Tamil serial started to broadcast television series in the 1990s.[6] Today's format of 100–500 episodes started in the 2000s. The television series industry has played a pivotal role in increasing Tamil popularity in India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and Tamil diaspora. They are also broadcast in other parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia and North America.
They are usually shown on Tamil television channels and start at 12 pm to 3 pm (afternoon), 6 pm to 8 pm (evening) and 8 pm to 11 pm (primetime and night).[7] A series will run for about 3 or 4 years. It may air 5 or 6 episodes a week, the pattern usually being Monday through Friday or Monday through Saturday.
Anandham (2003–2009) was the first Tamil TV drama to cross 1,000 episodes and concluded with 1,297 episodes. Kolangal (2003–2009) was the first Tamil serial to cross 1,500 and Chandralekha (2014-2022) was the first Tamil serial to cross 2,000 and concluded with 2315 episodes.[8]
Mayavi, It was the first Indian & Asian 3D series.[9]Nadhaswaram, This serial on 5 March 2014 achieved the feat of being the first TV drama in Indian and Tamil television to be aired live. This was done to commemorate the show's 1000th Episode on 5 March 2014. By airing a 23-minutes 25seconds long live telecast in a single shot, the TV drama has earned a place in the Guinness World Records.[10][11]Marmadesam, was an extremely successful tele-serial. It was ranked first in viewership among the television programmes telecast from Chennai in 1997.[12]Chithi, It holds the credit of most watched regional Language television program in India ever.[13]
History
The first Tamil languages TV show was Oliyum Oliyum. It was movie song compilation program on television popular during the 1980s.[14]
Tamil television serials are usually helmed by one director, written by one screenwriter, thus having a distinct directing style and language, unlike American television series, where often several directors and writers work together.[15] Series are likely to have only one season, with 1–500 or 1–1000 episodes. Mini series may be longer, with 100 to 200 episodes, but they also run for only one season.
The broadcast time for flagship dramas is 22:00 to 23:00, with episodes on Four consecutive nights: Mondays to Thursday, Friday, and weekends. Different dramas appear on each of the nationwide networks MediaCorp Vasantham,[33]Astro Vaanavil,[34]TV2 and Astro Vinmeen HD.
Most Malaysian and Singapore produce a variety of Drama series including Comedy Romance, Thriller, Mystery, Teen and fantasy. Series are likely to have one to three season, with 1–80 episodes. Mini series may be longer, with 1 to 16 episodes, they also run for one to three season.
Some popular contemporary dramas in Singapore include: Vettai, Nijangal, Vettai: Pledged to Hunt, Sundharam Kudumpathinar, Annamalai, Ragasiyam, Vetri.
The broadcast time for flagship dramas is 19:00 to 21:00, with episodes on weekends nights. Different dramas appear on each of the nationwide networks Shakthi TV[37] and Nethra TV. Sri Lankan Tamil channel Shakthi TV, Vasantham TV and Nethra TV channels aired syndicated television shows from Indian Tamil language, and has been well received.
The first serial produced in Jaffna was Marmakkulal.[38] It was premiered on 2017 aired on IBC Tamil. This Show was produced by IBC Tamil and director by Apayan Ganesh. It was first Tamil languages series from Sri Lanka aired more than 100 Episodes.[39]
Some popular contemporary Original dramas include: 7K,[40] Chinnathirai, Gowthami.
Series set in contemporary times usually run for one season, for 100–1000 episodes of 22 minutes. They are often centered on a family story, with love ties and relationships being in the focus. Characters are mostly idealised, with Tamil female protagonists described as the ideal women, and can focus on ethics and social issues in rural areas. The daily dramas are also usually set in contemporary times, describing a family conflict or family relationships, centered on Tamil women, who sacrifice themselves for family happiness.
Theme music and background music sets the overall tone of the Tamil series. Most series will start off with one to three minutes of opening theme music during the opening credits. Other series will have at the very least a catchy melody in the beginning, displaying the drama's name that lasts a few seconds, and then one to two minutes of ending theme background music during the closing credits. Background music is placed and used at strategic points of the episode to set the mood of that particular show.
Original soundtracks (OSTs) are made specifically for each series and play an important role in Tamil dramas (mostly in Singapore and Malaysia). They are generally recorded by professional playback singers and tend to enhance the reputation and popularity of dramas. OSTs help to heighten a situation, accentuate a mood, provide relief, or serve as background to an interior monologue.
