J. C. Daniel
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Joseph Chellayya Daniel Nadar (28 November 1900 27 April 1975) was an Indian filmmaker who is considered as the ''father of Malayalam cinema''. He was the first film-maker from
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
. He produced, directed, wrote, photographed, edited and acted in the first film made in Kerala, ''
Vigathakumaran ''Vigathakumaran'' ( en, The Lost Child, italic=yes) is a 1928 Indian silent film written, produced and directed by J. C. Daniel. He also played the role of hero in the movie. A social drama, ''Vigathakumaran'' was the first Malayalam feature ...
'' (''The Lost Child''). He also established the first
film studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the production ...
in Kerala, The Travancore National Pictures. The
Government of Kerala Government of Kerala is the subnational government of the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior ministers belong to the supreme decision ...
instituted the Kerala State Film Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1992 in his name, as a part of the
Kerala State Film Awards The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...
, to honour lifetime achievements in
Malayalam Cinema Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, ''Elippathayam' ...
.


Early life

Daniel was born on 26 February 1900 to a
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
family in
Agasteeswaram taluk Agasteeswaram taluk is a taluk located in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Nagercoil. The taluk was among several in Thiruvananthapuram district that with the passage of the States Reorganisatio ...
,
Travancore State The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At ...
(present-day Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
). He finished his formal education from Maharaja's College,
Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
. He published an English book titled ''Indian Art of Fencing and Sword Play'' in 1915, when he was 15 years old.


Learning film making

Daniel was well aware of the scope of cinema as a public medium. He wished to popularise Kalarippayattu by harnessing the popular influence of cinema. At that time the common man of Kerala was not even aware of the medium of cinema, hence the idea was quite a challenge. He took up the challenge and left for
Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
(now Chennai) to learn techniques of film-making and to acquire necessary equipment for the purpose.cinemaofmalayalam.net
Biography
Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
was the budding centre of film production in
South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
and had the only permanent talkies in South India, named ''Gaiety'' which was established in 1917. However, he was unable to realise his plans in
Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
and was even denied entry to various studios in the city. That didn't stop the determined Daniel from pursuing his dream. He travelled to
Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
(now Mumbai), the centre of
Hindi cinema Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
production. He was able to obtain entry into film studios in the city, claiming that he is a teacher from Kerala and wanted to teach his students about cinema. He gathered enough knowledge and equipment for film production from
Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
and came back to Kerala to fulfill his dream.


Production of ''Vigathakumaran''

In 1926, Daniel established the first film studio in Kerala named ''The Travancore National Pictures''. It was near the present Public Service Commission office, Pattom, Trivandrum.Weblokam
Profile: Page 2
He obtained funds for this purpose by selling a piece of land in his name for an amount of Rs.400,000. With everything set, Daniel finally started the production work of the film of his dreams. He wrote the script and titled it ''Vigathakumaran''. The film did not have sound or dialogue. He directed and wielded the camera for the film and also played the role of the protagonist in the film.
P. K. Rosie P. K. Rosy (Rajamma, Rosamma, Rajammal) was an Indian actress in Malayalam cinema. Her Pulaya (Dalit) caste background caused controversy. She was the heroine of Vigathakumaran (The Lost Child), directed by J. C. Daniel. She was the first hero ...
acted as the heroine. He also did most of the post-production work including
editing Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...
. The theme of the film was of social significance and was one of the earliest films of the genre. At the time, when most of the Indian films were based on stories from the ''
Puranas Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
'' and films with social themes were rare, Daniel showed creativity and originality with his selection of the theme of the movie.


Post Release of ''Vigathakumaran''

