Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Feb 21: Tulu cinema completed 55 years on February 19, marking a significant milestone in the history of regional cinema, with 155 Tulu films having hit the big screen over the years.
The first-ever Tulu film, Enna Tangadi (My Sister), was released in Mangaluru on February 19, 1971, and was produced and directed by S R Rajan, laying the foundation for the Tulu film industry.
Apart from S R Rajan, several pioneers including K N Tailor, T A Srinivas, Sundar Karkera, Anand Shekar, Narayan Putran, Aroor Pattabhi, K B Bhandary, A Vishwanath and Malpe Madhwaraj played a crucial role in establishing the base for Tulu cinema.
In the later years, many others, including Richard Castelino of Mangaluru, also contributed significantly to the growth and development of the industry.