Merryland Studio
Malayalam film production studio
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Merryland Studio is an Indian film studio based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It was established in 1950 by former Thiruvananthapuram mayor and businessman P. Subramaniam. He produced 70 films, 59 of them directed by himself. He was active between 1951 – 1979. The studio's home productions were made under the company Neela Productions. Merryland Studio was famous for their professional rivalry with Kunchacko's Udaya Studio. In 2024, the company started distributing Tamil films under Vaika Merryland Release in Kerala.
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion pictures |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Founder | P. Subramaniam |
| Headquarters | , Kerala, India |
Area served | Kerala |
| Products | Films |
| Services | |
| Subsidiaries |
|
History
Subramaniam bought land at Nemom, Thiruvananthapuram, and founded the studio in 1951. Their first production was Aaathmasakhi (1952). Subramaniam primarily worked as a director for the studio. The studio's list includes a string of landmark films of Malayalam cinema history.[1]
In the 1950s, Malayalam film production were shuttling between Madras and Udaya Studio in Alappuzha. It was at that time Merryland Studio was set up at a five-and-a-half acres of land, easing the productions of Malayalam films. At its peak time, the studio used to employ close to 80 personnel. Many of the actors and actresses frequently appeared in Merryland films: Prem Nazir, who acted in at least 30 films in the first 10 years of his career; Sathyan, who was introduced in Aaathmasakhi; Madhu, who was also a family friend of theirs[who?]; K. V. Shanthi, also known as "Merryland Shanthi"; the Travancore sisters trio (Lalitha, Padmini, and Ragini); and Sharada. Others who were introduced through Neela Productions' films are Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, Miss Kumari, Vinodini Sasimohan, Srividya, Aranmula Ponnamma, S. P. Pillai among others. The competition between Udaya Studio and Merryland Studio was so intense that at one point, when Merryland released Bhaktha Kuchela, Udaya released Krishna Kuchela (1961) with the same story; after that film, they decided to stop the practice. Their Kumarasambhavam (1969) won the first Kerala State Film Award for Best Film when it was established in 1969. Merryland's films revolved around either social issues or mythology; they were mostly known for mythological films, which were the most successful.[2] Bhakta Kuchela, Sree Guruvayoorappan (1972), Swami Ayyappan (1975), and Sreemurukan (1977) were among their most successful mythological films.[3]
Hridayathinte Nirangal was released before Subramaniam died in 1978.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] In 2021, screenwriter John Paul wrote in an article that "The studios set up by P. Subramaniam and Kunchacko—Merryland and Udaya—respectively, led to the development of a full-fledged Malayalam film industry".[12]
In 2022, Merryland Studios resumed film production under the newly christened Merryland Cinemas, headed by Visakh Subramaniam, who was also the founder of Funtastic Films,[13] with Hridayam (2022) serving as its first production.[14]
The company distributed Tamil films Demonte Colony 2 (2024), Viduthalai Part 2 (2024), and Retro (2025) in Kerala under Vaika Merryland Release.
Films produced
Under Neela Productions
Under Merryland Cinemas
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Hridayam | Vineeth Sreenivasan | 3rd highest-grossing film of the year[15] |
| 2024 | Varshangalkku Shesham | ||
| 2025 | Karam | [16] | |
Films distributed
Vaika Merryland Release
| Year | Title | Director | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Demonte Colony 2 | R. Ajay Gnanamuthu | Tamil |
| Viduthalai Part 2 | Vetrimaaran | ||
| 2025 | Retro | Karthik Subbaraj |
Television
The following serials are produced by Karthikeyan, Murugan and Saranya Subramaniam under the banner of Merryland, Sree Subramaniam Enterprises, Sree Saravana Enterprises and Sree Saran Creations.
- All TV series are in Malayalam.
| Year | Title | Genre | Director | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–2005 | Kadamattathu Kathanar | Horror | T. S. Saji | Asianet | |
| 2005 | Ezham Kadalinakkare | Thriller | Suresh Unnithan | ||
| 2005 | Krishna Kripa Sagaram | Mythology | Rajasenan | Amrita TV | |
| 2006–2008 | Swami Ayyappan | Suresh Unnithan | Asianet | ||
| 2008 | Shri Krishna Leela | Suresh Unnithan | |||
| 2008–2010 | Shri Mahabhagavatham | Thulasidas | |||
| 2009 | Swami Ayyappan Saranam | Thulasidas | |||
| 2008–2012 | Devimahathmyam | Viji Thampi, Thulasidas | longest running mythological TV series, Completed 1000 episodes | ||
| 2010–2012 | Alavudeente Albuthavilakku | Fantasy | T.S.Suresh Babu | ||
| 2012–2015 | Amma | Emotional | Kannan Thamarakkulam/Dileep Thavanur | Remake of Maa aired in Star Jalsha | |
| 2012 | Sabarimala Shri Dharmashastha | Mythology | Thulasidas | ||
| 2015–2016 | Vazhve Mayam | Drama | Manoj L. M. | DD Malayalam | |
| 2015 | Sreekrishna Vijayam | Mythology | Manoj L. M. | Janam TV | |
| 2015 | Durga | Drama | Kurupp Mararikkulam | ||
| 2015 | 7 Rathrikal | Horror | Manoj L. M. | Asianet | |
| 2015–2017 | Pranayam | Drama | Sudheesh Sankar/Thulasidas | ||
| 2016–2018 | Sathyam Shivam Sundaram | Mythology | Manoj LM | Amrita TV | |
| 2018 | Kumarasambhavam | Manoj L. M. | |||
| 2019–2020 | Sabarimala Swami Ayyappan | Kannan Thamarakkulam | Asianet | ||
| 2020–2023 | Paadatha Painkilli | Drama | Sudheesh Sankar | ||
| 2023 | Madhanakamarajan | Epic | Manoj L.M. | YouTube | Web serial |
| 2023-2025 | Malikappuram: Apathbandhavan Ayyappan | Mythology | Sudheesh Sankar Vinod Bhagavathinada | Asianet | |
| 2023- 2024 | Amme Bhagavathy | Viji Thampi | Flowers TV | ||
| 2024 | Attukal Amma | Viji Thampi | Flowers TV | ||
| 2024- 2025 | Etho Janma Kalpanayil | Drama | Sachin K Ibaque | Asianet | |
| 2026- present | Valyettan | Binu Vellathooval | Zee Keralam | [17] | |
| Thenmavin Kombathu | Vasudev Sanal | Sun Surya | [18] | ||