Chandralekha
Chandralekha took five years (1943–1948) to make. The story, cast, and filming changed a lot, which caused delays and extra costs. The movie cost ₹3 million in 1948, making it the most expensive Indian movie at the time. Vasan used all his money, got help from The Hindu editor Kasturi Srinivasan, and sold his jewelry to complete the film. According to historian S. Muthiah, it was the first movie outside the United States with a budget of over a million dollars due to fluctuating exchange rates.