Yaragudipati Varada Rao (

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...

: యెర్రగుడిపాటి వరదరావు; 30 May 1903 – 13 February 1979) was an Indian director, producer, actor, screenwriter, and editor known for his works primarily in

, Kannada, and Tamil films. Rao plunged into theatre and did a few stage plays before moving to Kolhapur and Bombay to act in silent films. Rao started his career as a lead actor in many silent films such as ''Gajendra Moksham'' (1923), ''Garuda Garvabhangam'' (1929), and ''Rose of Rajasthan'' (1931). Regarded as one of the greatest filmmaking pioneers of the

Cinema of South India The Cinema of South India refers collectively to the six distinct film industries based in Southern region of India namely Tamil, Telugu, Tulu, Kannada, Konkani, and Malayalam. Although these industries developed independently for a long ...

, he made motion-pictures across Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Konkani, and Hindi languages, apart from silent films. Rao made significant contributions to South cinema during the British rule in India. Rao's 1934 film ''

Sati Sulochana ''Sati Sulochana'' is a 1934 Indian Kannada-language film directed by Y. V. Rao. The film was released on 3 March 1934 and is the first talkie film in Kannada language.

'' was the first talkie film in the Kannada language. In 1937, he directed the hagiographical classic '' Chintamani'', the Tamil sleeper hit ran for a year with highest estimated footfall at a single screen in India, and

British Ceylon British Ceylon ( si, බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය ලංකාව, Britānya Laṃkāva; ta, பிரித்தானிய இலங்கை, Biritthāṉiya Ilaṅkai) was the British Crown colony of present-day Sri Lanka between ...

. Rao's 1938 film ''Swarnalatha'' was one of the finest political drama scripted by Ayyalu Somayajulu; with prohibition as the central theme, in which Rao played the lead. The film was shot extensively at Newtone Studios, Kilpauk, during

Madras Presidency The Madras Presidency, or the Presidency of Fort St. George, also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision (presidency) of British India. At its greatest extent, the presidency included most of southern India, including the ...

. Rao's 1940 film, '' Viswa Mohini'', is the first Indian film, depicting the Indian movie world, scripted by Balijepalli Lakshmikanta Kavi, starring V. Nagayya. Rao subsequently made the mythology sequel films '' Savithiri'' (1941), and ''Sathyabhama'' (1942) casting thespian

Sthanam Narasimha Rao Sthanam Narasimha Rao, popularly known as Sthanam (23 September 1902 – 21 February 1971), was an Indian actor known for his works in Telugu theatre and Telugu cinema. He was known for playing female characters and was a recipient of a Padma Sri ...

Personal life

Yaragudipati Varada Rao was born in Telugu Brahmin family of Nellore in the then

of British India in May 1903. In the late 1920s, he moved to

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

and ventured into Kannada cinema. He married Kumari Rukmini who was paired with him in '' Lavangi'' (1946). Indian actress Lakshmi is their daughter.

Early career

Rao moved into film direction and made silent films such as ''Pandava Nirvan'' (1930), ''Pandava Agnathavaas'' (1930) and ''Hari Maya'' (1932). In 1932, a Marwari businessman,

Chamanlal Doongaji Chamanlal Doongaji was an Indian businessman, film producer and distributor known for producing the first-ever talking film in Kannada, ''Sati Sulochana''. He founded a film distribution company named ''South India Movietone'' in 1932. He was f ...

from Bangalore, launched South India ''Movie Tone''. The company made ''

Sati Sulochana ''Sati Sulochana'' is a 1934 Indian Kannada-language film directed by Y. V. Rao. The film was released on 3 March 1934 and is the first talkie film in Kannada language.

'', the first talking picture in Kannada with an expense of . Rao directed this blockbuster film shot at Chatrapathi Cinetone, in Kolhapur; the shooting took eight weeks. He then directed ''Hari Maya'' (1932) that starred his first wife, Rajam.

Selected filmography

;As Director *1930: ''Pandava Agyathavas'' (silent) *1930: '' Sarangadhara'' (silent) *1932: ''Hari Maya'' (Kannada - Director) *1934: ''

Sati Sulochana ''Sati Sulochana'' is a 1934 Indian Kannada-language film directed by Y. V. Rao. The film was released on 3 March 1934 and is the first talkie film in Kannada language.

'' (Kannada - Cast) *1935: ''Naganand'' (Hindi) *1936: ''Bhama Parinayam'' (Tamil) *1937: ''Chintamani'' (Tamil) *1938: ''Bhakta Meera'' (Tamil) *1938: ''Swarnalatha'' (Tamil) *1939: '' Malli Pelli'' (Telugu - Cast) *1940: '' Viswa Mohini'' (Telugu - Cast) *1941: ''Savithiri'' (Tamil - Cast, Singer) *1942: ''Sathyabhama'' (Telugu - Cast) *1944: ''Thasildar'' (Telugu - Cast) *1946: '' Lavangi'' (Tamil) *1948: ''Ramadas'' (Tamil) *1950: ''Jeevit Amche Ashe'' (Konkani) *1952: '' Manavathi'' (Telugu-Tamil) *1953: ''Manjari'' (Telugu - Cast) *1956: ''Bhagya Chakra'' (Kannada) *1958: ''Sri Krishna Garudi'' (Telugu) *1961: ''Nagarjuna'' (Telugu-Kannada) *1963: ''Hennina Balu Kanneru'' (Kannada) ;As Producer - Telugu *1964: ''Thotalo Pilla Kotalo Rani'' *1965: ''Aakasa Ramanna'' *1966: ''Bhulokamlo Yamalokam'' *1966: ''Loguttu Perumaallu Keruka'' *1967: ''Devuni Gelichina Manavudu'' *1967: ''Gopaludu Bhupaludu'' *1968: ''Circar Express'' *1968: ''Pala Manasulu'' *1969: ''Ardharathri'' (Cast) *1969: ''Love in Andhra'' *1969: ''Takkari Donga Chakkani Chukka'' *1970: ''Paga Sadhistha'' *1971: ''Revolver Rani'' *1972: ''Monagadosthunnadu Jagratha''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yaragudipati, Varada Rao 1903 births 1979 deaths Indian male film actors Tamil film directors Telugu film editors Telugu film directors Kannada film producers Telugu film producers Nandi Award winners Kannada film directors Telugu screenwriters Indian editors Indian cinematographers Indian silent film directors 20th-century Indian male actors Male actors from Andhra Pradesh People from Nellore district Indian male stage actors Film producers from Andhra Pradesh Screenwriters from Andhra Pradesh Film directors from Andhra Pradesh 20th-century Indian film directors 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Film editors from Andhra Pradesh Konkani-language film directors 20th-century Indian screenwriters