Introduction
- Tollywood is otherwise called as Telugu Industry. It is a segment of Indian cinema that has contributed to a large extent. It is basically shot in the Telugu language which is being spoken in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based on Film city which is a neighborhood of Hyderabad. The nickname of Tollywood is portmanteau which comprises Telugu and Hollywood. By 2021, the Telugu film industry has become as the largest industry in South Asia in terms of the box office.
Since 1909, filmmaker Raghupati Venkaiah Naidu was involved in producing short films and traveling different regions in Asia to promote film work. In 1921, he produced the silent film, Bhishma Pratigna. He is cited to be the Father of Telugu Cinema. In 1933 East India Film Company has produced its first Indian film, Savitri in Telugu. The film was based on the popular stage play Mylavarm Bala Bharathi Samajam directed by ChitajalluPullaiah, the father of the Telugu theatre movement, and cast by the stage actor Vemuri Gaggaiah and Dasari Ramathilagam as Yama and Savitri. It revived an honorary diploma at the 2nd Venice International Film Festival. The film was shot at a budget of one million in Calcutta. Pathala Bhairavi of 1951 was the first Indian film screened at Indian International Film Festival.
Tollywood witnessed 38 Industry hits from the year of 1932 to 2020. The first hit of this industry was Bhaktha Prahlada in the year 1932 to Ala Viakunthapurramloo in the year 2020. The movie which crosses the full run collections of the previous industry hit movie is considered to be an Industry Hit.
The word Tollywood technically referred to Bengali films as the Bengali films were based on Tolly Gunj, a state in Kolkata. But ever since the Telugu film industry came into the spotlight the term was borrowed by the Telugu industry owing to the name of the language Telugu and the word Hollywood.
History
Telugu film was actually originated with the silent film Anusha Adusumalli in 1912. After post-production work, the film was released in 1921. The film was directed by Raghupati Venkaiah Naidu and his son R.S. Prakash. The first studio in South India was Durga Cinetone which was built in 1936 by Nidamarthi The in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh. The first Telugu film with audible dialogue, Bhaktha Prahlada was produced by H.M Reddy who directed the first bilingual talkie Kalidas. This film was completed on 15th September 1931 which was henceforth celebrated as the Telugu Film Day.
In 1934, the industry met with its first major commercial success with Lavakusa, Directed by C. Pullaiah and starring Parupali Subbarao and S The film attracted a precedented number of viewers to the theatres and pushes the young industry into the mainstream culture. In 1936 the mass appeal of film allowed directors to move from religious themes to mythological themes. The Telugu film of 1939’s focused on contemporary living. 29 out of 96 films were based on such ideas between the years 1937 to 1947. The following year produced n number of films centering on the social problems which prevailed during the pre-independence period. This also includes untouchability, Sati, dowry system, and so on.
The first audible film was Bhakta Prahlada which was produced by H.M. Reddy and directed by Kalidas, the first bilingual movie director. This film was completed on 15th September 1931 which was hence celebrated as The Telugu Film Day to celebrate the film’s commemoration. This film was called a Talkie because it was the first film with audible dialogue. Henceforth the popularity and the number of Talkies grew to a great extent.
In 1934, the industry saw its first commercial success with Lavakusa directed by PullaiahC. And starring Parupalli Subbarao and. This film attracted a large number of audiences and pushed the industry into the mainstream culture.
By 1936 as the standards of Telugu movies were raised the directors started moving away from religion and mythology. The same year Prema Vijayam was produced under Krithiventi Nageswara Rao. It was a film focusing on social issues. It was a huge success and printed the production of other immensely successful social films’. One notable work was Vandemataram of 1939. It touched the major crisis of the Dowry system and Contemporary living. 29 of 96 film-centered social themes were released between the years 1937 and 1947.
Yaragudipati Varada Rao is considered the Pioneer of Telugu Cinema in British India. Films between the decade 1930 to 1940 mostly spoke about many social issues which prevailed before and during the British Empire. Movies like Gudavalli Ramabrahmam, Raithu Bidda, Viswa Mohin, Savitri, and Sathyabamawere are social-centric films. With the outbreak of World War II and scarcity of resources, the length of the film was reduced from 20000 to 11000 feet. As a result, the number of films produced during that period was lesser than the previous year. Nonetheless, before the ban, an important shift occurred independent studios were formed; contracts were signed with actors and actresses.
The Tollywood industry was one of the film industries that produced a large number of folks, mythologies, fantasy, and melodrama films. Filmmakers like K.V. Reddy, B.Vittalacharaya, and Kodi Ramakrishna pioneered these genres. In 1956, Mayabazar was polled as the Greatest Indian Film of all time.
