The Telugu film industry originated with silent films in 1921, with the production and release of Bhishma Pratigna in 1921.[43] The film was directed by Raghupathi Venkayya and his son R. S. Prakash.[44]Y. V. Rao and R. S. Prakash established a long-lasting precedence of focusing exclusively on religious themes; Nandanar, Gajendra Moksham, and Matsyavatar, three of their most noted productions, centred on religious figures, parables, and morals.[45] The first film studio in South India, Durga Cinetone, was built in 1936 by Nidamarthi Surayya in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh.[46] In 1935, Andhra Cine Tone was built in Visakhapatnam by Gottumukkala Jagannadha Raju. He introduced digital theater sound with the 1935 film Jagadamba.[47]
Rise of the "talkie"
The first Telugu film with audible dialogue, Bhakta Prahlada, was produced by H.M. Reddy, who directed the first bilingual (Telugu and Tamil) talkie Kalidas (1931). Bhakta Prahlada was completed on 15 September 1931,[48] which henceforth became known as "Telugu Film Day" to commemorate its completion.[49][50][51] Popularly known as talkies, films with sound quickly grew in number and popularity. In 1934, the industry saw its first major commercial success with Lavakusa. Directed by C. Pullaiah and starring Parupalli Subbarao and Sriranjani, the film attracted unprecedented numbers of viewers to theatres and thrust the young industry into mainstream culture.[52] By 1936, the mass appeal of film allowed directors to move away from religious and mythological themes.[52] That year, under the direction of Kruthiventi Nageswara Rao, Prema Vijayam, a film focusing on social issues, was released. Its success prompted the production of dozens of other immensely successful 'social films', notably 1939's Vandemataram, touching on societal problems like the practice of giving dowry, Telugu films increasingly focused on contemporary living: 29 of the 96 films released between 1937 and 1947 had social themes.[53]
The outbreak of World War II and the subsequent resource scarcity caused the British Raj to impose a limit on the use of filmstrip in 1943 to 11,000 feet,[59] a sharp reduction from the 20,000 feet that had been common till then.[60] As a result, the number of films produced during the war was substantially lower than in previous years. Nonetheless, before the ban, an important shift occurred in the industry: Independent studios formed, actors and actresses were signed to contracts limiting whom they could work for, and films moved from social themes to folklore legends.[61]Ghantasala Balaramayya, has directed the mythological Seetarama Jananam under his home production, Prathiba Picture, marking veteran Akkineni Nageswara Rao's Telugu screen debut in 1944.[62]
Classical cinema and Golden Age
Malliswari is the first Telugu film which had a public release with thirteen prints along with Chinese subtitles at Beijing on 14 March 1953, and a 16 mm film print was also screened in the United States.[63][64] The film was directed by B. N. Reddy, a recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke Award, and the Doctor of Letters honour.[64]
Veteran actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao relocated to Hyderabad and has developed Annapurna Studios. The Telugu film industry is one of the three largest film producers in India. About 245 Telugu films were produced in 2006, the highest in India for that year. Film studios in Hyderabad, developed by D. Ramanaidu and Ramoji Rao, are involved in prolific film production and employment.[84]
There is a fair amount of dispersion among the Indian film industries. Since 2005, many successful Telugu films have been largely remade by the Bengali cinema and Hindi film industries, while in the past, Telugu filmmakers drew inspiration from Bengali cinema and literature.[85] Telugu film production accounts for one percent of the gross domestic product of the region.[86][87][88]
The digital cinema network company UFO Moviez marketed by Southern Digital Screenz (SDS) has digitized several cinemas in the region.[89][90]
The Film and Television Institute of Telangana, Film and Television Institute of Andhra Pradesh, Ramanaidu Film School and Annapurna International School of Film and Media are some of the largest film schools in India.[91][92] The Telugu states consist of approximately 2800 theaters, the largest number of cinema halls of any state in India.[93] Being commercially consistent, Telugu cinema had its influence over commercial cinema in India.[94]
The industry holds the Guinness World Record for the largest film production facility in the world, Ramoji Film City.[95] The Prasads IMAX located in Hyderabad is one of the largest 3D IMAX screens, and the most attended cinema screen in the world.[96][97][98] As per the CBFC report of 2014, the industry is placed first in India, in terms of films produced yearly.[99] The industry holds a memorandum of understanding with the Motion Picture Association of America to combat video piracy.[100][101][102] In the years 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2014 the industry has produced the largest number of films in India, exceeding the number of films produced in Bollywood.[103][84]
1992 film Gharana Mogudu is the first Telugu film to gross over ₹ 10 crore at the box office.[104] Produced on a shoe string budget of ₹1.2 crore 2000 film Nuvve Kavali became sleeper hit of the late 1990s.[105][106] It received an estimated foot fall for 200 days in 20 screens grossing over ₹20 crore.[107][108][109]