''Vigathakumaran'' was exhibited in Trivandrum at the ''Capitol Theatre'' on 7 November 1928. Despite being the very first film made in Kerala and having a socially-significant message, it faced the wrath of certain orthodox sections in the society due to the presence of a woman in the film. Rosie, who played the role of the female protagonist, was disbarred from entering the theatre, as upper-caste Hindus, outraged that a converted dalit played the role of a Nair woman in the film, created a ruckus. At that time, due to the social orthodoxy and lack of public awareness of the cinema medium, acting in films were considered an act at par with prostitution. During the screening, stones were pelted on the screen, damaging it."New media misrepresents role of women: Kumar Shahani"
''The Hindu''. 14 August 2010.
The film did moderate business at the box office but the collections were way below the production cost. The movie was also screened in Alleppey at the ''Star Theatre''. Since it was a silent movie, there was an announcer at the theatre who would explain the story and the situation. Alleppey being one of the most important port towns in Kerala during that time, the audience were more liberal. They received the movie with excitement. There was a minor glitch once, when the screen faded and the audience booed. After the announcer explained that some minor problems might occur since this was the first
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
movie ever made and screened, the audience welcomed his statement with applause. Vigathakumaran was also screened at Quilon, Trichur, Tellichery and
Nagercoil Nagercoil, also spelt as Nagarkovil ("Temple of the Nāgas", or Nagaraja-Temple), is a city and the administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu state, India. Situated close to the tip of the Indian peninsula, it lies on an ...
. Daniel became indebted as the movie was not a commercial success. To pay his debtors, he had to sell his equipments and close down the studio. He spent the rest of his life as a dentist at
Palayamkottai Palayamkottai (also Palayankottai) is a neighbourhood in Tirunelveli City, incorporated within the Tirunelveli City Municipal Corporation. It is situated on the east bank of the Thamirabarani river, with the exception of its downtown area, whi ...
, Tamil Nadu. He spent his last years in his ancestral home called NEW HOUSE at
Agastheeswaram Agastheeswaram is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. History Agasteeswaram is named after Sage Agastya who had visited this place to teach Ramayana. Most of the people from this village are well educat ...
. Though he applied for pension under the scheme for ailing artists, the Government rejected it since he was born in Tamil Nadu. In his books and articles, noted film journalist
Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan (6 June 1932 – 4 June 2010) was a journalist of Malayalam Cinema. Childhood and early career He was born in Cherthala Alappuzha in Kerala to Sri Nediyedathu Kesava Pillai and Thrikkeparambil Ammukkutti Amma. A ...
originally established that ''Vigathakumaran'' was the first Malayalam film and that Daniel was its architect as director, producer, cinematographer and leading man. He described the story of ''Vigathakumaran'' in articles published since 1960, but Kerala Government initially rejected his crusade citing Daniel was not a Malayalee. The Government version was that if Daniel wanted a pension or financial assistance, he has to approach the Tamil Nadu Government. However,Gopalakrishnan's campaign was finally successful and Daniel obtained government recognition as a Keralite, being honoured as the Father of Malayalam Cinema. J.C Daniel's death bed was well nursed by his wife and he died on 27 April 1975


J. C. Daniel Award

The Department of Cultural Affairs,
Government of Kerala Government of Kerala is the subnational government of the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior ministers belong to the supreme decision ...
instituted the
J. C. Daniel Award The J. C. Daniel Award is Kerala's highest award in Malayalam cinema. It is presented annually by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, a non-profit institution under the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala, India. Insti ...
in honour of him in 1992. The award, a part of the
Kerala State Film Awards The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...
is to honour lifetime achievements in outstanding contributions to
Malayalam cinema Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, ''Elippathayam' ...
. From 1998, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous body under the Department of Cultural Affairs,
Government of Kerala Government of Kerala is the subnational government of the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior ministers belong to the supreme decision ...
hosts the award.


J. C. Foundation Award

The awards are instituted by the J.C. Foundation, which was founded in memory of J.C. Daniel by his family and friends. The awards are given away annually for achievements in Malayalam film-making and literature. The film awards are given away in a variety of categories while the literature award is given for the best Malayalam novel.


Biographical film

In 2013, Kamal wrote and directed a biopic on Daniel titled Celluloid. The film details the struggles of Daniel to produce and exhibit ''Vigathakumaran'', while plunging into financial crisis. The movie also generated criticism over its subtle reference to an
IAS Officer The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the administrative arm of the All India Services of Government of India. Considered the premier civil service of India, the IAS is one of the three arms of the All India Services along with the Indian ...
and the then
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
, which purportedly points to the bureaucrat & writer Malayattoor Ramakrishnan and
K. Karunakaran Kannoth Karunakaran (5 July 1918 – 23 December 2010) was an Indian politician and member of the Indian National Congress (INC). He served as the Chief Minister of Kerala four times during the late 1970s through the mid 1990s. He is the ...
, who worked together to deny J. C. Daniel credit for his contribution to Malayalam Cinema since he was a Christian (ref: audio recording of Chelangat Gopalakrishnan produced by Akashawani and published by a TV channel). Author and civil servant
N. S. Madhavan N. S. Madhavan (born 9 September 1948) is an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. Known for his novel, ''Lanthan Batheriyile Luthiniyakal'' (Litanies of the Dutch Battery) and a host of short stories such as ''Higuita'', ''Thiruthu'', ''Chulai ...
and
D. Babu Paul Daniel Babu Paul ( ml, ഡാനിയേൽ ബാബു പോൾ; 11 April 1941 – 12 April 2019) was an Indian civil servant, writer, member of the Indian Administrative Service and member Ombudsman for local self-government institutions ...
, former Chief Secretary of Kerala have pointed out factual inaccuracies in the film's depiction of Malayattoor and Karunakaran. The film, based partially on the novel ''Nashta Naayika'' by Vinu Abraham and the ''Life of J. C. Daniel'', a biography by film journalist Chelangat Gopalakrishnan, also deals with the life of Rosie, the lead actress in ''Vigathakumaran''. Prithviraj plays the role of Daniel, while Mamta Mohandas plays his wife Janet and newcomer Chandni plays Rosie. The film won 7
Kerala State Film Awards The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...
in different categories including that for
Best Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
. ''The Lost Life'' is a documentary on Daniel by R. Gopalakrishnan.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Daniel, J. C. 1900 births 1975 deaths People from Kanyakumari district Male actors from Tamil Nadu Filmmaking pioneers 20th-century Indian film directors