Sri Sarathi Studios is a

film studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company that makes films. Today, studios are mostly financing and distribution entities. In addition, they may have their own studio facility or facilities; how ...

facility located in Ameerpet,

Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...

, India. Established in 1956, it was the first film studio facility in Hyderabad and was built by Yarlagadda Sivarama Prasad, the Raja of Challapalli. The first film shot in the studio was '' Maa Inti Mahalakshmi'' (1959), which also holds the distinction of being the first Telugu film entirely shot in Hyderabad. In addition to its studio facilities, Sarathi also operated a film production division named Sarathi Films, founded in 1937. The division produced several notable films, including '' Mala Pilla'' (1938), '' Raithu Bidda'' (1939), '' Mayalokam'' (1945), '' Rojulu Marayi'' (1955), '' Kalasi Vunte Kaladu Sukham'' (1961), ''

Aatmiyulu Aatmiyulu () is a 1969 Indian Telugu language, Telugu-language Drama (film and television), drama film, produced by D. Madhusudhana Rao under the Saradhi Studios banner and directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Van ...

'' (1969), '' Annadammula Savaal'' (1978), '' Radha Kalyanam'' (1981), '' Moodu Mullu'' (1983).

Sarathi Studios

Founding

Before Sarathi studios,

Telugu cinema Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Cinema of India, Indian cinema dedicated to the production of Film, motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Based in Film N ...

was based out of Madras (now Chennai) and most Telugu films were made in Madras. Hyderabad was known for Hindi film releases. '' Rojulu Marayi'' (1955) was released in Hyderabad and it ran for 100 days. At an event celebrating the film's success, the then Revenue Minister of Andhra Pradesh K. V. Ranga Reddy asked Telugu filmmakers to shift to Hyderabad from Madras. In March 1956, Raja of Challapalli, Yarlagadda Sivarama Prasad, the producer of ''Rojulu Marayi'' heeded to Ranga Reddy's call and acquired 11.5 acres of land with a building in

. The building was originally built in 1936 for

Kishen Pershad Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad Bahadur Yamin us-Sultanat (1864 – 13 May 1940) was an Indian noble who served as Prime Minister of Hyderabad twice. He was a childhood friend of the Nizam and a staunch Nizam loyalist throughout his life. In 1 ...

, then prime minister of

State. It was designed by architect Mohammad Fayazuddin. Fayazuddin later went on to design the State Bank of Hyderabad, Ravindra Bharathi and several other iconic public buildings. Sivarama Prasad had also provided other facilities required for film shoots and established ''Sri Sarathi Studios'' as the first film studio complex in Hyderabad. The

art deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

building designed by Fayazuddin in 1936 is now at the heart of the studio complex. Sivarama Prasad's brother Yarlagadda Rama Krishna Prasad acted as the

managing director A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

and

chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

of the Studio. He took the technical inputs of famous cinematographer and technician CVVR Prasad in constructing Saradhi Studios. In 1959, the first film made at the studio ''Maa Inti Mahalakshmi'' released in theatres. It was also the first Telugu film to be completely filmed in Hyderabad.

Change in management

In 1966, the management of the studio was passed over to Katragadda Srinivasa Rao, the head of Navayuga Films. He managed the studio for over 40 years. The studio is now being managed by MSRV Prasad who took it over in 2006. At the time of its purchase in 1956, the area was 11.5 acres; it has shrunk to about six acres by 2018. It serves as a location for television shows, serials, post-production work, dubbing and other aspects of

filmmaking Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...

. The studio was modernised with a new animation studio,

digital intermediate Digital intermediate (DI) is a motion picture finishing process which classically involves digitizing a motion picture and manipulating the color and other image characteristics. Definition and overview A digital intermediate often replaces or a ...

lab, editing suits, and digital marketing division. The renovated Sarathi Studios was inaugurated in March 2016 with attendance from veteran

filmmakers Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screenwritin ...

Dasari Narayana Rao Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1942 – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, lyricist, and politician, primarily known for his work in Telugu cinema. Over his four decade career, he directed more than 150 feature ...

, K. Viswanath, and K. Raghavendra Rao. It was reported in October 2016 that a part of the Sarathi Studios will give way to a commercial mall, multiplex and hotel spread over 97,442 square metres built up area. Murali Krishna Raju, the COO of the studio said that while the original building with floors for indoor shooting will be intact, the outdoor area will be converted into a thematic mall.

Films shot at Sarathi Studios

*'' Maa Inti Mahalakshmi'' (1959) * ''Murali Krishna'' (1964) * '' Preminchi Choodu'' (1965) * ''

Navarathri Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festivals, Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calen ...

'' (1966) * '' Bangaru Gajulu'' (1968) * '' Pelli Choopulu'' (1982) * '' Gabbar Singh'' (2012) * ''

Janatha Garage ''Janatha Garage'' () is a 2016 Indian Telugu-language vigilante action drama film written and directed by Koratala Siva and produced by Mythri Movie Makers. The film stars an ensemble cast including Mohanlal, N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Unni Mukund ...

'' (2016) *''

Yatra ''Yatra'' (, ), in Indian religion, Indian-origin religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, generally means a pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of River#Sacred rivers, sacred rivers, Sacred mountains#India, sacred mount ...

'' (2019) * '' Guntur Kaaram'' (2024)

Sarathi Films

Sarathi Films was a film production company set up by

Raja Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian subcontinent, Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. T ...

of Challapalli, Yarlagadda Sivarama Prasad in partnership with his brother Yarlagadda Rama Krishna Prasad and Gudavalli Ramabrahmam in 1937. Rama Krishna Prasad acted as the

for Sarathi Films. It produced many notable films like '' Mala Pilla'' (1938), '' Raithu Bidda'' (1939), '' Mayalokam'' (1945), '' Rojulu Marayi'' (1955), '' Kalasi Vunte Kaladu Sukham'' (1961), ''

'' (1969), '' Annadammula Savaal'' (1978), '' Radha Kalyanam'' (1981), '' Moodu Mullu'' (1983). Sarathi Films produced the debut directorial ventures of noted directors L. V. Prasad and Tapi Chanakya.

Waheeda Rehman Waheeda Rehman (born 3 February 1938) is an Indian actress. Regarded among the most accomplished actresses of Hindi cinema, she has worked in more than Waheeda Rehman filmography, 90 feature films, in a career spanning over five decades. Her ac ...

and singer Master Venu were introduced to Telugu cinema by Sarathi Films. Rama Krishna Prasad produced many films on Navayuga banner in association with Katragadda Srinivasa Rao.

Films produced by Sarathi Films

* '' Mala Pilla'' (1938) * '' Raithu Bidda'' (1939) * ''Panthulamma'' (1943) * '' Mayalokam'' (1945) * ''Gruhapravesam'' (1946) * ''Antha Manavalle'' (1954) * '' Rojulu Marayi'' (1955) * ''Peddarikalu'' (1957) * '' Bhagya Devatha'' (1959) * ''Kunkuma Rekha'' (1960) * '' Kalasi Vunte Kaladu Sukham'' (1961) * '' Aatma Bandhuvu'' (1962) * ''

'' (1969) * '' Iddaru Asadhyule'' (1979) * '' Annadammula Savaal'' (1978) * ''Seethe Ramudaithe'' (1980) * '' Radha Kalyanam'' (1981) * '' Moodu Mullu'' (1983) * '' Jailu Pakshi'' (1986)

References

External links

Saradhi Studios at IMDb.
Indian film studios Film production companies based in Hyderabad, India Year of establishment missing {{film-studio-stub