Tollywood

Tollywood

The Cinema of Andhra Pradesh (also known as Telugu cinema or Tollywood), is a part of Indian cinema, based in Hyderabad, India. Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu is considered to be the father of Telugu Cinema. Since 1909, he was involved in many aspects of Indian cinemas history, like travelling to different regions in Asia to promote film work. In 1921, He produced Bhishma Pratigna the first silent film in the state. The first film studio in South India, Durga Cinetone was built in 1936 by Nidamarthi Surayya in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh.

The Nandi Awards is the highest award ceremony for excellence in Telugu cinema, Theatre and Television, presented annually at Lalitha Kala Thoranam in Hyderabad, India, by Film, Television and Theatre Development Corporation of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. "Nandi" means "bull", the awards being named after the big granite bull at Lepakshi — a cultural and historical symbol of Andhra Pradesh.

1940 film, Vishwa Mohini, is the first Indian film, depicting the Indian movie world. The film was directed by Y. V. Rao and scripted by Balijepalli Lakshmikanta Kavi, starring Chittor V. Nagaiah in the lead role. 1951 film Malliswari is the first Telugu film, to be screened at International film festivals like Asia Pacific Film Festival. The film had a public release with thirteen prints along with Chinese subtitles at Beijing on 14, March 1953, and a 16 mm film print was also screened in the United States. The film was directed by Bommireddy Narasimha Reddy, the first person to receive the Dada Saheb Phalke Award from South Indian film industry. He was the first Indian film personality, to receive the Padmabhushan in 1974, and the Doctor of Letters honour.

1951 film Patala Bhairavi was the first South Indian film which was showcased at the first India International Film Festival, held in Mumbai on 24 January 1952. 1956 film Tenali Ramakrishna has garnered the All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film. As per the CBFC report of 2011, the industry is placed second in India, in terms of films produced yearly. The industry holds a memorandum of understanding with Motion Picture Association of America to combat video piracy.

In the years 2005, 2006 and 2008 the Telugu film industry, has produced the largest number of films in India exceeding the number of films produced in Bollywood. The industry holds the Guinness World Record for the largest film production facility in the world. The Prasads IMAX located in Hyderabad is the world's largest 3D IMAX screen, and the most attended cinema screen in the world. The state of Andhra Pradesh, consists of the most number of cinema theatres in India.

Patala Bhairavi (1951), Malliswari (1951), Devadasu (1953), Mayabazar (1957), Nartanasala (1963), Maro Charithra (1978), Maa Bhoomi (1979), Sankarabharanam (1979), Sagara Sangamam (1983), and Siva (1989) are the ten Telugu films, listed among CNN-IBN's hundred finest Indian films of all time.