- The Motion Pictures Studio in South India was first founded in 1921 in Madras Presidency, Chennai. The headquarters was shifted from Madras to Hyderabad in 1996. Moola Nareyana Swami and B.N. Reddy founded Vijaya Vauhini Studios in 1948 in Chennai. In 1956, L.V. Prasad who started his career from Bhakta Prahlada founded Prasad Studios in Chennai. In the early 1990s, the headquarters of the Telugu industry was from Chennai to Hyderabad. Veteran actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao founded Annapurna Studios when the headquarters was shifted to Hyderabad. Telugu industry was one of the three industries which produced the highest number of films. About 245 films were produced in 2006, the highest record of that year.
Classics Of Tollywood
Telugu industry is one of the three largest film industries in India. This industry produced a huge number of films in a short span of time and holds a record which is not been broken to date. This industry has produced many classics which remain fresh in people’s minds. These movies have been dubbed into several other languages. Some of the classics are of Tollywood are as follows
Mallishwari deals with the dire situation of a woman who belongs to higher class.
This movie was directed by B.N. Reddy starring N.T. Rama Rao and Bhanumathi. This movie was released in 1951. Reddy wanted to make this film an impact on King Krishnadevaraya after his visit to Hampi. During that period ‘Rani Vamsam’ was a common and a boon for the young women. This acts as a con for Malliswari and Nagaraju which drags them into the nasty politics of the prominent society.
Devadasu was a film directed by Vedantam Raghavaiah. The story focuses on Devadasu and Parvati who have been in love are never accepted by society. Unable to cope with his love failure become an alcoholic. Chandramukhi, a prostitute is being introduced by Devadasu’s friend who falls in love with Devadasu. As Parvati builds her life happily, Devadasu chooses the path of destruction. Starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Savitri and Lalitha gave a never-ending impact.
- Mayabazaar is an epic fantasy film directed by K.V. Reddy. This film was simultaneously in Telugu and Tamil but with some changes in the cast. The story is an adaptation of Mahabharata. The story revolves around Krishna, Ghatotkacha, Balarama’s daughter, and Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu. The film was starred N.T.R., S.V. Ranga Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and Savitri. The same cast has been also used in Tamil but instead of Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Sivaji Ganesan acted as Abhimanyu. Balarama promises to get married to his son. But as he loses his kingdom to Kauravas, he has to break his promise as he is left with no choice
- Maro Charitra is a movie directed by K. Balachander and was released in the year of 1978. It stars Kamal Haasan and Saritha as the lead character with Madhavi appearing in a prominent role. The film deals with the cross-cultural romance between a Tamil boy and a Telugu girl. It was a commercial success and remains a Cult- Classic. Owing to the success of this movie was screened in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. This movie was dubbed in Tamil with the name of Uyirullavarai. The director of this movie, Balachander win the award for the best director at the Southern Film fare Awards in 1979. Later in 1981, Balachander remade this film by renaming it Ek Duuje Ke Liye with Kamal Haasan and Rati Agnihotri which is fresh in people’s minds even today.
Cast And Crew Of Success
The Tollywood industry has achieved huge success in the Indian film market, by producing blockbusters and the best scripts. The success of any movie comes from a good script. Catering to the audience’s needs also decides the success of the film. Tollywood has an arcade of films which has very good scripts. Some among them are Patuchuri Venkateswara Rao, K. Ragavendra Rao, KV. Vijayendra Prasad, Vakkantham Vamsi, Trivikrama Srinivas, and so on.
A good director knows how to move the film forward in the most interesting way. On this note, there are numerous directors who left their mark in people’s hearts. Among them, S.S. Rajamouli has topped the list in past few years. He directed The blockbuster Magadheera, Eega, Bahubali, and a few more Next to him come to ShekarKammula who became popular in his blockbusters Life is beautiful, Happy days, Anand, and Leader. Third in the line comes Trivikrama Srinivas. Looks like heard somewhere right. Yes, he is also a scriptwriter too. Some of his best directorial flicks are Nuvve Nuvve, Athadu, Julayi, S/o Satyamurthy.
The Telugu film industry has some renowned actors. This industry has produced the maximum number of films in India than any other film industry. Usually ruled by prominent families such as the Allu Chiranjeevi family and the Akkineni Daggubati. The Telugu industry is more into the Comedy genre. The Telugu audience goes in for a Telugu movie expecting a good amount of humor in the movie. So we have the Top three most famous and loved Telugu actors and actresses.
Chiranjeevi is one of the top actors in the Tollywood industry. He has also presented an Oscar Award. He is the highest-paid actor in India and his movies have a very huge fan following across the globe. Second fall Akkineni Nagarjuna Rao is one of the leading actors in the Telugu film industry and who tries a wide variety of movies and characters. He made his debut as a child artist in Sudigundalusince since then there has been no turning for him. He also hosted television reality shows like Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu and Bigg Boss. But still, he is known for the characters of his film Santhosham, Manmadhudu, and Manam. Third, on the list is Mahesh Babu. He is given credit that he is a gentleman in appearance as well as profession. He always carries a charm and aura around him wherever he goes. His movies have carved a new industry-breaking record in terms of collection. Apart from film, he endorses several brands and also works for charity to a great extent. He is well known for his characters in Okkadu, Athadu, and Pokiri.
