Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu (15 October 1869 – 15 March 1941), was an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, director, graphic artist, lyricist, author, educationist and entrepreneur considered as the father of Telugu cinema.[1][2] Regarded as one of the pioneers of Indian cinema, Venkaiah started his career as a commercial photographer in Madras; he was drawn into independent filmmaking, and he traveled to different regions in South east Asia to promote and teach cinematic techniques, filmmaking, and distribute foreign language silent films.[1][3][4]
Venkaiah Naidu founded one of the first cinematograph company in South India called "The Glass Studio" equipped with sound-on-disc display technology, allowing play back sound in sync with a motion picture.[4][2] In 1912, he founded The Gaiety movie theater which was the first in Madras to screen films on a full-time basis.[5] The Raghupati Venkaiah Award is an annual award incorporated into the state Nandi Awards honoring veteran artists who made significant contributions in Telugu cinema.[6]
Venkaiah Naidu is born to the second son of an Indian Army official Subedar Appayya Naidu in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.[1] His brother Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu was a noted educationalist and social reformer.[4] His forefathers worked as Commanders in the Army of East Indian Company and Madras Army in hyderabad Regiments. At the age of 18, he moved to Madras and started drawing pictures and carving sculptures at Mount Road and selling them. He then learned photography and founded a photographic studio.[4]
Photographer
In 1909, he introduced Chrono Mega phone, equipment that relates sounds with pictures, from John Dickinson and Company. To pay for the Chrono Mega phone he bought for Rs 30,000, he rented out his photo studio. He shot 12 short films and exhibited them in Victoria Public Hall. He also travelled to Bangalore, Vijayawada, Sri Lanka, Rangoon and Pegu to exhibit his films.[7]
Theatre owner
In 1910, he established Esplanade Ten House to exhibit his films. In 1912, he constructed Gaiety Talkies on Mount Road, the first Indian-owned cinema theatre in Chennai. He later constructed Crown Theatre on Mint Street and Globe Theatre in Parasuwakka, Chennai. He also exhibited American and British films. Some of the first movies shown in his theatres were Million Dollar Mystery, Mysteries of Meera, Clutching Hand, Broken Coin, Raja's casket, Peral fish, and 'Great Bard'. He established a film library and provided training on cinematic techniques.[4]
Film producer
In 1919, he started a production company called Star of East Films and a film studio called Glass Studio. He sent his son, Raghupati Surya Prakash Naidu, to study cinematography in London. Father and son made their first movie "Meenakshi Kalyanam" around actual locations of the Madurai Meenakshi temple. Later, they produced films like Gajendra Moksham, Mathsyavatharam, Nandanaar, and Bhishma Pratigna, the first Telugu mookie (i.e., movie with no playback voices).[8] He faced high competition with East India Film Company, and went bankrupt. Later, his son and Yaragudipati Varada Rao established a long-lasting precedent of focusing exclusively on religious themes; Nandanar, Gajendra Moksham, and Matsyavatar, three of their most noted productions, centered on religious figures, parables, and morals.[9] Venkaiah died on 15 March 1941 due to medical illness.[1]
^. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 May 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
^. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
^"Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu Movie Review {2.5}: Not well made" – via timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
^. cinegoer.com. Archived from the original on 10 April 2007.
