Nidamarthi Suraiah

The first talkie film was shot in Andra Pradesh in 1936 at the first film studio built by Nidamarthi Suraiah at Rajahmundry named 'Durga Cinetone'. He was the producer of the first picture shot in Andhra Pradesh in that studio 'Sampoorna Ramayanam' starring Koderu Raju and Pushpavalli. Suraiah named the studio after his father Nidamarthi Durgaiah. ''Those days, there were only three film studios in south India - two in Chennai and Durga Cinetone in Rajahmundry. Suraiah delved deep into all aspects of film-making. He produced films, built three cinema halls in Rajahmundry. Suraiah made four mythologicals - Sampurna Ramayanam, Mahabharatam, Mohini Bhasmasura and Sayanarayana Vratham - and two folk fantasies - Kasulaperu and Chal Mohana Ranga.