The Telugu film industry got together on Thursday to celebrate the completion of its 80{+t}{+h} year, since the release of the first Telugu talkie ‘Bhakta Prahlada' on this day in 1931. Interestingly, this happened within six months of the release of ‘Alam Ara', the first Hindi talkie.
The who's who of the celluloid world here was present as Information & Public Relations Minister D.K. Aruna hoisted a specially-designed flag for Telugu cinema on the premises of the Filmnagar Cultural Centre after which veteran actress Krishnaveni and actor K. Raghava cut the cake.
The general strike in the struggle for a separate Telangana did appear to cast its shadow on what would otherwise have been a very colourful event.
Addressing the gathering comprising producers, directors, actors, actresses, technicians, and representatives of the 24 crafts of the film industry, actor-director-producer Dasari Narayana Rao said the present generation did not know about the birth of Telugu cinema and its glorious journey since the talkie hit the screen.
Not many knew that the first silent film in the world was released in 1903 and in India in 1913.
Among those present were A.P. Film Chamber of Commerce president D. Suresh Babu, Movie Artistes Association president M. Muralimohan, Telugu Film Producers' Council represented by Burugupalli Shivaramakrishna, Allu Arvind, and M. Mohan Babu, Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce president M. Vijayendar Reddy.
Mr. Suresh Babu said a coordinated effort was on to chronicle all facets of Telugu cinema beginning from the ‘mooki' (silent) to the talkie days. Care would be taken to see that all the significant developments in all aspects of the industry on its journey were documented, he said, appealing to all those who may have photographs related to Telugu cinema to mail them or hand over copies to the Film Chamber so that they could be used suitably.
