Merryland Studio

Merryland Studio

Former type	Film production
Industry	Motion pictures
Founded	1951 (1951)
Founder(s)	P. Subramaniam
Defunct	1978
Headquarters	Nemom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Merryland Studio (1951-1978) was the second film production studio in the Malayalam language film industry of India. It was established in 1951 by director-producer P. Subramaniam in Nemom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The studio has produced 69 films, with 59 of them directed by P. Subrahmaniam himself. Merryland Studio was famous for their professional rivalry with Kunchacko's Udaya Studio, which was the first movie studio of Kerala.

History

When cinema became a passion, Subramaniam decided to buy some property to begin a studio complex. He bought land at Nemom, Thiruvananthapuram, and founded the studio in 1951, with two floors and a single camera. The first production Atma Sakhi (1952), was given a lukewarm reception by viewers. It was the comedy film Avakashikal that put Merryland on the success chart. Mantravadi (1957) was the first film that made Subramaniam a director. He went on to direct 59 films, out of the 69 films produced by Merryland. The list includes a string of landmark films of Malayalam cinema history.

Hridayathinte Nirangal was the last movie to come out of Merryland. Subramaniam died in 1978, and it spelt the death knell of Merryland Studio as a powerhouse of Malayalam Cinema.

References

• Lekshmy Gopalakrishnan (January 2, 2009). "Visionary and entrepreneur". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/01/02/stories/2009010250680300.htm. Retrieved March 7, 2011.