January 18, 2023
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Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu 15 October 1869 15 March 1941 was an Indian filmmaker screenwriter director graphic artist lyricist author educationist and entrepreneur considered as the father of Telugu cinema 1 2 Regarded as one of the pioneers of Indian cinema Venkaiah started his career as a commercial photographer in Madras he was drawn into independent filmmaking and he traveled to different regions in South east Asia to promote and teach cinematic techniques filmmaking and distribute foreign language silent films 1 3 4 Raghupathi Venkaiah NaiduBorn 1869 10 15 15 October 1869Machilipatnam Madras Presidency British India now in Andhra Pradesh India Died15 March 1941 1941 03 15 aged 71 Occupation s Film director producerVenkaiah Naidu founded one of the first cinematograph company in South India called The Glass Studio equipped with sound on disc display technology allowing play back sound in sync with a motion picture 4 2 In 1912 he founded The Gaiety movie theater which was the first in Madras to screen films on a full time basis 5 The Raghupati Venkaiah Award is an annual award incorporated into the state Nandi Awards honoring veteran artists who made significant contributions in Telugu cinema 6 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Photographer 1 3 Theatre owner 1 4 Film producer 2 Filmography 3 See also 4 ReferencesBiography EditEarly life Edit Venkaiah Naidu is born to the second son of an Indian Army official Subedar Appayya Naidu in Machilipatnam Andhra Pradesh India 1 His brother Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu was a noted educationalist and social reformer 4 His forefathers worked as Commanders in the Army of East Indian Company and Madras Army in hyderabad Regiments At the age of 18 he moved to Madras and started drawing pictures and carving sculptures at Mount Road and selling them He then learned photography and founded a photographic studio 4 Photographer Edit In 1909 he introduced Chrono Mega phone equipment that relates sounds with pictures from John Dickinson and Company To pay for the Chrono Mega phone he bought for Rs 30 000 he rented out his photo studio He shot 12 short films and exhibited them in Victoria Public Hall He also travelled to Bangalore Vijayawada Sri Lanka Rangoon and Pegu to exhibit his films 7 Theatre owner Edit In 1910 he established Esplanade Ten House to exhibit his films In 1912 he constructed Gaiety Talkies on Mount Road the first Indian owned cinema theatre in Chennai He later constructed Crown Theatre on Mint Street and Globe Theatre in Parasuwakka Chennai He also exhibited American and British films Some of the first movies shown in his theatres were Million Dollar Mystery Mysteries of Meera Clutching Hand Broken Coin Raja s casket Peral fish and Great Bard He established a film library and provided training on cinematic techniques 4 Film producer Edit In 1919 he started a production company called Star of East Films and a film studio called Glass Studio He sent his son Raghupati Surya Prakash Naidu to study cinematography in London Father and son made their first movie Meenakshi Kalyanam around actual locations of the Madurai Meenakshi temple Later they produced films like Gajendra Moksham Mathsyavatharam Nandanaar and Bhishma Pratigna the first Telugu mookie i e movie with no playback voices 8 He faced high competition with East India Film Company and went bankrupt Later his son and Yaragudipati Varada Rao established a long lasting precedent of focusing exclusively on religious themes Nandanar Gajendra Moksham and Matsyavatar three of their most noted productions centered on religious figures parables and morals 9 Venkaiah died on 15 March 1941 due to medical illness 1 Filmography EditMeenakshi Kalyanam Gajendra Moksham Mathsyavatharam Nandanaar Bhishma Pratigya 1921 See also EditDadasaheb Phalke H M ReddyReferences Edit a b c d Telugu film industry turns 80 businessline Retrieved 20 November 2019 a b India The Hans 7 November 2019 Naresh plays Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu www thehansindia com Retrieved 20 November 2019 త ల గ స న మ క మ ర గదర శ రఘ పత వ కయ య Samayam Telugu in Telugu 15 October 2016 Retrieved 20 November 2019 a b c d e Bharat Janani Raghupati Venkaiah Naidu The man who started it all Archived from the original on 17 August 2013 Retrieved 21 June 2013 Telugu Cinema Celebrity Raghupati Venkaiah Naidu Nijam cheppamantara abaddham cheppamantara The Hindu Archived from the original on 29 May 2007 Retrieved 23 April 2007 Why AP Government named an award after Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu Archived from the original on 29 October 2014 Retrieved 29 October 2014 Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu Movie Review 2 5 Not well made via timesofindia indiatimes com CineGoer com Articles History Of Birth And Growth Of Telugu Cinema cinegoer com Archived from the original on 10 April 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu amp oldid 1127803107, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