Singeetam Srinivasa Rao introduced science fiction to the Telugu screen with Aditya 369 (1991), the film dealt with exploratory dystopian and apocalyptic themes.[114] The edge of the seat thriller had characters which stayed human, inconsistent and insecure. The film's narrative takes the audience into the post apocalyptic experience through time travel, as well as folklore generation of 1500 A.D, which including a romantic backstory, the "Time Machine" made it a brilliant work of fiction.[115][116][117]
Ram Gopal Varma's Siva, which attained cult status in Telugu cinema, is one of the first Telugu films produced after the migration of Telugu film industry from Madras to Hyderabad to feature characters speaking the Telangana dialect.[118][119] Varma was credited with the introduction of steadicams and new sound recording techniques in Telugu films.[120] Within a year of the film's release, more than ten steadicams were imported into India.[121]Siva attracted the young audience during its theatrical run, and its success encouraged filmmakers to explore a variety of themes and make experimental Telugu films.[122][123]
Subsequently, Varma introduced road movie and film-noir to Indian screen with Kshana Kshanam. Varma experimented with close-to-life performances by the lead actors, which bought a rather fictional storyline a sense of authenticity at a time when the industry was being filled with unnecessary commercial fillers.[124] It went on to gather a cult following in south India,[125] with a dubbed Hindi version titled Hairaan released to positive reports from bollywood critics, the Ann Arbor Film Festival, and the Fribourg Festival.[126][127]
Minugurulu (2014) about blind children received Best Indian Film at the "9th India International Children's Film Festival Bangalore".[139] 2013 Cultural film, O Friend, This Waiting! has received special mention at the Erasing Borders Festival of Classical Dance, Indo-American Arts Council, New York, 2013.[140] Experimental film Parampara has garnered the Platinum Award for Best Feature at the International Indonesian Movie Awards.[141] 2018 biographical film Mahanati based on the life of veteran actress Savitri has garnered the "Equality in Cinema Award" at the 2018 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.[142]
During the 1990s, the Rayalaseema dialect was portrayed in films about the factional conflicts in the area, while the Telangana dialect, already having been pegged to villainous and comedic roles, saw an increase in this usage in reaction to the shift of the Telugu film production from Madras to Hyderabad.[143][144] After the formation of the state of Telangana in 2014, Telangana culture gained more prominence, and more films were produced portraying Telangana culture, and dialect.[145]
Screenwriters such as Chandra Sekhar Yeleti experimented with the off beat film Aithe (2003) with a caption "all movies are not the same". Aithe was made on a shoestring budget of about 1.5 crores and went on to collect more than 6 crores. After almost two years he delivered another thriller Anukokunda Oka Roju (2005) both films were a refreshing change of pace to the audiences, produced by Gangaraju Gunnam.[146] Aithe was remade in Tamil as Naam (2003) and in Malayalam as Wanted (2004).[147]
Mohana Krishna Indraganti explored the themes of chastity, and adultery in his literary adaption Grahanam (2004) (based on "Gunadosham" by social critic G. V. Chalam).[148][149] Grahanam was shot in 19 days with a digital camera.[150] B. Anuradha of Rediff.com cited "In this offbeat film, Indraganti upholds the tirade against chauvinists who accuse a noble lady of infidelity, ignoring her denials with contempt". The film was featured at the Independent South Asian Film Festival in the United States.[151][150]
Speaking about the centenary of Indian cinema at the CII Media and Entertainment Summit 2012, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur said regional cinema is surpassing Hindi cinema in content and story, and cited Eega (2012) as an example. Kapur said he was impressed with its story and use of technology, and called it "no less than a Hollywood superhero film".[152]Shah Rukh Khan called Eega an "awesomely original" film and a "must watch" with children.[153][154]Eega won the Most Original Film honor at the 8th Toronto After Dark Film Festival.[155]
Bommarillu was released worldwide with 72 prints. Owing to its success, the number of reels grew to about hundred.[169] It collected a distributors share of ₹5 crore in its opening week in India.[169] Released in six major metros in the United States, the film collected $73,200 (then approximately ₹0.3 crore) within the first four days of screening.[169] A 2006 survey conducted by a popular entertainment portal in the United States revealed that the film was watched by an Indian expatriate population of 65,000, which generated a revenue of ₹3 crore at that time.[170] A cumulative gross revenue for the film was reported to be as ₹25 crore including ₹3.5 crore from overseas, the largest for any Telugu film at that time. Owing to this path breaking trade, the film was remade into Tamil, Bengali, Oriya and Urdu/Hindi.[171]
2006 action film, Pokiri has been remade in Hindi, Tamil and Kannada in the following two years owing to the film's commercial success. It was screened at the IIFA film festival held in Dubai in 2006.
