhakta Prahlada]]'', ''[[Rahasyam (1967 film)|Rahasyam]]'', ''[[Kalyana Mandapam]]'', ''[[Krishnaveni (film)|Krishnaveni]]'', ''[[Prem Nagar (1971 film)|Prem Nagar]]'', ''[[Sampoorna Ramayanam (1971 film)|Sampoorna Raamaayanam]]'', ''[[Sri Krishna Satya]]'', ''Manchi Rojulu Vachayi'', ''[[Bangaru Babu (1973 film)]]'' ''[[Andala Ramudu (1973 film)|Andala Ramudu]]'', and ''[[Bhakta Tukaram]]'' were shot in Eastmancolor.

There were no Telugu films shot in Technicolor. Technicolor films from Tamil cinema such as ''[[Veerapandiya Kattabomman (film)|Veerapandiya Kattabomman]]'' (Telugu: ''Veerapandya Kattabrahmana'') and ''[[Konjum Salangai]]'' (Telugu: ''[[Muripinche Muvvalu]]'') were dubbed into Telugu. Films like ''[[Bharya Biddalu]]'' and ''[[Dasara Bullodu]]'' were shot entirely in Eastmancolor.

===ORWO Colour===

''Sneham'', a Telugu film released in year 1977 is known to be the first Telugu film to be shot and released in ORWO colour. ORWO colour was quite common in the 1980s Telugu Cinema, mainly used for low budget films.

===Partly coloured films===

''[[Bandipotu (1963 film)|Bandipotu]]'' (1963) was a partly coloured film by Eastmancolor. Telugu cinema did not produce many full length colour films in the late '60s and early 70s but produced films which were partly coloured like ''[[Leta Manasulu]]'', ''[[Mooga Nomu]]'', ''[[Dharma Daata]]'', ''[[Veerabhimanyu]]'', ''[[Gudachari 116]]'', ''[[Amaayakuraalu|Amayakuralu]]'', ''[[Raitu Kutumbam]]'', ''[[Sri Krishna Vijayamu|Sri Krishna Vijayam]]'', ''[[Sisindri Chittibabu]]'', ''[[Pavitra Hrudayalu]]'', ''[[Manasu Mangalyam]]'', ''Amma Kosam'', and ''[[Poola Rangadu]]''. ''[[Bandipotu Dongalu]]'' had a colour sequence in a song video but was not described as partly coloured in the Central Board of Film Censors' certificate. The song ''"Yadanu Dhachina Mounaveena"'' was partly shot in black and white and Eastmancolor in the film ''[[Bandipotu Dongalu]]''. ''[[Gorintaku (1979 film)|Gorintaku]]'' (1979) was partly in black and white in its first 15 minutes.

==Kannada cinema==

''Stree Rathna'' (1955) had some colour sequences. ''[[Rathnagiri Rahasya]]'' (1957) had some song sequences in Gevacolor. A dance drama sequence from the film ''[[School Master (1958 film)|School Master]]'' was shot in Gevacolor. ''[[Amarashilpi Jakanachari (film)|Amarashilpi Jakanachaari]]'' was the first full-length Kannada colour film to be released. It was shot in Eastmancolor. [[Cinema of Karnataka|Kannada cinema]] produced many colour films in the '70s.

===Gevacolor===

''[[Stree Rathna]]'' was the first [[Kannada language|Kannada]] film to be coloured in Gevacolor, in 1955. In 1957, ''[[Rathnagiri Rahasya]]'' had songs in Gevacolor. A dance drama sequence from the film ''School Master'' was shot in Gevacolor. ''[[Makkala Rajya]]'', released in 1960, also had colour sequence. Kannada cinema never produced a full-length Gevacolor film.

=== Eastmancolor ===
Eastmancolor was introduced to Kannada cinema through ''[[Dashavathara]]'' (1960). ''[[Veera Kesari]]'' (1963) had its climax scene in Eastmancolor. The first full-length Kannada colour film, ''[[Amarashilpi Jakanachari (film)|Amarashilpi Jakanachari]]'', was shot in Eastmancolor in 1964. In the 1970s, films such as ''[[Bangaarada Manushya|Bangarada Manushya]]'', ''[[Eradu Kanasu (1974 film)|Eradu Kanasu]]'', ''[[Sri Krishnadevaraya (film)|Sri Krishna Devaraaya]]'', and ''[[Sampathige Savaal]]'' were shot in Eastmancolour.

===ORWO colour ===
Kannada cinema had introduced ORWO colour process through the film ''[[Bhale Adrushtavo Adrushta]]'', released in 1971.

== Malayalam cinema ==

''[[Kandam Becha Kottu]]'' was [[Malayalam cinema]]'s first full-length colour film. It was shot in Eastmancolor and released in [[List of Malayalam films of 1961|1961]]. In the same year, ''Sabarimala Ayyappan'' was released. It is known to be the only Malayalam movie shot and released in Gevacolor. ''[[Chemmeen]]'' was shot entirely in Eastmancolor.

===Eastmancolor===

''[[Chemmeen]]'' (1965), ''[[Karakanakadal]]'' (1971), ''[[Panitheeratha Veedu]]'' (1972), ''[[Nakhangal (1973 film)|Nakhangal]]'' (1973), ''[[Chattakkari (1974 film)|Chattakkari]]'', and'' [[Nellu (1974 film)|Nellu]]'' (1974) were shot in Eastmancolor. Malayalam cinema started to release many colour movies after 1975.

===ORWO Colour===
''[[Kallichellamma]]'', released in year 1969 is South India's first film shot and released in ORWO colour. ORWO colour was popular in Malayalam cinema in the late 1970s and the 1980s.

===Partly coloured films===

''[[Bharya (1962 film)|Bharya]]'' (1962), ''[[Kadalamma]]'' (1963), ''[[Shakunthala (1965 film)|Shakuntala]]'' (1965) and ''[[Pearl View]]'' (1970) had some colour sequences. ''Pearl View''{{'}}s colour sequences were coloured by Eastmancolor.

==Other cinemas==

* [[Konkani cinema]]'s first colour film was ''Mog Ani Moipas'', released in 1977.
* [[Tulu cinema]]'s first colour film was ''Kariyani Kattandi Kandani'', released in 1978.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:History of film]]
[[Category:South India]]
[[Category:Cinema of India]]

Earliest colour films in South India - Revision history

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>Playlikeastar: clean up, typo(s) fixed: full length → full-length (11)