Telugu cinema | |
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No. of screens | 1726 screens in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states of India (2022)[1] |
Main distributors | Suresh Productions Geetha Arts Vyjayanthi Movies DVV Entertainment Annapurna Studios Arka Media Works Sri Venkateswara Creations Mythri Movie Makers Haarika & Hassine Creations Varahi Chalana Chitram Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra |
Produced feature films (2022)[2] | |
Total | 219 |
Number of admissions (2022)[3][4] | |
Total | 233 million |
Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based in Film Nagar, Hyderabad. As of 2021[update], Telugu cinema is the largest film industry in India in terms of box-office.[5][6] Telugu films sold 23.3 crore (233 million) tickets in 2022, the highest among various film industries in India.[3][4]
Since 1909, filmmaker Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu was involved in producing short films and exhibiting them in different regions of Asia. He established the first Indian-owned cinema halls in South India.[7] In 1921, he produced the silent film, Bhishma Pratigna, generally considered to be the first Telugu feature film.[14] As the first Telugu film exhibitor and producer, Naidu is regarded as the 'Father of Telugu cinema'.[15] The first Telugu film with audible dialogue, Bhakta Prahlada (1932) was directed by H. M. Reddy. Since its inception, Telugu cinema was known as the pre-eminent centre of Hindu mythological films in India.[16] Starting in the late 1930s, social dramas like Raithu Bidda (1939), began to be produced and gradually gained prominence. The 1950s and 1960s saw the emergence of landmark films like Mayabazar (1957), widely regarded as one of the greatest Indian films of all time. During this period, the folklore and fantasy genres also rose in popularity. Initially based in Madras, the Telugu film industry began its gradual shift to Hyderabad in the 1970s, a transition completed by the 1990s. This move facilitated the development of major studios, including Ramoji Film City.
Technical crafts of Telugu cinema, especially visual effects and cinematography, are considered as one of the most advanced in Indian cinema.[17] The industry has produced some of India's most expensive and highest-grossing films of all time. Telugu production Baahubali 2 (2017) is currently the highest-grossing film of all time in India. The Telugu film industry is home to Ramoji Film City, certified by the Guinness World Records as the largest film studio complex in the world measuring over 1,666 acres (674 ha).[18][19]
Ten Telugu films were featured in CNN-IBN's list of "100 Greatest Indian Films of All Time".[note 1] Though known for big-ticket and blockbuster films catering to wider audience, Telugu filmmakers have also forayed into parallel and arthouse films.[21] Parallel films like Daasi (1988), Thilaadanam (2000), Vanaja (2006) among others have won accolades at major film festivals including Berlin, Karlovy Vary, Moscow, and Busan.[note 2]
Since the mid-2010s, Telugu cinema has pioneered the Pan-Indian film movement, cutting across ethnic and linguistic barriers. Baahubali 2 (2017) won the Saturn Award for Best International Film. RRR (2022) is only the second non-English language film ever to make it to the National Board of Review's Top Ten Films. It received various international accolades including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for the song "Naatu Naatu" and the Critics' Choice Award for Best Foreign Language Film. RRR is also the first Indian feature film to win an Academy Award.[29]
Telugu cinema is where the genre of mythology has its deep-set roots in Indian motion picture history.
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