[172]Walt Disney Pictures co-produced Anaganaga O Dheerudu, making it the first South Indian production by Disney.[173][174]Dookudu was released among seventy nine screens in the United States, the Los Angeles Times quoted it as The biggest hit you've never heard of.[20][175][176] In the rest of north, east and west India, it opened up in 21 cities.[177] The film set a box office record by collecting a gross of more than ₹1 billion at the time.[178][179]
On 1 June 2022, RRR was screened in over 100 theatres across the United States for a one night event called "#encoRRRe".[180] Speaking to Deadline Hollywood, Dylan Marchetti of Variance Films said that "With more than 250 films coming out of India annually, RRR could be a gateway drug".[181]Nashville Scene's Jason Shawhan wrote about the event that "the nationwide encore of RRR is American audiences reaching with outstretched arms to something so exciting and rock-solid entertaining that its success already happened without insular traditional media even mentioning it. This isn't America dipping a toe in Indian cinema — it's a victory lap".[182][11] Filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli has been signed by American talent agency Creative Artists Agency, owing to RRR being the only non-English-language film to trend globally on Netflix Platform for 10 consecutive weeks.[183]
S. Rajeswara Rao pioneered the use of light music in Telugu cinema; Rao's most rewarding assignments came from Gemini Studios, which he joined in 1940 and with which he remained for a decade.[221]Ghantasala, performed in the United States, England, and Germany. According to The Hindu, and The Indian Express he was "Such a divine talent and with his songs he could move the hearts of the people. Ghantasala's blending of classical improvisations to the art of light music combined with his virtuosity and sensitivity puts him a class apart, above all others in the field of playback singing".[222][223]
The Nandi Awards is the most prominent government funded award ceremony for excellence in the production of Telugu film, theatre and television. It is presented annually at Lalitha Kala Thoranam in Hyderabad previously,[230] by the Film, Television and Theatre Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh.[231] "Nandi" means "bull", the awards being named after the big granite bull at Lepakshi — a cultural and historical symbol of the Telugu culture.
Guinness records
Guinness Record had been awarded to Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad as the largest film studio complex in the world, it opened in 1996 and measures 674 hectares (1,666 acres). With 47 sound stages, it has permanent sets ranging from railway stations to temples.[95][232]
In 2002, the Guinness Book of Records named Vijaya Nirmala as the female director with the most films, having made 47 films. In a career spanning approximately two decades, she has acted in over 200 films with 25 each in Malayalam and Tamil and produced 15 films.[239]
In 2016, P. Susheela entered the Guinness Book of World Records for recording the highest number of songs in musical history.[240]
Dubbed films
The 1949 film Keelu Gurram was the first Telugu film to be dubbed into the Tamil language, being subsequently released under the name Maya Kudhirai.[63] According to the Andhra Pradesh Film Chamber of Commerce, "as per the Judgement of Supreme Court in Ashirwad Films in W.P.(Civil) No.709 there will be no difference in taxation of films between the dubbed films coming in from other states and the films produced in the Telugu States".[241]Aarya movie was later dubbed to Malayalam.
Distribution
The Telugu-speaking areas are broadly divided into three areas for the purposes of Film Distribution, namely, Nizam, Ceded and Andhra. Nizam alone contributes to nearly 45% of the revenue.[242][243]
^"Telugu film industry turns 80". The Hindu Business Line. 11 September 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022. Mr Raghupati Venkaiah, regarded as the father of Telugu film industry, laid the foundation stone for the industry in the South by setting up Glass Studio and bringing one of the first cameras into the country.
^Pasupulate, Karthik (20 February 2013). "Power of the tongue". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
^Kalyanam, Rajeswari (24 October 2015). "Breaking new grounds". The Hans India. Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
^Chaso Dolls Wedding & Other Stories – Page xii introduction by Renee David Shulman, 194, Cāsō – 2012 "But Vizianagaram in the mid-twentieth century was also home to other literati including the most famous poet in modern Telugu, Sri Sri (Srirangam Srinivasa Rao); Arudra, historian of Telugu literature, literary critic and poet; and Racakonda Visvanatha Sastri, the short-story writer whose statue you can find on the Visakhapatnam beach...."
^Dictionary of Hindu Literature Kuśa Satyendra – 2000 – Page 175 "Sriniwasaraw Srirangam (b 1910 Visakhapatnam). Telugu poet. Sri Sri, as he is popularly known, wrote his first poem at ..."