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R. Nataraja Mudaliar (1885-1972)
Pioneer cineaste of South India born in Vellore. Initially in the cycle business (1906), then the car trade (1911). Apprenticed in 1912 to a Mr Stewart, the official cinematographer of Lord Curzon’s 1903 durbar. Set up India Film in Madras (1915) with a second-hand Williamson camera and finance from businessman S.M. Dharmalingam. The studio was set up in a makeshift space on Miller’s Road where he made Keechaka Vadham, intertitled in Tamil, Hindi and English. Reputed to have made an earlier film, Gopal Krishna. Draupadi Vastrapaharanam featured an Anglo-Indian actress, Violet Berry, as Draupadi. Made his other features, all mythologicals, around his home town of Vellore. In 1923, his studio burnt down and his son died, prompting him to retire.
FILMOGRAPHY: 1915: Gopal Krishna; 1916: Keechaka Vadham; 1917: Draupadi Vastrapaharanam; 1918: Mayil Ravana; 1919: Lavakusa; 1920: Kalinga Mardanam; 1921: Rukmini Kalyanam; 1923: Markandeya.