Gudavalli Ramabrahmam

Gudavalli Ramabrahmam was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Telugu cinema. He is known for directing critically acclaimed social problem films like Mala Pilla and Raithu Bidda (1939). At a time when mythological films were ruling the roost, Ramabrahmam ushered in a new era in Telugu cinema by making films on contemporary social issues.

Early life and career Gudavalli Ramabrahmam was born in the village of Nandamuru, Krishna District in 1898 or 1902 to Gudavalli Venkayya and Bapamma. Viswanata Satyanarayana was also born in the same village. Ramabrahmam was educated in Indupalli, Gudivada, and Machilipatnam. He got married at the age of eighteen to Saradhamba. Later he gave up his education and joined the non-cooperation movement by burning foreign clothes in his father-in-law's house.

He wrote Kammakula Charitra . He went to Kadapa to do research on Kamma caste. There, he did research on Gandikota and also wrote a play on the destruction of Gandikota titled Gandikota Pathanam which became very popular and was played in many cities. The success of Malapilla kindled interest in other Telugu filmmakers to make films based on social themes. Malapilla also discarded the literary Telugu used in films until then and traded it for colloquial Telugu in its dialogue.

Selected filmography Year Film Notes 1935 Sree Krishna Leelalu 1936 Draupadi Vastrapaharanam Production controller 1938 Mala Pilla 1939 Raithu Bidda 1940 Illalu 1941 Apavaadhu 1942 Pathni 1943 Panthulamma 1945 Mayalokam 1947 Palnati Yuddham Co-director