Telugu Historyతెలుగు చరిత్ర

Cinema halls and audiences, 1927–1979

How the cinema became the favourite amusement of the Telugu country: the growth of permanent halls and tent cinemas from 1928 to 1948, the number of cinemas in Vijayawada, Kakinada, Rajahmundry, Hyderabad and other towns from 1939 to the 1970s, ticket prices and taxes, what audiences thought of the cinema, film stars and their fans, and a star's complaint about the box office.

In 1927 the whole Madras Presidency had only 43 permanent cinemas.1 Fifty years later the East Godavari district alone had 66, and the gazetteers called the cinema the most popular amusement of the people.2 This page follows that change: the halls and tent cinemas, the towns that filled with them, and the people who came to watch. The films themselves are on The first Telugu talkies and The Madras studio years.

About the sources. The numbers come from two government committees (1928 and 1951), lists of cinemas printed in 1939 and 1953, the census of 1961 and district gazetteers of the 1970s.134562 The lists may miss some halls, so the town figures are a guide, not an exact count. The views of audiences come mainly from the writer Kodavatiganti Kutumbarao.7

From a few halls to hundreds

The Film Enquiry Committee of 1951 compared the number of cinemas over twenty years. It grouped the south, from Madras and Hyderabad to Mysore and Travancore-Cochin, into one “Southern Circuit”.3

YearPermanentSeasonalTouringTotal
1928433–46
19383774194575
1948630–7431,373

The table is from the committee’s Appendix XVII.3 The 1928 figures leave out the Indian states, such as Hyderabad.3 Even so, the growth is plain. In 1948 the south had 1,373 of the 3,003 cinemas in India, and 743 of its 908 touring cinemas.3

The government’s own newsreels and short films were offered to cinemas in a few languages. In the middle of 1950, 324 cinemas chose them in Telugu, 674 in Tamil and 1,858 in Hindi.8 It added that in South India one hall would often show Tamil and Telugu films in turn, with Kannada, Malayalam or Hindi films too.9 By 1954–55, the Andhra year book says, the Andhra State had 215 cinema theatres.10

Tents in the villages

The touring cinema was the cinema of the villages. By 1950 there were more than 800 touring cinemas, the committee said, mostly in the milder, rainless districts of the south.11 They were usually housed in canvas tents and moved from place to place.12 Because they cost little to set up, they gave the rural people a pleasure they could not otherwise have had.12 By touring around a district, they found an audience in every month of the year.12

The committee worried that the states were making life hard for them. Some rules banned tents on any land that could be farmed, and others stopped a cinema from moving out of its district.12 It said these rules had already cut the number of touring cinemas.12

The towns fill with cinemas

The lists of cinemas printed in 1939 and 1953, and later counts, show the halls multiplying in the towns.45 Hyderabad and Secunderabad were then in the Nizam’s state, and the other towns in the Madras Presidency.1314

Town19391953Later
Vijayawada (Bezwada)24111515 in 19616
Kakinada (Cocanada)445510 in the 1970s2
Rajahmundry31681712 in the 1970s2
Eluru (Ellore)213357 in the 1970s18
Nellore219420–
Hyderabad city10132414–
Secunderabad8161121–

The census of 1961 counted 64 cinemas in Krishna district. Fifteen of them were at Vijayawada and 23 were in villages.6 Hyderabad district had 41 cinemas, and the city’s municipal corporation area had 31 of them.22 The Warangal gazetteer of 1976 counted eleven permanent cinemas in the district, ten of them in Warangal city.23 The West Godavari gazetteer of 1979 counted 49.18

The lists also give the names of the halls. The Bezwada list of 1953 includes the Sri Durga Kala Mandir, the Jai Hind and the Jawahar.15 Hyderabad had the Dilshad, the Tasveer Mahal and the Zamurud Mahal.14

Tickets and taxes

The 1928 committee found that tickets usually cost from 3 annas to 2 or 3 rupees.1 Later, governments taxed every show. In 1952 the Hyderabad Assembly passed a bill to tax cinema shows at between one and three rupees a show, as Bombay, Madras and Mysore already did.24

In 1951 the Film Enquiry Committee noted that Madras had the most touring cinemas. Even so, it said, Madras did not think it needed to exempt the cheapest tickets from tax.25 Across India the committee guessed that cinemas sold at least 16 lakh tickets a day, or about 60 crore a year.26

