The first Tamil film, , was released in 1918. During the silent era, Tamil cinema was heavily influenced by mythological and historical dramas. The introduction of sound in the 1930s marked a significant turning point, with films like Ardeshir Irani's Alam Ara (1936) and M. G. R.'s (M.G. Ramachandran) debut film, Nalla Thamaraigal (1948) .
