Tamil literature has a rich and long literary tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution. Contributors to the Tamil literature are mainly from Tamil people from South India, including the land now comprising Tamil Nadu, and the Sri Lankan Tamils from Sri Lanka, as well as the Tamil diaspora.
D. Jayakanthan, popularly known as JK, was an Indian writer, journalist, orator, film-maker, critic and activist. Born in Cuddalore, he dropped out of school at the age of 9 and went to Madras, where he joined the Communist Party of India. In a career spanning six decades, he authored around 40 novels, 200 short stories, apart from two autobiographies. Outside literature, he made two films. In addition, four of his other novels were adapted into films by others.
Balakumaran was an Indian Tamil writer and author of over 200 novels, 100 short stories, and dialogue/screenplay writer for 23 films. He also contributed to Tamil periodicals such as Kalki, Ananda Vikatan and Kumudam. His Notable works as a dialogue writer in Tamil Cinema includes Nayakan, Guna, Baashha and Pudhupettai.
Devan was a 20th-century Tamil writer, known for his witty and humorous stories.
Bhashyam Iyengar, better known by the pen name of Sandilyan, was an Indian writer known for his historical fiction novels in Tamil. He is known for his historical romance and adventure novels, often set in the times of the Chola and Pandya empires.
Kalyanaraman is a 1979 Indian Tamil-language supernatural comedy film directed by G. N. Rangarajan and written by Panchu Arunachalam. The film stars Kamal Haasan and Sridevi, while V. K. Ramasamy, Major Sundarrajan, Thengai Srinivasan, V. S. Raghavan, Senthamarai, Pushpalatha, Manorama and Master Japan Kuppu play supporting roles. It focuses on Kalyanam, a tea estate owner's son who is duped and murdered by a gang which is after the property, but lives on as a ghost. Kalyanam's twin brother Raman learns the truth and returns for revenge.
Danushkodi Ramasamy was a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India. His works were characterized by his sympathies with communist ideals and depictions of the plight of labourers. He was the general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Kalai Ilakkia Perumanram, a literary organisation.
S. Ramakrishnan is an influentially important writer of modern Tamil literature. He is a full-time writer who has been active over the last 27 years in diverse areas of Tamil literature like short stories, novels, plays, children's literature and translations. He has written and published 9 novels, 20 collections of short stories, 3 plays, 21 books for children, 3 books of translation, 24 collections of articles, 10 books on world cinema, 16 books on world literature including seven of his lectures, 3 books on Indian history, 3 on painting and 4 edited volumes including a Reader on his own works. He also has 2 collections of interviews to his credit. He won the Sahitya Akademi award in 2018 in Tamil language category for his novel Sanjaaram.
S. Rangarajan, better known by his allonym Sujatha, was an Indian engineer and an author, novelist and screenwriter who wrote in Tamil. He authored over 100 novels, 250 short stories, ten books on science, ten stage plays, and a slim volume of poems. He was one of the most popular authors in Tamil literature, and a regular contributor to topical columns in Tamil periodicals such as Ananda Vikatan, Kumudam and Kalki. He had a wide readership, and served for a brief period as the editor of Kumudam, and has also written screenplays and dialogues for several Tamil films.
Melanmai Ponnusamy was a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India. He was born in Melanmarainadu village [மேலாண்மறை நாடு] in Virudhunagar District. He was a farmer by profession who also run a grocery shop in his village. He was a Marxist by political orientation and a member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M). His first short story was published in 1972 in the literary journal Semmalar. His works have since appeared in mainstream Tamil magazines like Ananda Vikatan and Kalki. He credited Soviet literature as a major influence in his writing style and choice of subjects. His works are set in rural Tamil Nadu and deal with the lives of peasants. As of 2009, he has written 23 short story collections, six novellas, six novels and an essay collection. He was awarded the 2008 Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil his short story Minsarapoo. He was also awarded the 2009 Makkal TV award for his contributions to Tamil Literature. He was a founder member and the general secretary of the Marxist writers' organisation - Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association (TNPWA). He was married to Ponnuthai and had three children. He died on 30 October 2017.
Rajam Krishnan, was a feminist Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India.
Prapanchan, is the pseudonym of S. Vaidyalingam a Tamil, writer and critic from Puducherry, India.
Annakili is a 1976 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film, directed by Devaraj–Mohan and written by Panchu Arunachalam from a story by R. Selvaraj. The film stars Sivakumar and Sujatha, with S. V. Subbaiah, Srikanth, Thengai Srinivasan and Fatafat Jayalaxmi in supporting roles. It revolves around Annakili, who falls in love with teacher Thyagarajan. Due to circumstances, Thyagarajan marries another girl. Azhagappan, a womaniser creates a misunderstanding about Annakili among the villagers; the rest of the film shows how Annakili proves her innocence
Jegaatha is a famous Tamil author of over 500 short stories, 30 small novels, 10 novels, 100 poems and more than 300 books on various titles. He has also contributed more than 44 Tamil periodicides, ceylon periodicals, Internet periodicals and radio broadcasts.
Naanum Oru Penn is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar. The film stars S. S. Rajendran and R. Vijayakumari, with S. V. Ranga Rao, M. R. Radha, S. V. Subbaiah, C. K. Nagesh, Rajan and C. S. Pushpalatha in supporting roles. It revolves around a dark complexioned and uneducated girl and how she convinces everyone that more than appearance and education, it is the character which is important for a woman.
Deivathin Deivam is 1962 Indian, Tamil Drama film, written and directed by K. S. Gopalakrishnan, with music by G. Ramanathan. It stars S. S. Rajendran, C. R. Vijayakumari, Kumari Manimala and S. V. Ranga Rao in the lead roles.
Era Natarasan, popularly known as Ayesha Natarasan, is an Indian writer of children's books. He writes in Tamil and English. He is the author of Ayisha / Ayesha that has sold millions of copies in 12 languages. He has written more than 80 books most of them on science and Science Fiction including Vigyana vikramadhithyan kadhaigal which won the "Bal Sahitya Puraskar Award" for Children Literature, awarded by Sahitya Academy.
Oru Iyakkunarin Kadhal Diary is a 2017 Tamil-language Indian film directed by Velu Prabhakaran, starring Prabakaran and Pon Swathi with many newcomers.
Dhamayanthi is a Tamil fiction writer, poet, lyricist and film director.
Kalyanamam Kalyanam is a 1974 Indian Tamil-language comedy film directed by K. Krishnamurthy and written by Panchu Arunachalam. The film stars Jaishankar and Jayachitra. It was released on 12 January 1974.