What audiences thought

Kutumbarao, writing in 1954, describes how people’s view of the cinema changed.7 At first most people looked on films with suspicion, and were not sure that going to the cinema was proper.7 Young people went eagerly while their elders grew angry. Soon the elders too went to the mythological films, to earn religious merit.7

The educated still thought the cinema a cheap art, he says. The social films won it some respect, so young and educated people came in larger numbers.7 Then the folk films drew even those who had cared for neither kind. They gave people with no other art in their lives a taste of art.7

Stars and their fans

The folk films made stars of the actors. Kutumbarao writes that stars won the highest place in society, a place even political leaders could not match.27 Their earnings passed the salaries of governors.27 Film magazines, film columns in the papers, star photographs and fans’ associations grew up around them.27

Kutumbarao met these fans himself. In late 1952 he travelled from Madras to Vijayawada by train with the stars of Pelli Chesi Choodu, for the film’s hundredth day.28 At Sullurpeta about fifty people followed the actor S. V. Ranga Rao back to the carriage and crowded round it, shouting.28

At Vijayawada, crowds filled the street outside the house where the party stayed. People even stood packed in an old bus without wheels, hoping to see the stars on the balcony.29 Some shouted lines from the film, and others called for N. T. Rama Rao, who could not come.29 Afterwards Kutumbarao regretted calling the crowd at Sullurpeta “wolves” in print.30

What audiences wanted

Stars could not always lead their fans. In the souvenir of 1956 N. T. Rama Rao wrote about a film of his brother’s that had failed.31 It was about labour and capital, and it won a certificate of merit.31 It cost more than two lakh rupees but brought in no more than 65,000.31 Rama Rao thought one reason was that “my film fans want to see me only in romantic roles”.31 He asked the government to help such films, for example by exempting them from tax.31

The cinema everywhere

By the 1970s the district gazetteers described the cinema as by far the most popular amusement. Every town had a cinema, they said, and touring talkies served the villages.21823 Telugu films came first, followed by Hindi and English films in the towns.223 The old stage had been greatly eclipsed by the cinema, though mythological plays were still enjoyed.218 For the stage and the folk arts, see Telugu theatre and early cinema and Telugu folk arts.

The cinema also drew in artists of the people’s theatre. The editors of Kutumbarao’s essays note that after 1947 artists of the Praja Natya Mandali, the people’s theatre movement, moved into films.32

Where the sources disagree

How many cinemas in 1928. The 1928 committee counted 309 permanent cinemas in British India, 43 of them in Madras.1 The 1951 committee gives 241 permanent cinemas for 1928. Its note says this figure leaves out the Indian states, and Sind, Baluchistan and the North-West Frontier Province, which had become parts of Pakistan.3 Both give 43 for Madras.13

Footnotes

  1. Indian Cinematograph Committee, Report of the Indian Cinematograph Committee, 1927–1928 (Calcutta: Government of India Central Publication Branch, 1928), p. 19 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  2. N. Ramesan, Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers: East Godavari (1979), p. 60 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  3. Report of the Film Enquiry Committee (1951), p. 336, Appendix XVII (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  4. Y. A. Fazalbhoy, The Indian Film: A Review (Bombay: Bombay Radio Press, 1939), p. 122, list of cinemas, Southern Circuit (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  5. Indian Motion Picture Almanac (1953), p. 171, cinemas of the South Circuit (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  6. Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Krishna District (1966), p. 196, Sub-table 6, places of public entertainment (cinemas). Cite-only. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  7. Kutumbarao, “Jeevita satyanni vyaktam chese vastavika chalana chitralu”, Visalandhra, 14 January 1954, in Cinema Vyasalu, Vol. 1, p. 174 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  8. Report of the Film Enquiry Committee (1951), p. 130 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  9. Report of the Film Enquiry Committee (1951), p. 129 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  10. Kappagantula Satyanarayana (ed.), Prapancha Darsini (Andhra Directory and Year Book 1954–55) (1955), p. 251 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

  11. Report of the Film Enquiry Committee (1951), p. 132 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  12. Report of the Film Enquiry Committee (1951), p. 133 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  13. Fazalbhoy, The Indian Film (1939), p. 123 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  14. Indian Motion Picture Almanac (1953), p. 175, cinemas of Hyderabad State (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  15. Indian Motion Picture Almanac (1953), p. 174 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  16. Fazalbhoy, The Indian Film (1939), p. 125 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only. ↩ ↩2

  17. Indian Motion Picture Almanac (1953), p. 173 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  18. N. Ramesan, Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers: West Godavari (1979), p. 63 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  19. Fazalbhoy, The Indian Film (1939), p. 124 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only. ↩

