Who was the 'Edison of India'? Madhavan’s new film unveils his incredible story on August 7

R Madhavan is all set to surprise the audience with his versatility and impeccable range as an actor, playing the role of an inventor during the British Raj, in the upcoming movie GDN: Edison of India. The movie depicts the life of Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu, one India’s most remarkable inventors and entrepreneurs who is widely known as the creator of the electric motor. The movie will be released worldwide on August 7.  

Born into a family of Telugu farmers in Coimbatore in 1893, GD Naidu invented many objects that made a huge impact on the lives of the common people. Naidu is credited for paving the foundation for inventing things locally, almost a century before Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat projects were launched. Naidu and his inventions played a key role in turning Coimbatore into a major industrial hub in the country. In 1920, he bought a bus, marking the beginning of his successful career in the transport sector. Interestingly, his transport empire grew exponentially within 13 years and boasted of a fleet of over 280 buses. His United Motor Service (UMS) was one of the largest private bus companies in the country during those days. Naidu started the New Electric Works company in 1930 and produced electric motors. His Gopal Clock Industry also gained traction among customers, establishing Naidu as a prolific entrepreneur and a successful businessman.

From a juice mixer and a vote recording machine to a kerosene-operated fan and portable radios, the list of Naidu’s inventions is quite long. It was GD Naidu who took the initiative to establish the Arthur Hope Polytechnic College (now Government Polytechnic), India’s first polytechnic, in Coimbatore in 1945. He was also a well-known philanthropist who utilised his scientific fervour and financial capacity as a businessman for the betterment of society. GD Naidu, who made many incredible contributions to the Indian scientific sector, passed away in 1974.

Ensemble cast
‘GDN: Edison of India’ is helmed by debutant director Krishnakumar Ramakumar, a prominent figure in the advertising industry. The director has also written the screenplay for the film. Alongside R Madhavan in the lead, the movie boasts a stellar ensemble cast including Jayaram, Priyamani, Satyaraj, Vinay Rai, Dushara Vijayan, Kaniha, Sheela, Karunakaran, Teejay Arunachalam, Thambi Ramayya, Vijay Yesudas, Naren, Johny Vijay, Jenson Diwakar, and Brigida Saga.
‘GDN’ is a joint production venture by Varghese Moolan Pictures and Madhavan’s Tricolour Films after the critically-acclaimed ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect,’ which won the national award for best feature film in 2022. ‘GDN: Edison of India’, bankrolled by Varghese Moolan, Vijay Moolan, R Madhavan, and Saritha Madhavan has Sonal Pande and Sanjay Bector as the co-producers. Govind Vasantha has composed the songs of the movie, which will be released in Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu.