->AYIRAN at 18:58, 4 November 2021

2021-11-04T18:58:47Z

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{{short description|Malayalam film production studio}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Merryland Studio
| logo =
| caption =
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1951||}}
| founder = [[P. Subramaniam]]
| location_city = [[Nemom]], [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]]
| location =
| defunct =
| area_served = [[India]]
| services = {{Bulleted_list|[[Film production]]|[[Film distribution]]}}
| key_people = [[Visakh Subramaniam]]
| industry = [[Motion pictures]]
| products = Films
| subsid = Neela Productions
| successor = Merryland Cinemas
}}

'''Merryland Studio''' is an Indian [[film studio]] based in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]] active between 1951 – 1979. It was the second film studio in Kerala, established in 1950 by former Trivandrum mayor and businessman [[P. Subramaniam]]. He went on to produce 70 films, with 59 of them directed by himself. The studio's home productions were made under the company '''Neela Productions'''. Merryland Studio was famous for their professional rivalry with [[Kunchacko]]'s [[Udaya Studio]], the first film studio in Kerala. They resumed film production under the newly christened production company '''Merryland Cinemas''', debuting with ''[[Hridayam]]'' (2022).

==History==
When cinema became a passion, Subramaniam decided to buy some property to begin a studio complex. He bought land at Nemom, Thiruvananthapuram, and founded the studio in 1951, with two floors and a single camera. The first production ''Atma Sakhi'' (1952), was given a lukewarm reception by viewers. It was the comedy film ''Avakashikal'' that put Merryland on the success chart. ''Mantravadi'' (1957) was the first film that made Subramaniam a director. He went on to direct 59 films, out of the 69 films produced by Merryland. The list includes a string of landmark films of Malayalam cinema history.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/01/02/stories/2009010250680300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629060110/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/01/02/stories/2009010250680300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 June 2011|title=Visionary and entrepreneur|author=Lekshmy Gopalakrishnan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=2 January 2009|accessdate=7 March 2011}}</ref>

In 1950s, Malayalam film production were shuttling between [[Madras]] and [[Udaya Studio]] in [[Alappuzha]]. It was at that time Merryland Studio was setup at a five-and-a-half acres of land, easing the productions of Malayalam films. At its peak time, the studio used to employ close to 80 personnel. Many of the actors and actresses frequently appeared in Merryland films: [[Prem Nazir]] acted in at leat 30 films in the first 10 years of his career, [[Sathyan (actor)|Sathyan]] was introduced in Merryland's debut film ''Atmasakhi'', [[Madhu (actor)|Madhu]] who appeared in many films was also a family friend of theirs, [[K. V. Shanthi]] was also known by the name "Merryland Shanthi" for her long-term association with the studio, the trio [[Travancore sisters]] also closely associated with the studio, [[Sharada (actress)|Sharada]] also worked in many of the films. Others who were introduced through Neela Productions' films are [[Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair]], [[Miss Kumari]], [[Vinodini Sasimohan]], [[Srividya]], [[Aranmula Ponnamma]], [[S. P. Pillai]] among others. The competition between Udaya Studio and Merryland Studio was so intense that at one point when Merryland released ''Bhaktha Kuchela'', Udaya released ''Krishna Kuchela'' with the same story, after that one they decided to stop the practice. Their ''Kumarasambhavam'' won the first [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Film]] when it was established in 1969. Merryland's films revolved around either social issues or mythology, they were mostly known for mythological films which were the most successful.<ref>{{cite news |title=A second home for Mollywod |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/A-second-home-for-Mollywod/article16776992.ece |access-date=26 October 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=8 December 2016}}</ref> ''Bhakta Kuchela'', ''Sree Guruvayoorappan'', ''Swami Ayyappan'', and ''Sree Murukan'' were among their most successful mythological films.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/flashback/merryland-studio-a-slice-of-mollywood-history-nemam-subramanium-1.1397408|title = Merryland Studio: A slice of Mollywood History}}</ref>