In the 2000s, it become customary to cast popular Kollywood Actors mostly Actress in series. Initially, this generated mixed reactions. It has been the normal in the Tamil television industry for actresses who initially played heroines in Kollywood films to get after married acting in Television serials such as Radhika Sarathkumar, Khushbu, Devayani, Ramya Krishnan, Meena, Mounika, Kutty Padmini, Gautami, Sukanya, Sri Priya, Kausalya, Ranjitha, Sanghavi, Archana, Nalini, Nirosha and Sonia Agarwal.[45] Also, if an actress acts in a TV series, she has lost her name as a film actress (Big Screen) and some criticized her as a small screen actress. Also differences between small screen and big screen were seen in 2000s.
Nowadays, this has become a very common feature in Tamil dramas as the public does not differentiate between a film actress and a television actress. And some small screen actresses have also found success by playing heroines in films. Their critical reception is still mixed, however, some of them, like Devadarshini, Sivakarthikeyan, Nivetha Thomas, Santhanam, Vijay Sethupathi,[46]Priya Bhavani Shankar and Vani Bhojan, became successful as Film actors and actresses.[47]
There were also instances of children taking up careers as child actors or actresses. Actors who played child actors grow up to play lead roles or supporting roles in television series. such people include actress like Sujitha, Neelima Rani, Hemalatha, Raveena Daha, Gabriella Charlton and Sreethu Krishnan.[48]
Directors and scriptwriters
Directors and scriptwriters of Tamil dramas are rarely as well known as actors are. An overwhelming majority of scriptwriters and directors are men. who mostly only write about women subject stories.
Disney+ Hotstar is the also streaming platform to buy substantial amounts of Tamil television series. Kana Kaanum Kaalangal,[59]November Story,[60]Live Telecast are among the Disney+ Hotstar productions that gathered success in Tamil as well as many other Indian languages.
America Mappillai was first Tamil original drama for ZEE5, aired on 14 February 2018.[64]Kallachirippu became the second Tamil category drama aired in the platform.[65] The series was aired on 23 July 2018 and eventually ended up on 30 July 2018 with only 8 episodes.
In 2023 Ayali series was released on 26 January 2023, Bharathy Singaravel of The News Minute gave 4 stars out of 5 and wrote "Ayali, despite a few flaws, is receiving the praise it well deserves. It gives hope that the Tamil web series genre will choose nuanced storytelling over trying to stretch out cinematic mass moments for its actors."[66]
Netflix
Since late 2020s American streaming service Netflix has been producing original Tamil-languages dramas and movies available on its platform. Netflix created its first original Tamil anthologydrama series, Paava Kadhaigal, with the release date on 18 December 2020.[67]
Amazon Prime
In 2018 American streaming service Amazon Prime has been producing original Tamil dramas and movies available on its platform. Vella Raja was first Tamil original drama for Amazon Prime and aired on 2 December 2018.[68]Breathe became the second Tamil-Hindi drama aired in the platform.
In 2022 Akash Vaani, The first Tamil web series has been released on aha Tamil from 11 February 2022. Then Irai[74] was released on 18 February 2022, Ramany vs Ramany 3.0[75] was released on 4 March 2022 and Kuthukku Pathu was released on 13 May 2022.[76][77]
Tamil TV dramas are popular overseas in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia. They are also broadcast in other parts of Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. The popularity of Tamil TV dramas in India markets is on the rise. Tamil serials are also dubbed in Malayalam, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada, Odia and Marathi and most serials air with English, Sinhalese and Malay subtitles.
Tamil series have also been remade into Kannada versions such as Rangoli was a remake of the serial Kolangal, Chikamma a remake of Chithi, Bangara a remake of Thangam, Thangaali a remake of Thendral, Mangalya a remake of Metti Oli, Chandra Chakori a remake of Deivamagal, Janani[84] a remake of Ethirneechal, Sangarsha[85] a remake of Ayutha Ezhuthu and Sevanthi[86] a remake of Roja. The Udaya TV and Star Suvarna channels air Tamil series remade in the Kannada language.
The first Tamil TV series broadcast on 2021 in Karnataka after long time was Ee Bandhana (dubbed version of Magarasi) on Udaya TV, Then Nannaseya Hoove[87] (dubbed version of Poove Unakkaga) aired.