Any movie cannot hit a blockbuster bell without a complementary female character. Heroines of South Indian films have a major part of the success. So let us talk about the top four heroines who rule Tollywood.
- First, come Rashmika Mandanna. She recently topped the list through her extraordinary talent for acting. She has been engrossed in the hearts of the audience in a very short span. She has worked in many super hits and with many maestros in a very short span. Second, comes Tamannaah Bhatia, who started her career in 2005. She was not that popular in the beginning. But as days passed by she was screened in many big hits. One among them is Bahubali who brought her straight to the top frim2014. The third is Pooja Hedge, who is an actress and a model. She was the runner-up in the Miss Universe 2010 pageant. She debuted her first appearance in the Tamil movie Mugamoodu in 2014. After this, she works in many Telugu and Hindi movies. Her best works are DJ in 2017; House full 4 in 2019 and Maharshi in 2019. Fourth among them comes Anushka Shetty, who is popularly known as Maharani Devasena. She mainly works in Telugu and Tamil films. She started her career with the Telugu film named Super in2005. After that, she has worked in numerous successful films. Top the list are Bahubali; the beginning in 2015, Bahubali; the conclusion in 2017, Size zero in 2015, and Singam 3 in 2017.
Finances And Global Market
Financing a film:-
Stumping up money for film projects is a big deal. This is where the producers and film financiers come into the frame. . A film producer’s necessity for a big amount is met financiers who lend a huge amount with a universal interest percentage of 5% per month. , there is a flip side. Pertaining to the delay of payment, the financer stop the release of the film, and also some threatened by sending goons.
Sources say that 90% of the Tollywood films are made with the financer’s money. Even big producers like Allu Aravind and D. Ramanaidu make movies by pooling money from financers since it is hard for one person to raise money for the whole movie. The rules of film financing business demand the size of the reputation of the producer. A big-time producer is expected to repay the amount lent within three to nine months from the release date of the movie. “It all depends upon the rapport between the producer and the finance. It is on this faith crores of money is being circulated in the industry” says an anonymous financer.
Collection Of A Film
- Tollywood is the second-largest filmmaker in India. In 1977, the film Adavi Ramudu starringN.T. Ramarao became the first film to collect one crore. The 1992 film Gharana Mogudu, directed by K. Raghavendra Rao is the first Telugu film to gross over Rs. 10 crore at the box office.
[wpdatatable id=29]
Biggest Worldwide Opening Day
[wpdatatable id=30]
Worldwide Opening Week
[wpdatatable id=31]
Awards
- The most renowned award received and given is Filmfare Awards which is given by Filmfare magazine. This Filmfare award has been often referred equivalent to America’s Academy Awards. Until the mid-1990s Filmfare Awards were the preeminent and most recognized awards in the Indian film industry. The award is a Black lady whose arms are raised up in a dance number with her fingers touching.
Filmfare Awards Winnings By Tollywood
[wpdatatable id=32]
Conclusion
On that note, we are glad to convey that we have arrived at the end of the article. Being one of the high producers of films they share the spotlight. Success never belongs to just one person. A whole crew that comes together with the same motive achieves huge success. A film’s success is a great example of it. But not only success but also failure must share which is done by all in most of the cast and crew. A flop is faced with a valiant heart and mind. From the beginning till date Tollywood has faced many ups and down together.
Top 13 Interesting Facts About Tollywood
Tollywood has produced the highest number of films than any other film industry in India. It produced more than 250 films annually.
Rajnikanth first debuted his lead role in Chilakamma Cheppindi in 1977and Ajith Kumar debuted in the film Prema in 1993.
North and South do meet. The movie Gaayam was written by Maniratnam andRGV.
Telugu film owns one of the biggest film studios i.e. Ramoji Film City.
Tollywood produced a large number of socio-fantasy films than the others.
NTR is the only actor who is treated as the demigod of charisma and role portraying Lord Krishna and Rama.
Megastar Chiranjeevi is the first actor to receive a remuneration of 1 crore.
Tollywood has the biggest market in the USA, Australia, and Overseas is equivalent to Bollywood.
Telugu films hold many Guinness World Records of all the industries in India.
Bollywood actress Divya Bharti debuted her first lead role in a Telugu film in Bobbili Raja.
The first film with Advanced Special Effects in Anji in 2004. It is the first Telugu film to win a National Award for Best Special Effects at that time.
The name RGV has become a brand after the release of the Telugu film Shiva in 1989.
Baahubali 2 created history and became the first Indian movie to collect Rs.1000 crore.
