Tamil fiction-writers use Centhamizh for all descriptive writing and use "Kotunthamizh" only to narrate conversations between the characters in their works. There have been exceptions to this rule. Noted novelist Kalki Krishnamurthy once dismissed Centhamizh as Kodunthamizh (tortured Tamil) although his novels are written almost entirely in Centhamizh, both description and conversation. Even though all Tamils—no matter how educated they are—always converse in Kotuntamizh, Tamil novels used to depict educated people speaking in the classic form. Several decades ago, most Tamil movies had characters who spoke in Centamizh.
