Evolution of Parallel Cinema in South

The Parallel or New Cinema Movement began towards the end of the sixties with Bhuvan Shome and Uski Roti directed by Mrinal Sen in 1969. The evolution of Parallel Cinema in India dates back to the 1940s. One of the earliest paradigms was Neecha Nagar directed by Chetan Anand in 1946 which won the Palme d'Or at the very first Cannes Film Festival. Since then, many Indian independent films began to take shape by movie stalwarts such as Guru Dutt, Bimal Roy, Chetan Anand, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Dadasaheb Phalke and V. Shantaram. Their avant-grade artworks also earned commercial success. It was Zavattini and Vittorio De Sica who inspired directors from all over the globe to make films that predominantly focused on lower-class characters with a realistic approach.

Here’s our list of movies of directors from the South who with the help of artists (non-celebrities), outdoor shooting and very small budgets carved a niche.

G. Aravindan’s Uttarayanam and Thampu

Puttanna Kanagal’s Gejje Pooje and Sharapanjara

Balu Mahendra’s Veedu and Kokila

Bijukumar Damodaran’s VeettilekullaVazhi and Saira

T. V. Chandran’s Ponthan Mada

Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Swayamvaram and Elippathayam

Babukodi Venkataramana Karanth’s Vamsa Vriksha

Girish Karnad’s Ondanondu Kaladalli

Shaji N. Karun’s Piravi and Swaham

K. Balachander’s ArangetramandApoorva Raagangal

Singeetam Srinivasa Rao’s Pushpaka Vimanam and Dikkatra Parvathi

Revathi’s Mitr, My Friend

Kasinathuni Viswanath’s Saptapadi and Sankarabharanam

Girish Kasaravalli’s Tabarana Kathe

Ramu Kariat’s Neelakuyil and Mudiyanaya Puthran

Pattabhi Rami Reddy Tikkavarapu’s Samskara

Gnana Rajasekaran’s Periyar

K. G. George’s Swapnadanam

Bala’s Sethu and Pithamagan