The first Tamil film, "Keechaka Vadham," was released in 1918, marking the beginning of the Tamil film industry. During the 1920s and 1930s, Tamil cinema was heavily influenced by the mythological and historical dramas of the time. The 1940s and 1950s saw the rise of social dramas, with films like "Rangoon Radha" (1949) and "Malaikkallan" (1954) becoming huge hits.