Vemuri Gaggayya

rdf:langString Vemuri Gaggayya

rdf:langString Vemuri Gaggayya

rdf:langString Vemuri Gaggayya

rdf:langString Hyderabad, India

rdf:langString Vemuru, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India

rdf:langString Actor

rdf:langString Thespian

rdf:langString Vemuri Gaggayya (1895–1955) was an Indian actor, singer, and thespian known for his works in Telugu cinema, and Telugu theatre. In 1933, East India Film Company produced its first Indian film, Savitri in Telugu. Shot in Calcutta on a budget of ₹75,000 and based on a popular stage play by Mylavaram Bala Bharathi Nataka Samajam, the film was directed by the father of the "Telugu Theater Movement", Chittajallu Pullayya, casting Vemuri Gaggayya and Dasari Ramathilakam as "Yama" and "Savithri" respectively. The blockbuster film has received an honorary diploma at Venice Film Festival. Gaggayya was an important member of the "Mylavarama Bala Bharathi Nataka Samajam" in Mylavaram, Krishna district during 1913–28. Through "Mylavaram Theatre", Gaggayya became a household name for mythological roles. He won recognition in drama as Yama, God of death, in Sati Savitri, as the demon Hiranyakasipu in Bhakta Prahlada. Some other prominent roles were as the eponymous Mymvana, and as Jalandhara in Sati Tulasi. His theatrical performances made C. Pullayya to persuade to him to enter motion picture. His other notable films include works such as Kamsa in Sri Krishna Leelalu (1935) and the womanizer in Chandika (1940). He is known for rendering songs such as "Po Bala Pommikan" and "Dhikkaramulu Saituna".