Few in Kerala recognises J. C. Daniel by his full name: Joseph Chellaiah Daniel. To most, he is simply J.C. Daniel, revered as the father of Malayalam cinema. The 2013 film Celluloid rekindled public memory of his life and struggles, with the evocative song, “Kaatre Kattre”, rendered by Vaikom Vijayalakshmi, lingering in the minds of the audience. Yet, across the border in Tamil Nadu, it remains little known that this pioneering figure of Malayalam cinema was, in fact, a Tamil who spent his final years at Agastheeswaram, a small town near Kanniyakumari. “Contrary to popular perception — and to his portrayal in Celluloid as a man neglected by his children and reduced to poverty — J.C. Daniel lived an honourable and dignified life in Puthu Veedu, his family home at Agastheeswaram,” says Janet Chandrika, his granddaughter and retired college professor. She recalls seeing him seated in a reclining chair.

Family of medical professionals

Born into a well-to-do family of medical professionals, Daniel was the son of Gnanabaranam Joseph Daniel, a doctor trained in Calcutta and England, who served as Chief Medical Officer in Travancore. The family home, built by his father, resembled a miniature palace, and the family came to be known locally as the ‘Puthu Veedu Doctor Family’. Daniel was also an accomplished martial artist, and it was this passion that inspired him to make a film on the art form. From a young age, he trained in silambam and other martial arts, and his years in Thiruvananthapuram deepened his engagement with kalari traditions. He even authored a book titled Indian Art of Fencing and Sword Play. As Kumar Solomon notes in his biography J.C. Daniel-Vaazhvin Nizhal, Daniel eventually realised that a compelling narrative was essential for the success of the film and changed the storyline.

Daniel’s tireless efforts and heavy personal investment — selling his share of property in Panachamoodu in Kanniyakumari and borrowing money and jewellery from friends and relatives to produce the first Malayalam silent film Vigathakumaran (The Lost Child) — ended in heartbreak. Vigathakumaran told the story of a child kidnapped by a Sri Lankan plantation worker and later reunited with his family.

Kerala’s first film studio

Defying opposition from his family, Daniel bought land at Pattam in Kerala, rented the house, Saradha Vilas, and established what became Travancore National Pictures, Kerala’s first film studio. He also shot portions of the film on Sri Lankan plantations, making him one of the earliest Indian film-makers to shoot abroad. His son, Sundaram Daniel, appeared in the film, marking an early instance of a child artist in Malayalam cinema. Daniel himself performed the stunt sequences. The production, however, was fraught with challenges. Initially, he cast an Anglo-Indian actress, Lana, as the heroine, but disagreements over salary and accommodation led to her departure, though he offered her a salary of ₹10,000 and paid ₹5,000 in advance. With few options, he turned to a local koothu artiste, Rajamma, whom he persuaded to act in the film and rechristened P. K. Rosy. Daniel’s wife, Janent, even gave her dresses and jewellery to support the production. The film was released in 1930.

Upper castes outraged

What followed exposed the harsh social realities of the time. The casting of a woman from a marginalised community as the heroine provoked outrage among sections of the upper castes. Screenings were disrupted, even over a scene as innocuous as the hero picking a flower from the heroine’s hair. Rosy’s house was set on fire. She fled Kerala. The film encountered protests elsewhere too, and Daniel suffered devastating financial losses. Yet, the setback did not define his life. Daniel rebuilt himself with a remarkable resilience. Trained in dentistry, he went on to establish a respected practice in Madurai, regaining stability and dignity after the collapse of his cinematic dream, recalls Janet Chandrika.

But, while practising in Karaikudi, his love for cinema resurfaced. Noted singer and actor P. U. Chinnappa visited his hospital for treatment. As they discussed film, Chinnappa invited him to Chennai. “Daniel abandoned his hospital and went to the city in pursuit of his dream, but success eluded him. He squandered the money he had earned as a dentist, notes Kumar Solomon. A crestfallen Daniel retired to Agastheeswaram and became the subject of criticism within his family. “But there is no truth in the allegation that he was a drunkard,” says Janet Chandrika, named after his grandmother, the wife of Daniel.

Returning to dentistry

Realising his earlier missteps, he returned to dentistry and opened clinics at Neyyattinkara and Jamestown in Kanniyakumari. He earned enough to marry off his four children between 1950 and 1954. He also opened a gymkhana club at Kottaram near Agastheeswaram, where he taught martial arts, sold cashew nuts, and prepared nannari sherbet during festivals. He invited actors from Madurai and staged dramas. He died of old age on April 27, 1975.

Despite his contribution, there was hesitation in recognising him as the pioneer of Malayalam cinema. It was Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan who gathered evidence to establish his primacy. Even then, questions were raised about his identity as a Tamil and how he could be considered the father of Malayalam cinema. Gopalakrishnan countered that Kanniyakumari had been part of Travancore until its merger with Tamil Nadu in 1956. Finally, the government of Chief Minister K. Karunakaran formally acknowledged him as the father of Malayalam cinema in 1991. The Kerala government instituted the annual J.C. Daniel Award in 1992 for individuals contributing to Malayalam cinema and installed his bronze statues in Thiruvananthapuram (Chithirangi Studio) and Neyyattinkara.