J.C. Daniel did not give up. He tried to make another film, Marthanda Varma , but the print was lost in a shipwreck. He died in 1975, poor and forgotten, in a tiny house in Madras. His obituary mentioned him as a "former businessman."
The premiere was set for October 23, 1930, at the Capitol Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram. Tickets were printed: "The First Malayalam Talkie"—though it was silent; Daniel knew "talkie" sounded grander. The Maharaja of Travancore himself was invited. The who’s who of Kerala society RSVP’d out of curiosity and scorn. first movie in malayalam
Now came the impossible part: finding actors. He died in 1975, poor and forgotten, in
The history of Malayalam cinema, a significant part of Indian cinema, dates back to the early 20th century. The first movie in Malayalam, "Balaana" (1938), marked the beginning of a rich cinematic journey that would eventually make Malayalam cinema a major force in Indian film industry. Directed by S. Nottanandan, "Balaana" was not only the first Malayalam talkie but also laid the foundation for the growth of a unique film culture in Kerala, the state where Malayalam is predominantly spoken. The Maharaja of Travancore himself was invited
"Would you act in my film?" Daniel asked.