Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu

Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu (15 October 1869 – 15 March 1941) was an Indian filmmaker and entrepreneur widely regarded as the father of Telugu cinema. A pioneer of Indian cinema, Naidu established the first Indian-owned movie theatres in South India and founded Star of the East Films, the first film production company established by a Telugu person. He is credited with producing Bhishma Pratigna, considered the first Telugu feature film, thus laying the foundation for the Telugu film industry.

Born in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Naidu was the second son of an Indian Army official and the younger brother of the noted social reformer Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu. He moved to Madras (now Chennai) at the age of 18, where he began his career as a commercial photographer. Venturing into filmmaking, he established "The Glass Studio," a cinematograph company named for its glass roof, which allowed sunlight to penetrate in the days before electric lighting. Naidu's entrepreneurial spirit led him to set up the first permanent cinema theatres in Madras, including The Gaiety in 1912, followed by Crown Theatre and Globe Theatre, where he screened American, European, and Indian silent films.

Despite facing intense competition from European firms, Naidu persisted, producing and exhibiting short films across South India and Burma. His efforts in promoting cinematic techniques and distributing foreign silent films were instrumental in the growth of the South Indian film industry. He and his London-educated son, Raghupathi Surya Prakash Naidu, produced several films over the years, including Bhishma Pratigna, Gajendra Moksham, Mathsyavatharam and Nandanaar. The Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, part of the Nandi Awards, is named in his honour, recognizing lifetime achievements in Telugu cinema.

Early life Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu was born on 15 October into a Telugu family of Naidus in Machilipatnam. He was the second son of Subedar Raghupathi Appayya Naidu, an Indian Army official, and Seshamma. His elder brother, Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu, was a prominent educationalist and social reformer.

In 1910, he established Esplanade Tent House to exhibit his films. In 1912, he constructed Gaiety Theatre on Mount Road, the first Indian-owned cinema theatre in Madras. He later constructed Crown Theatre on Mint Street and Globe Theatre in Purasawakkam, Madras. He also exhibited American and British films. Some of the first films shown in his theatres were The Million Dollar Mystery (1914), The Broken Coin (1915), Mysteries of Meera, Clutching Hand, Raja's Casket, Pearl Fish, and Great Bard. He established a film library and provided training on cinematic techniques. Following this, they produced four more films: Gajendra Moksham, Bhakta Nandanar, Samudra Mathanam, and Matsyavataram. Due to the unavailability of Telugu actresses, Anglo-Indian women were cast in female roles.

Filmography Meenakshi Kalyanam Gajendra Moksham Mathsyavatharam Nandanaar Bhishma Pratigya (1921)

In popular culture A biographical film on Naidu titled Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu was released in November 2019. Naresh played the title role of Venkaiah Naidu.