CM MK Stalin inaugurates AVM Studios' Heritage Museum 

Over the past eight decades, the legendary AVM Productions and AVM Studios have built a long-standing legacy that has served as one of the founding pillars of Tamil cinema. In an attempt to cement this footprint, the AVM group set up the AVM Heritage Museum in the city-based studio complex, which was formally inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday. 

The museum houses up to 40 vintage and classic cars, old-fashioned bikes spanning from the 1910s to the 2000s, cameras, computers, and other antique film equipment.

The event was graced by the presence of Tamil Nadu ministers Ponmudy and TR Baalu, director SP Muthuraman, and AVM's long-time collaborators Kamal Haasan and Sivakumar. Also in attendance were producers AVM Saravanan, MS Guhan, and Aruna Guhan.

Speaking about the idea behind the museum, producer MS Guhan of AVM Studios said, "I have a penchant for collecting cars, and as a production house, we have preserved a lot of the equipment we've used over the years. So, the time was right to set up a museum to showcase the heritage and legacy of AVM Productions."

To keep things interesting, Guhan revealed that the artifacts on display would be changed every three months. "There are many more antiques that have been preserved. For instance, we are getting a few mannequins ready to display famous costumes like the one Kamal Haasan donned in Sakalakala Vallavan."

With the museum still in the nascent stage of being set up, the curators exude confidence that it will soon be enhanced with the additions to the antiquities. "For every car displayed, we want to show a photograph of the actor who used it in one of our films. We also want to showcase the name of the film, the cinematographer, and other crew members too," informed Guhan. 

The AVM Heritage Museum will be open to the public from Wednesday to Monday between 10 am and 5 pm, and remain closed on Tuesdays, and other National holidays. An entry fee of ₹200 per adult and ₹150 per child will be levied on the guests. 

This is seen as a much-needed step in preserving the legacy and memories of one of the pioneering production houses of Indian cinema, which has backed over 175 projects, including iconic films like Parasakthi, Kalathur Kannama, Hum Panchhi Ek Dal Ke, and Sivaji.