''Hridayathinte Nirangal'' was the last movie to come out of Merryland. Subramaniam died in 1979, and it spelt the death knell of Merryland Studio as a powerhouse of Malayalam Cinema.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/story-of-a-pioneer-and-his-studio/article6732735.ece|title=Story of a pioneer and his studio|newspaper=The Hindu|date=28 December 2014|last1=Chelangad|first1=Saju}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2019/apr/21/p-subramaniams-biography-released-1966986.html|title=P Subramaniam's biography released}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-capital-of-cinema/article5401273.ece|title=The Capital of cinema|newspaper=The Hindu|date=28 November 2013|last1=Chandran|first1=Baiju}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/yaanai-valartha-vaanambadi-1959/article5764122.ece|title = Yaanai Valartha Vaanambadi (1959)|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 8 March 2014|last1 = Guy|first1 = Randor}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/features/merryland-studio-returns-to-malayalam-cinema-movies-production-company-sreevisakh-release-1.4094362|title = മടങ്ങിയെത്തുന്നു മെറിലാൻഡ്}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sv7Uk0UcdM8C&q=%22merryland+studio%22&pg=PA234|title=Pop Culture India!: Media, Arts, and Lifestyle|isbn=9781851096367|last1=Kasbekar|first1=Asha|year=2006}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2016/nov/06/a-staunch-lover-of-cinema-1535702.html|title = A staunch lover of cinema}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/framed-by-heritage/article6916787.ece|title=Framed by heritage|newspaper=The Hindu|date=20 February 2015|last1=Sathyendran|first1=Nita}}</ref> In 2021, screenwriter [[John Paul Puthusery|John Paul]] wrote in an article that "The studios set up by P Subramaniam and Kunjacko—Merryland and Udaya—respectively, led to the development of a full-fledged Malayalam film industry".<ref>{{cite news |last=Kumar |first=M. K. Sunil |title=Based on a true story |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/tracking-indian-communities/based-on-a-true-story/ |access-date=26 October 2021 |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=23 October 2021}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Films===
*''[[Aathmasakhi]]'' (1952)
*''[[Ponkathir]]'' (1953)
*''[[Balya Sakhi]]'' (1954)
*''[[Avakasi]]'' (1954)
*''[[C.I.D. (1955 film)|C.I.D.]]'' (1955)
*''[[Aniyathi]]'' (1955)
*''[[Manthravadi]]'' (1956)
*''[[Padatha Painkili]]'' (1957)
*''[[Jailpully]]'' (1957)
*''[[Randidangazhi]]'' (1958)
*''[[Mariakutty]]'' (1958)
*''[[Aana Valarthiya Vanampadi]]'' (1959)
*''Poothali'' (1960)
*''[[Petraval Kanda Peruvazhvu]]'' (1960) [Tamil]
*''[[Christmas Rathri]]'' (1961)
*''[[Bhakta Kuchela (1961 film)|Bhaktha Kuchela]]'' (1961)
*''[[Snehadeepam]]'' (1962)
*''[[Shree Rama Pattabhishekam]]'' (1962)
*''[[Snapaka Yohannan]]'' (1963)
*''[[Kalayum Kaminiyum]]'' (1963)
*''[[Atom Bomb (film)|Atom Bomb]]'' (1964)
*''[[Althaara]]'' (1964)
*''[[Pattuthoovaala]]'' (1965)
*''[[Kaliyodam (1965 film)|Kaliyodum]]'' (1965)
*''[[Puthri]]'' (1966)
*''[[Priyathama]]'' (1966)
*''[[Kaattumallika]]'' (1966)
*''[[Hotel Highrange]]'' (1968)
*''[[Adhyapika]]'' (1968)
*''[[Urangatha Sundary]]'' (1969)
*''[[Kumara Sambhavam]]'' (1969)
*''[[Swapnangal]]'' (1970)
*''[[Kochaniyathi]]'' (1971)
*''[[Aana Valarthiya Vanampadiyude Makan]]'' (1971)
*''[[Sree Guruvayoorappan (1972 film)|Sree Guruvayoorappan]]'' (1972)
*''[[Professor (1972 film)|Professor]]'' (1972)
*''[[Preethi]]'' (1972)
*''[[Swarga Puthri]]'' (1973)
*''[[Malai Naattu Mangai]]'' (1973) [Tamil]
*''[[Kaadu (1973 Kannada film)|Kaadu]]'' (1973)
*''[[Vandikkari]]'' (1974)
*''[[Devi Kanyakumari (film)|Devi Kanyakumari]]'' (1974)
*''[[Swami Ayyappan (1975 film)|Swami Ayyappan]]'' (1975)
*''[[Hiridhayam Oru Kshethram]]'' (1976)
*''[[Amba Ambika Ambalika]]'' (1976)
*''[[Vidarunna Mottugal]]'' (1977)
*''[[Sreemurukan]]'' (1977)
*''[[Rowdy Rajamma]]'' (1977)
*''[[Hridhayathinte Nirangal]]'' (1979)
*''[[Hridayam]]'' (2022)

