{{Short description|Indian actor and director (1907–1963)}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Infobox person | name = T. R. Sundaram | image = TR Sundaram 2013 stamp of India.jpg | caption = 2013 stamp of India | birth_name = Tiruchengodu Ramalingam Mudaliar Sundaram | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1907|07|16}}<ref name=sundaram>{{cite web|work=The Hindu|access-date=14 September 2023|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2000/01/14/stories/09140226.htm|title=A legend in his time|date=14 January 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712072924/http://www.hinduonnet.com:80/thehindu/2000/01/14/stories/09140226.htm|archive-date=12 July 2010}}</ref> | birth_place = [[Tiruchengode]], [[Administrative divisions of Madras Presidency#Salem|Salem district]], [[Madras Presidency]],<br/>[[British Raj|British India]]<br/>(now in [[Namakkal district]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India) | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1963|08|30|1907|07|16}}<ref name=sundaram /> | death_place = | occupation = Actor, director, producer, textile merchant | years_active = | spouse = | children = | parents = }}
'''Tiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram Mudaliar''' (16 July 1907 – 30 August 1963)<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/article1435215.ece|title=Stickler for discipline|date=8 August 2008|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=7 September 2016|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20180823000902/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Stickler-for-discipline/article15399624.ece|archivedate=23 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/leeds-love-and-modern-theatres/article6158141.ece|title=Leeds, love and Modern Theatres|date=29 June 2014|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=7 September 2016|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20141216070020/http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/leeds-love-and-modern-theatres/article6158141.ece|archivedate=16 December 2014}}</ref> was an Indian actor, director, and producer. He was the founder of the [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]]-based film production company [[Modern Theatres]].
== Early life == {{More citations needed|date=September 2023}} Sundaram was born in 1907 from [[Sengunthar|Sengunthar Kaikola Mudaliar]] Community in [[Tiruchengode]] (in present-day [[Namakkal district]], [[Tamil Nadu]]) to a wealthy textile merchant V.V.C.Ramalingam Mudaliar.
He had his studies in India and in [[Leeds]], England, where he graduated in textile engineering.<ref name="sundaram" /> On returning to India, he managed his family business. After the production of the first Tamil talkie ''[[Kalidas (film)|Kalidas]]'' in 1931, the film industry emerged as a profitable means of investment. Sundaram set up Angel Pictures in Salem and produced movies along with S. S. Velayutham. He was brother of famous textile merchant V. V. C. R. Murugesa Mudaliar.
== Film career == Sundaram split with Velayutham after a few years and set up his own production company [[Modern Theatres|The Modern Theatres Ltd]]. The first film produced under the banner of Modern Theatres was ''Sathi Ahalya'' in 1937. The next year, Sundaram produced the Malayalam film ''[[Balan (film)|Balan]]'' (1938). His 1944 film ''Arundathi'' was a commercial success and completed 100 days at the theatres.<ref>{{cite news |date=15 April 1944 |title=100th Day of "Arundathi" in Madura |page=6 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Zr4-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=NkwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3097%2C4860481 |accessdate=5 November 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Sundaram was instrumental in giving [[M. G. Ramachandran]] his first major solo box office hit in ''[[Manthiri Kumari]]''. They followed it up with ''[[Sarvadhikari (film)|Sarvadhikari]]''.{{citation needed|date= November 2022}}
Sundaram served as the president of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce (SIFCC) at Madras (Now Chennai).<ref name=sundaram />
==Filmography== *''Sathi Ahalya'' (1937) *''[[Balan (film)|Balan]]'' (1938) *''Arundathi'' (1944) *Sulochana (1947) *''[[Manthiri Kumari]]'' (1950) *''[[Sarvadhikari (film)|Sarvadhikari]]'' (1951)
==Awards== [[File:TRSundaram.jpg|thumb|Sundaram in 1938]] ;[[National Film Awards]] * [[9th National Film Awards|1961]]: [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam|Certificate of Merit for Second Best Feature Film in Malayalam]] – ''[[Kandam Becha Kottu]]''<ref name="9thaward">{{cite web|url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm9thNFAAward.aspx|title=9th National Film Awards|publisher=[[International Film Festival of India]]|accessdate=8 September 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202115652/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm9thNFAAward.aspx|archivedate=2 December 2016}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{cite web|title=TR Sundaram|publisher=Upperstall|url=http://www.upperstall.com/people/tr-sundaram|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226152303/http://www.upperstall.com/people/tr-sundaram|archivedate=26 December 2008}}
{{Modern Theatres}} {{T. R. Sundaram}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sundaram, T. R.}} [[Category:1907 births]] [[Category:1963 deaths]] [[Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu]] [[Category:People from Coimbatore]] [[Category:Malayalam film producers]] [[Category:Tamil film producers]] [[Category:Film producers from Tamil Nadu]] [[Category:Odia film directors]] [[Category:Filmmaking pioneers]]