Hyderabad: Today, Telugu cinema is not just popular in India, it has reached audiences across the world with blockbuster films like Baahubali and RRR. But the journey of Tollywood started long before the Pan-India era. The roots of Telugu cinema culture can be traced back to Vijayawada, where the first permanent theatre in Andhra Pradesh changed the future of entertainment forever.
First Cinema Theatre in Andhra Pradesh
In 1921, Maruthi Talkies became the first permanent movie theatre in the combined Andhra Pradesh region. It was built by Pothina Srinivasa Rao, who believed cinema needed a fixed place for audiences to enjoy films regularly.
Before this, movies were mostly shown in temporary tents and touring talkies. Maruthi Talkies gave Telugu cinema a strong foundation and slowly turned movie watching into a habit and celebration among people.
During the early decades of Telugu cinema, Vijayawada became the biggest centre for film distribution. Producers and distributors believed that if a movie succeeded at Maruthi Talkies, it would become a hit across the state.
Popular distribution companies used the theatre as a major screening centre, making Vijayawada the heartbeat of the Telugu film trade for many years.
Historic Films That Created Records
Maruthi Talkies witnessed several unforgettable milestones in Telugu cinema history.
The legendary Lava Kusa, known as the first full-length Telugu colour film, had a sensational run of 196 days at the theatre. Another classic, Mooga Manasulu, completed 182 days, while Rojulu Marayi also created records with a long theatrical run.
Many iconic films starring N. T. Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao celebrated 100-day runs here, proving the theatre’s importance in Telugu cinema history.
This passion for cinema is exactly what helped Tollywood grow from Vijayawada to the global stage.
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