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Artistes from the Isai Velalar community (devadasi),
traditionally attached to temples, made a major contribution to the
early talkie cinema by providing much of the content, drawn from their
traditional repertoire, thereby deciding the style of Tamil cinema. This
development came about by a historical coincidence when the devadasi
system was abolished and the artistes of the community - dancers, dance
teachers and singers - had to seek a livelihood elsewhere. They first
moved onto the commercial stage and from there into cinema. The song and
dance component of Tamil cinema owes its origin largely to the
contribution of artistes from the devadasi community who worked in early
talkies.
('Devadasi influence in Tamil cinema' by Theodore Baskaran, Frontline, Oct 11, 2019)
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