Early Years (1930s-1950s)

Tamil filmography is traditionally categorized into four distinct stages:

The 1960s to 1980s are considered the golden era of Tamil cinema. This period saw the emergence of legendary actors like M.G.R. (Mani Gramamurthy Raman), Sivaji Ganesan, and Kamal Haasan. Some notable films from this era include:

Modern Tamil cinema consistently breaks box office records. As of early 2026, these are some of the most successful films by worldwide gross: Film Title Release Year Worldwide Gross (Estimated) ₹700–800 crore ₹605–650 crore ₹595–615 crore ₹514–675 crore Ponniyin Selvan: I ₹450–500 crore History of Tamil Cinema | PDF - Scribd