Tulu cinema is a part of Indian cinema. The Tulu film industry produces 5 to 7 films annually. The first Tulu film was Enna Thangadi released in 1971. Usually, earlier, these films were released in theatres across the Tulu Nadu region. But currently the Tulu film industry has grown to such an extent that films are being released simultaneously in Mangalore, Udupi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Gulf countries. The critically acclaimed Tulu film Suddha won the award for the bestIndian Film at the Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema held in New Delhi in 2006. In 2011, the Tulu film Industry got a second life with the release of the film Oriyardori Asal. The film turned out to be the biggest hit in Tulu film history to date. Chaali Polilu is the longest running film in Tulu film industry. This movie is the highest grossing film in the Tulu film industry. It has successfully completed 470 days at PVR Cinemas in Mangalore. On 27 February 2016, Times Of India carried a special report regarding Tulu cinema industry where it was observed that in the 45 year-old Tulu industry, only 45 movies were released for the first 40 years from 1971 to 2011 whereas in the 5 years since then, 21 films have been made. It also identified Oriyardori Asal as the turning point of the industry. It also reported that 8 films were made in 2014 and 11 films were made in 2015 and identified Kudla Cafe as the 66th film of Tulu industry. It also reported that another movie that broke records was Chaali Polilu, a 2014 social comedy film by Virendra Shetty Kavoor which had a run of 470 shows at a popular multiplex in Mangaluru, playing to full houses on the weekends and 50% occupancy on weekdays. It also reported that generally made at a modest budget of Rs 40 lakh Rs 60 lakhs, Tulu films stood out with their touch of reality. For a language native to about 2 million people, the main audience for Tulu films is limited to the two districts Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod taluk. They also see a limited release in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Dubai. 2014 movie Madime was reported to be remade in Marathi, thereby becoming the first Tulu movie to be remade in another language. Shutterdulai is the first remake in Tulu cinemas. Eregla Panodchi is the second remake in Tulu cinemas.A suit for damages of Rs. 25 lakhs was filed against the makers of the Telugu filmBrahmotsavam for copying the first 36 seconds of the song A...lele...yereg madme by Dr. Vamana Nandaavara found in the Deepanalike CD composed for the Siri channel. The song was used in the movie in a sequence involving the lead actor who, while accompanying his family on a tour, dances to the tune of the hit Tulu song. Prajavani reported that with its dubbing rights sold to Hindi for 21 lakhs, the 2018 movie Umil became the first Tulu movie to achieve the feat. Ashwini Kotiyan became the first female director in the Tulu industry after directing and releasing her first movie Namma Kudla. Brahmashree Narayana Guruswamy released on 2 May 2014 was the 50th Tulu film. Panoda Bodcha marked the 75th release anniversary of a Tulu film. The 100th Tulu movie Karne was released on 16 November 2018.
