Telugu films, too have little to offer by way of serious and artistic work, although Hyderabad (Telugu) is one of the three most important film centers in India in terms of the number of films produced. Emotional, sensitive, tragedy, drama and heart wrenching stories run high in telugu cinema. The vast majority of Telugu films - mythological films as well as social dramas - are common, highly melodramatic, often stagey, and are not known for the exploration of complex human experiences.
 For many years N.T. Rama Rao, former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, dominated the Telugu screen. He acted in over three hundred films and was well known for his portrayal of religious figures. In recent years, one or two determined filmmakers such as Narasinga Rao, have sought to introduce a serious note to Telugu cinema.
1931 - Bhakta Prahlada: Directed by H.M. Reddy, the film starred Surabhi Kamalabai, L.V. Prasad, Munipalle Subbaiah, and B.V. subba Rao. Telugu cinema`s first sound film, the story was drawn from the Vishnu Purana legend of Prahlada who chooses to worship Vishnu despite his father Hiranyakashapu`s wrath. A successful film shot in Bombay at Krishna Studios.
1933 - Prithvi Putra: Directed by Potina Srinivasa, the film starred K. Raghuramaiah, Parepalli Satyanarayana, and Surabhi Kamalabai. The film was based on the story of Narakasura - the demon who asks of Lord Krishna that his death be marked by celebrations and observed every year, and that he be permitted to attend. This is believed to be the first Telugu film to be financed locally.
 1934 - Seeta Kalyanam: Directed by Ch. Narasimha Rao, the film starred Master Kalyani, Benzwada Rajatathnam, Madavapeddi Venkatramaiah, and T. Venkateshwaralu. This was the first Telugu film to include outdoor shooting, and was based on the mythological story of Sita.
1936 - Sampoorna Ramayana: Directed by E. Nagabhushanam and S. B. Narayana, the film starred Pushpavalli and Kadaru Raju. Noted for its faux pas rather than any special merit: the film featured a train during the 14-year exile of Lord Rama and Sita!
1938 - Grihalakshmi: Directed by H.M. Reddy, the film starred Chittor V. Nagaiah, Gauripathy Sastry, Kanchanmala, Ramanujachari, P. Kannamba, and Sarala. A doctor is seduced by a dancer, and events lead to him becoming an alcoholic and accused of murder. He is helped out of his quagmire by his brother-in-law who also comes to the assistance of the doctor`s wife. This was Nagaiah`s debut film (as the brother-in-law) and made him an overnight star.
 1940 - Dharmapatni: Directed by P. Pullaiah, the film starred Shantakumari, P. Bhanumathi, Peddappuram Raju, Lakshminarasimha, A. Nageshwara Rao, Hanumantha Rao and Hemalatha. The film is about an orphaned young girl in the charge of a good-hearted prostitute. The heroine`s arranged marriage is cancelled when the prostitute`s profession is revealed. The hero marries another woman who ultimately reunites him with the heroine. The movie was in both Tamil and Telugu, and was the superstar A. Nageshwara Rao`s first film.
1942 - Balanagamma: Directed by C. Pullaiah, the film starred Kanchanmala, Pushpavalli, and G.V. Subba Rao. The megahit paved the way for similar fantasy films. An evil magician abducts a woman who successfully avoids him by keeping herself immersed in ritual. After a period of twelve years, she is liberated by her son. The film adopted the Burra Katha folk tradition and had extravagant costumes and sets.
But despite the best efforts of artists like Narasinga Rao, Telugu cinema, with its large annual film output, has yet to develop a sophisticated film culture.
1983 - Rangula Kala (A Colourful Dream): This was Narasinga rao`s first directed film, where he also plays the lead. The film portrays the tormented sensibility of a highly gifted modern painter, Ravi, and his growing social awareness and political consciousness.
1988 - Dasi (Bonded Woman): This was also directed by Narsinga Rao`s directed fil. And it won five national awards and gained him national recognition as a distinguished film-maker in India. Dasi deals with the way in which rich families bought young girls as bonded labourers from poor peasant families.
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