Raghupathi Venkaiah
Encyclopedia
Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu (15 October 1887 – 15 March 1941) was a India
n artist involved photography and in many aspects of the Cinema of India
. He was the first owner of movie theatres in Madras, and the producer and director of the first few silent Indian movies and talkies.
, Andhra Pradesh
, India. His brother Raghupathi Venkataratnam Nayudu was a famous educationalist and social reformer. His forefathers worked as Commanders in the Army of East Indian Company and Madras Army in Telaga Regiments. At the age of 18, he moved to Madras and started drawing pictures and carving sculptures and selling them. He then learned photography and started a photo studio.
. He also traveled to Bangalore
, Vijayawada
, Srilanka, Rangoon and Pegu to exhibit his films.
in London
. Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu and his son Prakash 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 (with no playback voices) movie.
state government established the Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu Award, later changed to Raghupathi Venkaiah Award
for lifetime contributors to the Telugu movie industry.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n artist involved photography and in many aspects of the Cinema of India
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
. He was the first owner of movie theatres in Madras, and the producer and director of the first few silent Indian movies and talkies.
Early life
Venkaiah Naidu was the second son of an Indian Army official Subedar Appayya Naidu in MachilipatnamMachilipatnam
Machilipatnam is a city and a special grade municipality in the Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located south east of state capital, Hyderabad.-History:...
, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, India. His brother Raghupathi Venkataratnam Nayudu was a famous educationalist and social reformer. His forefathers worked as Commanders in the Army of East Indian Company and Madras Army in Telaga Regiments. At the age of 18, he moved to Madras and started drawing pictures and carving sculptures and selling them. He then learned photography and started a photo studio.
Photographer
In 1909, he ordered a 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 HallVictoria Public Hall
Victoria Public Hall, or the Town Hall, is a historical building in Chennai, named after Queen Victoria. It is one of the finest examples of British architecture in Chennai and was built to commemorate the golden jubilee of the British Empress Queen Victoria. It served as a theatre and public...
. He also traveled to Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
, Srilanka, Rangoon and Pegu to exhibit his films.
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 Theater on Mint Street and Globe Theater 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'.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, Raghupathi Surya Prakash Naidu to study cinematographyCinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu and his son Prakash 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 (with no playback voices) movie.
Later career
In 1929, he was forced to sell his properties to pay off his debts. The Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
state government established the Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu Award, later changed to Raghupathi Venkaiah Award
Raghupathi Venkaiah Award
The Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu Award is an annual award introduced to recognize people for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the Telugu film industry....
for lifetime contributors to the Telugu movie industry.