  20. Indian Motion Picture Almanac (1953), p. 172 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  21. Indian Motion Picture Almanac (1953), p. 176 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  22. Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Hyderabad District (1968), p. D 228, Sub-table 6, places of public entertainment (cinemas). Cite-only. ↩

  23. M. V. Rajagopal, Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers: Warangal (1976), p. 66 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  24. I. K. Menon and S. G. Chandavarkar (compilers), Indian Motion Picture Almanac and Who’s Who, 1953 (Bombay: Film Federation of India, 1953), p. xxiii (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  25. Report of the Film Enquiry Committee (1951), p. 35 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  26. Film Enquiry Committee, Report of the Film Enquiry Committee, 1951 (New Delhi: Government of India Press, 1951), p. 14 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  27. Kutumbarao, Visalandhra, 14 January 1954, in Cinema Vyasalu, Vol. 1, p. 175 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  28. Kodavatiganti Kutumbarao, account of the hundredth-day celebration of Pelli Chesi Choodu, Kinema (monthly), December 1952, in Cinema Vyasalu, Vol. 1 (Viplava Rachayitala Sangham, 2000), p. 153 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  29. Kutumbarao, Kinema, December 1952, in Cinema Vyasalu, Vol. 1, p. 154 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  30. Kutumbarao, letter in Kinema, January 1953, in Cinema Vyasalu, Vol. 1, p. 157 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

  31. N. T. Rama Rao, “Award Picture that Failed”, in Indian Talkie, 1931–56: Silver Jubilee Souvenir (Bombay: Film Federation of India, 1956), p. 136 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Signed article, cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  32. Krishnabai and Prasad, editors’ introduction to Kutumbarao, Cinema Vyasalu, Vol. 1 (2000), p. vi (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

References

Sources (12)
  1. Film Enquiry Committee (S. K. Patil, chairman), Report of the Film Enquiry Committee, 1951 (opens in a new tab), Government of India Press, New Delhi, 1951, pp. 14, 35, 129–130, 132–133, 336. [Public domain in India]
  2. Indian Cinematograph Committee (T. Rangachariar, chairman), Report of the Indian Cinematograph Committee, 1927-1928 (opens in a new tab), Government of India Central Publication Branch, Calcutta, 1928, pp. 19. [Public domain]
  3. Y. A. Fazalbhoy, The Indian Film: A Review (opens in a new tab), Bombay Radio Press, Bombay, 1939, pp. 122–126. Cite-only; list of cinemas. [Cite only]
  4. I. K. Menon and S. G. Chandavarkar (compilers), Indian Motion Picture Almanac and Who's Who, 1953 (opens in a new tab), Film Federation of India, Bombay, 1953, xxiii, 171–176. [Public domain in India (directory and unsigned matter); signed articles cite only]
  5. Kappagantula Satyanarayana (ed.), Prapancha Darsini (Andhra Directory and Year Book 1954-55) (in Telugu) (opens in a new tab), 1955, pp. 251. Cite-only; paraphrased. [Cite only]
  6. A. Chandra Sekhar (Census of India), Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Krishna District (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 1966, pp. 196. Cite-only. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  7. A. Chandra Sekhar (Census of India), Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Hyderabad District (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 1968, D 228. Cite-only. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  8. N. Ramesan, Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers: East Godavari (revised edition) (opens in a new tab), Government of Andhra Pradesh (Government Central Press, Hyderabad), 1979, pp. 60. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  9. N. Ramesan, Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers: West Godavari (opens in a new tab), Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, 1979, pp. 63. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  10. M. V. Rajagopal, Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers: Warangal (opens in a new tab), Government of Andhra Pradesh (Government Central Press, Hyderabad), 1976, pp. 66. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  11. Kodavatiganti Kutumbarao; Krishnabai and Prasad (eds.), Cinema Vyasalu, Vol. 1 (Vyasa Prapancham 4) (in Telugu) (opens in a new tab), Viplava Rachayitala Sangham, Andhra Pradesh, 2000, vi, 153–154, 157, 174–175. Cite-only; paraphrased. [Cite only]
  12. Film Federation of India, Indian Talkie, 1931-56: Silver Jubilee Souvenir (opens in a new tab), Film Federation of India, Bombay, 1956, pp. 136. N. T. Rama Rao's signed article is cite-only; paraphrased. [Public domain in India (photographs and unsigned matter); signed articles cite only]

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