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. Based in Film Nagar, Hyderabad, Telugu cinema has grown to become the largest film industry in India in terms of box-office revenue as of 2021.[5][6] Telugu films sold 23.3 crore (233 million) tickets in 2022, the highest among all Indian film industries.[3][4]
Since 1909, filmmaker Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu was involved in producing short films and exhibiting them in different regions of South Asia. He established the first Indian-owned cinema halls in South India. In 1921, he produced the silent film, Bhishma Pratigna, generally considered to be the first Telugu feature film.[13] As the first Telugu film exhibitor and producer, Naidu is regarded as the 'Father of Telugu cinema'.[14] The first Telugu talkie film, Bhakta Prahlada (1932) was directed by H. M. Reddy. Initially known for its Hindu mythological films, Telugu cinema diversified into social dramas by the late 1930s, with films like Raithu Bidda (1939). The 1950s and 1960s are considered the golden age of Telugu cinema, with classics like Mayabazar (1957) and a rise in folklore and fantasy genres. The industry, initially based in Madras, began shifting to Hyderabad in the 1970s, a transition completed by the 1990s. This move facilitated the development of major studios, including 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).[15]
Telugu cinema is recognized for its advanced technical crafts, particularly in visual effects and cinematography, making it one of the most sophisticated in Indian cinema.[16] It has produced some of India's most expensive and highest-grossing films, including Baahubali 2 (2017), which holds the record as the highest-grossing film of all time in India. Though known for big-ticket and blockbuster films that appeal to a broad audience, Telugu filmmakers have also forayed into parallel and arthouse cinema.[17] Films like Daasi (1988), Thilaadanam (2000), and Vanaja (2006) received acclaim at major film festivals such as Berlin, Karlovy Vary, Moscow, and Busan.[note 1] Additionally, ten Telugu films have been featured in CNN-IBN's list of the "100 Greatest Indian Films of All Time."[note 2]
Since the mid-2010s, Telugu cinema has pioneered the Pan-Indian film movement, transcending ethnic and linguistic boundaries, and contributing to the nationwide popularity of Telugu actors. 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.[26]
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