P A Perumal Mudaliar

P A Perumal Mudaliar was a producer and distributor of many Tamil films. He also founded the film production company “National Pictures”. He was born on 10th May 1916 in the then North Arcot district, present-day Vellore district. After completing his schooling in Vellore, he worked as a lungi exporter and married Meenakshi Ammal. He was keenly interested in the arts and built a theatre called the National Theatre in Vellore in 1948. When he met the actor Thilakam Sivaji Ganesan, who acted in the Rojanatakam at the Shakti Nataka Sabha in Vellore, he thought of making a movie to act in the Parasakthi Natakam, organized by the Devi Nataka Mandram. He was involved in a film venture with the film Parashakti at AVM Studios. 9 acres of Perumal Mudaliar's land was taken over by the Tamil Nadu government. He gave the place to set up a school in Bhututhakku village.

He helped poor school students a lot. The students who were educated by him are in government jobs today. Perumal has acquired rights and distributed over 200 films. Some of them are: Pathibakthi, Vidiveḷḷi, Naam Iruvar, Vedhaḷa Ulakam, Rangoon Radha, Aṉṉai Illam, Kiḻakke Pokum Rayil. Some of the best films produced by him are Parasakthi, Rathaakanneer, Petra Manam, and Thangadurai. He passed away on 7th December 1978.