Kollywood is a name often applied to Tamil Cinema, based in Chennai (formerly Madras) in the state of Tamil Nadu in south India. The name is a conflation of Kodambakkam and Hollywood. Kodambakkam is an area in Chennai, in and around which there is a high concentration of film studios, and where many people involved with Tamil cinema live.

Kollywood is one of the three major film-making industries in India along with Bollywood and Tollywood. Though Tamil cinema lacks the high budgets and wide distribution of Hindi cinema, it has enjoyed consistent popularity among Tamil speakers in India and Sri Lanka, as well as further afield in Singapore, Malaysia, and elsewhere. Tamil language films have recently become popular in Japan, and many are being dubbed or remade in Hindi. After Bollywood, Kollywood is the most popular film-making industry.

There has been a growing presence of English in dialogues and songs as well. It is not uncommon to see movies which feature dialogues studded with English words and phrases, even whole sentences. Some movies are also made in two or even three languages (either using subtitles, or several soundtracks). Quite often, Kollywood movies feature Madras Bashai which is the version of Tamil spoken in Madras.

Tamil films have often been remade in other Indian languages, and thus have indirectly reached a much wider audience. Many Tamil films are dubbed into Hindi, including such hits as Minsaara Kanavu, Roja and Bombay.

After being dubbed, Tamil film Music almost invariably makes it into Bollywood and has a very wide appeal.

Famous people in Kollywood include 'Nadigar Thilakam' Sivaji Ganesan, 'Superstar' Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan 'Illaya Thalabathi' Vijay, 'Ultimate Star' Ajith, Mani Rathnam, 'Isaignani' Ilayaraaja, and A.R. Rahman.

The Tamil film industry has a long intertwining link with creating future politicians. The first non congress Chief minister Anna and the current opposition leader Karunanidhi wrote cine scripts. Long time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MG Ramachandran (MGR) was a well known actor in Kollywood. The current chief minister J. Jayalalithaa was also a popular actress. Moreover many in the field are currently in houses of parliament or assembly, while future aspirants are ready to take wing.

Actors and Actresses

This is just a list of a few prominent actors in Kollywood.

• MG Ramachandran (MGR)
• 'Nadigar Thilakam' Sivaji Ganesan
• 'Superstar' Rajinikanth
• Kamal Haasan
• Surya
• Dhanush
• Vijay
• Ajith

Actresses

• Jyothika, nicknamed Jo.
• Trisha or Trish
• Simran
• Manorama

Kollywood movies come with their share of comedians such as

• Vivek
• Vadivelu
• Senthil
• Goundamani

Directors

• Mani Rathnam
• Kamal Haasan
• A M Rathnam

External links

• Photos and profiles of Male Kollywood celebrities
• Profiles of Female Kollywood celebrities
• Daily updated news of Kollywood – Tamil Cinema
• Profiles of few Kollywood celebrities

See also: Bollywood, Tollywood, Tamil, Tamil Nadu, Cinema of India