The 1970s and 80s saw the emergence of the first organized gangs, often stemming from personal rivalries and territorial control over the port's illegal trade.
The transition of the "North Madras Rowdy" from a gritty reality to a cinematic trope is perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this history. Tamil cinema, specifically the "Madras films" of the 1990s and 2000s, feasted on these stories. north madras rowdies