===Television===
The following serials are produced by Karthikeyan and Murugan under the banner of Merryland, Sree Subramaniam Enterprises, Sree Saravana Enterprises and Sree Saran Creations.

{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Title !! Language!!Genre !!Director!!Channel!!Notes
|-
|2004-2005 ||[[Kadamattathu Kathanar (TV series)]]|| rowspan="21" |Malayalam||[[Horror film|Horror]]||T.S.Saji
|rowspan=2|[[Asianet (TV channel)|Asianet]]||
|-
|2005 ||''Ezham kadalinakkare''||[[Thriller film|Thriller]]||[[Suresh Unnithan]]
||
|-
|2005|| ''Krishna Kripa Sagaram''||rowspan=6|Mythology||[[Rajasenan]]
||[[Amrita TV]]||
|-
|2006-2007 ||[[Swami Ayyappan (TV series)]]||[[Suresh Unnithan]]|| rowspan=8|Asianet||
|-
|2008 ||''Shri Krishna Leela''||[[Suresh Unnithan]]||
|-
|2008-2010|| ''Shri Mahabhagavatham''||[[Thulasidas]]||
|-
|2009 ||''Swami ayyappan saranam''||[[Thulasidas]]||

|-
|2009-2012|| ''Devimahathmyam''||[[Viji Thampi]], [[Thulasidas]]||Completed 1000 episodes

|-
|2010-2012||''Alavudeente Albuthavilakku'' ||[[Fantasy]]||T.S.Suresh Babu||

|-
|2011-2015|| ''Amma''||[[Drama]]||[[Kannan Thamarakkulam]]/Dileep Thavanur||Completed 1008 episodes

|-
|2012 ||''Sabarimala Shri Dharmashastha''||Mythology||[[Thulasidas]]||
|-
|2015-2016|| Vazhve mayam||Drama||Manoj LM
|[[DD Malayalam]]||
|-
|2015||Sreekrishna vijayam||Mythology||Manoj LM
|rowspan=2|[[Janam TV]]||
|-
|2015
|Durga
|Drama
|Kurupp Mararikkulam
|
|-
|2015||7 Rathrikal||Horror||Manoj LM||rowspan=2|Asianet||
|-
|2015-2017||''[[Pranayam (TV series)]]''||Drama||Sudheesh Sankar/[[Thulasidas]]
||
|-
|2016-2018||''Sathyam Shivam Sundaram''||rowspan=3|Mythology||Manoj LM||rowspan=2|Amrita TV||
|-
|2018||''[[Kumarasambhavam]]'' ||Manoj LM||
|-
|2019–2020||''Sabarimala Swami Ayyapan'' ||[[Kannan Thamarakkulam]]||Asianet||
|-
|2020-Present||''[[Padatha Painkili (TV series)|Paadatha Painkilli]]''||Drama||[[Sudheesh Sankar]]||Asianet ||
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Indian film studios]]
[[Category:Film distributors of India]]
[[Category:Film production companies of Kerala]]
[[Category:Companies based in Thiruvananthapuram]]
[[Category:Mass media companies established in 1951]]
[[Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 1979]]
[[Category:Indian companies disestablished in 1979]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1951]]

{{film-studio-stub}}

Merryland Studio - Revision history

->AYIRAN at 18:58, 4 November 2021