Tamil series have also been remade into Marathi. The Chennai-based Sun TV Network group started a Marathi GEC named as Sun Marathi in January 2021. It will be Sun group's fourth entry in South Indian market. shows like Nandini been dubbed in Marathi language to reach towards peoples of Maharashtra.[92]
Tamil series have also been remade into Marathi versions such as Premas Rang Yave[93] in 2023 which was a remake of the serial Anandha Ragam and Shabbas Sunbai[94] a remake of Ethirneechal.
The first Tamil TV series broadcast in Odisha was Perazhagi. The show was renamed as Labanya and it aired on Colors Odia.[100] Then Maangalya Sandhosham aired. Mu Bi Ardhangini, an Odia language adaptation of the Tamil drama series Yaaradi Nee Mohini, was released on 9 July 2018 on Zee Sarthak.[101]
In Sri Lanka Tamil channels air Tamil series, and also dub and subtitle in the Sinhalese language. The first Tamil Language serial to be dubbed in Sinhalese was Chithi. Tamil television series are extremely popular in Sri Lanka, with ratings higher than the traditional Tamil Nadu TV series that Sri Lankan Tamils watched. Most Tamil serial airs in Tamil language with Sinhalese subtitle.
Singapore and Malaysia
In Singapore and Malaysia Tamil Channel airs Tamil Series and subtitle in the English and Malay languages. Among the most popular series are Vettai, Nijangal, Ennuyire, Annamalai, Ragasiyam and Neeya.
An episode of a popular Tamil television drama from the 2000s is usually between 30 and 60 minutes in length (including advertisements), which is much longer than a typical episode of an Indian or Western European series.
Storytelling of Tamil TV series
Tamil TV series, especially Family and Melodrama series.
The leading roles do not die in Tamil TV series. When he dies, it means the series will end.
Most of Tamil TV series tell the story of Women's struggles.
Each episode of Tamil TV series is quite small, unlike East Asia and North American TV series of 20–22 minutes.¨Mother-in-law, Sister-in-law, and ex-lover are bad-tempered people.
The poor are proud; the rich are arrogant. Even at home, the rich always appear with the perfect outfit and make-up.
Chithi became one of the most watched Indian soap opera and most watched Tamil program at that time.[108] In week 26 of 2000, it was one of the most watched Indian serial with 4.67 TVR.[109] Overall in 2000, it was the seventeenth most watched Indian television program with 4.45 TVR.[110] From 30 April 2001 to 6 May 2001 and the following week it was at fourth position in All TV homes ratings with 4.7 TVR.[111][112] On 3 October 2001, it garnered 5.55 TVR.[113]
It was one of the highest-rated Indian and Tamil soap opera which garnered ratings ranging between 23 and 26 TVR.[116] Between 20 December 2004 to 13 January 2005 it had a rating of 25.68 TVR. In September 2007, it maintained its top position with 21.58 TVR.[117]
Ethirneechal gradually gained more popularity and viewership in May 2023 by its screenplay, and mainly for the natural and realistic acting.The series attracted all age groups mainly 2k kids by its Powerful Storyline of Women Empowerment.[118]Ethirneechal became popular by Late Marimuthu who played the Antoganist Role Adhigunasekaran (AGS) with Humour Sense.[119] In July 2023, the series was the most watched Tamil-language television series with 11.55 TVR.In October 2023, it was at the peak ratings of 11.54 TVR.[120] In Barc Era, This is the first ever Tamil Television Series to become No.1 in TRP ratings at 9:30 pm slot all over Tamil Nadu.[118][121][122]
Naagin was a Popular Hindi Television Series it first season was dubbed in Tamil Which had Telecasted on Sun TV between 2016-17. It gradually gained more popularity and viewership by its Thriller Story with High Voltage Tracks and Fetched peak Rating of 12+ TVR in 2017.it was One of the most viewed and popular Hindi Dubbed Series of Tamil Nadu. Although it had Telecasted on 10 pm it entered on Top 5 shows of Barc Ratings Allover TN & PY.
List of longest-running Tamil Language television series
This is a list of the longest-running Tamil Language television series, ordered by number of episodes the show has aired. This list includes only programs aired five years and above.
Series shaded in light blue are currently in production.
^Sankaran, Chitra; Pillai, Shanthini (2011). "Transnational Tamil television and diasporic imaginings". International Journal of Cultural Studies. 14 (3): 277–289. doi:10.1177/1367877910391867. S2CID145197401.
