Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, often referred to by his initials NTR, was an Indian actor, filmmaker and politician who served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for seven years over three terms. He starred in over 300 films, predominantly in Telugu cinema, and was referred by the media as Viswa Vikhyatha Nata Sarvabhouma. Rao received three National Film Awards for co-producing Thodu Dongalu (1954) and Seetharama Kalyanam (1960) under National Art Theater, Madras, and for directing Varakatnam (1970). Known for his breakthrough performances in Raju Peda (1954) and Lava Kusa (1963), Rao garnered the Nandi Award for Best Actor for Kodalu Diddina Kapuram in 1970, and the Inaugural Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu in 1972 for Badi Panthulu.
Akkineni Nagarjuna Rao, known mononymously as Nagarjuna, is an Indian actor, film producer, television presenter, and entrepreneur. Nagarjuna has acted predominantly in Telugu cinema, along with a few Hindi and Tamil films. He received two National Film Awards namely, for Ninne Pelladata (1996), which he produced won the Best Feature Film in Telugu and a Special Mention as actor for Annamayya (1997); nine state Nandi Awards, and three Filmfare Awards South.
Dasari Narayana Rao was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, lyricist, and politician known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema, in addition to Hindi cinema. He has directed more than 150 feature films in a variety of genres. He holds the Limca World Record for directing the most number of films in the world. He is known by the moniker Darsaka Ratna. His works emphasize social injustice, corruption and gender discrimination. Narayana Rao has received two National Film Awards, nine state Nandi Awards including the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, and four Filmfare Awards South including the Lifetime Achievement. During his career he had also acted in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada films.
Gadde Rajendra Prasad is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Telugu films. He is a recipient of four Andhra Pradesh state Nandi Awards, three SIIMA Awards, and three Santosham Film Awards.
Maganti Murali Mohan is an Indian actor, producer, politician, and business executive from Telugu cinema. In 1973, Murali Mohan debuted in Jagame Maya, produced by Atluri Poornachandra Rao. He gained recognition with the 1974 film Tirupati, directed by Dasari Narayana Rao. He has acted in over 350 feature films. He has served in various positions in the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Andhra Pradesh Film Development Corporation. He was the Honorary President of the Telugu Movie Artists Association until the elections in 2015.
Tadepalli Lakshmi Kantha Rao was an Indian actor and producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. Regarded as one of the finest method actors, Rao appeared in more than 400 feature films, starring in many, in a variety of genres including mythological, social and folklore. He has also acted in a few Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Malayalam movies. He has produced about five films under the Hyma Films banner. In the 1960s, he was one of the primary actors in Telugu cinema, along with N. T. Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Kantha Rao was known for portraying the roles of Narada, Lord Krishna and Arjuna. He played Lakshmana in the blockbuster film Lava Kusa, for which he received Vishehsa Puraskaram in 1963.
Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Rao was an Indian politician from Andhra Pradesh. He represented Vijayawada East assembly constituency as a member of Indian National Congress.
Chandamama (transl. Moon) is a 2007 Telugu film directed by Krishna Vamsi and produced by C. Kalyan and S. Vijayanand. The film stars Navdeep, Kajal Aggarwal, Siva Balaji, and Sindhu Menon, while Nagababu, Satyam Rajesh, and Ahuti Prasad play supporting roles. The musical score is provided by K. M. Radha Krishnan and the base story by Akula Venkat. The film released on 6 September 2007 to highly positive reviews and also garnered five Nandi Awards. The film was remade in Tamil as A Aa E Ee (2009).
R. Narayana Murthy, also known as People's Star, is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, composer, singer, and producer. He works predominantly in Telugu Cinema. He received Nandi Special Jury Award for his film Dandora (1993).
Chittajallu Pullayya was an Indian film director and screenwriter. He is one of the earliest film personalities in Telugu cinema being associated with the industry right from the silent era.
Yuvatharam Kadilindi is a 1980 Telugu-language drama film directed by Dhavala Satyam. It was produced by Madala Ranga Rao of Navatharam Pictures. It stars Murali Mohan and Radhika.The film won three Nandi Awards.
Chitrapu Narayana Rao was an Indian film director and producer known for his works in Telugu and Tamil cinema. He received a Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Tamil Film for Edhir Paradhathu (1958) and Annaiyin Aanai (1962). He also won the Nandi Award for the 1967 Telugu film Bhakta Prahlada.
Vande Mataram is a 1985 Indian Telugu-language film written and directed by T. Krishna, and produced Krishna Chitra. It stars Vijayashanti and Rajasekhar, with music composed by Chakravarthy. The film is the debut of actor Rajasekhar into the Telugu film industry.
Erra Cinema refers to a collection of films in Telugu attributed to various left oriented political ideologies. Although it cannot be understood as a genre, it owes its nomenclature to the popular coinage and reference. The Communist parties in Andhra Pradesh are popularly referred to as the 'Erra partilu' or 'Erra jenda partilu'. This reference is extended to films which portray the struggles of the oppressed and the downtrodden often banded under the aegis of a 'Red flag' party. Significant here is the ambiguity in the affiliation to the ideologies of specific political parties who commonly use red flags as symbols. This cinema is not always of an art-house variety. As with other cinemas in India, Telugu cinema attracted the cultural workers of the left and the left leaning intellectuals. Erra Cinema regularly uses their literature and particularly songs penned or performed by them. Due to the portrayal of the triumph of the proletarian collective over the hegemonic order these films are considered to be anti-establishment. This view may have strengthened with the portrayal of Naxalites or Maoists in these films. These films are also referred to as Naxalite films. K. B. Tilak, Dhavala Satyam, Vejjella Satyanarayana, Madala Ranga Rao, T. Krishna, R. Narayana Murthy, Dasari Narayana Rao, N. Shankar are some of the directors who have produced films categorised under Erra Cinema.
Pudipeddi Jogeswara Sarma was an Indian film dubbing artist, turned actor and writer, known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He has worked for over 500 films as an actor and dubbing artist. He is the father of actors P. Sai Kumar, P. Ravi Shankar and Ayyappa P. Sarma.
Vangaveeti is a 2016 Indian Telugu-language biographical action film written and directed by Ram Gopal Varma. The film is based on the life of politician Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga, and his elder brother Vangaveeti Radha Krishna and their altercation with communist dominated Vijayawada of the 1970s-80s in Andhra Pradesh.
Madala Rangarao was an Indian actor and producer primarily active in Telugu cinema. He is popularly known as Red Star by people and associated with Communist Party of India and Prajanatya Mandali.
Nenu Saitham is a 2004 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by Dhavala Satyam and starring Madala Ravi and Gurleen Chopra.
Sandeep Madhav is an Indian actor who works in Telugu language films.
Erra Mallelu is a 1981 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by Dhavala Satyam from a story written by Madala Ranga Rao. The film stars Ranga Rao, Murali Mohan, Giri Babu and Ranganath. It revolves around two men starting a revolution against their village chiefs and the owner of a factory in the neighbouring village.
