Bhakta Prahlada (1932 film)


Bhakta Prahlada is the first Telugu-language full length sound film, based on Prahlada and Narasimha in Hindu mythology. It is made by H. M. Reddy, a pioneer of the Indian film industry. No print of the film is known to survive, making it a lost film.

History

was planning to make the first Indian talkie movie Alam Ara in Hindi in 1931. H. M. Reddy was assistant director for that film and made the first south Indian talkie in Telugu on the same sets.
The very famous theater group in Andhra Pradesh, ‘Surabhi’ had various performances of the play ‘Bhakta Prahlada’, which was written by the great playwright and ‘Andhranataka Pitamaha’ Dharmavarapu Ramakrishnacharyulu. H. M. Reddy sought to cast them in film and brought the entire drama team to Bombay under the supervision of C.S.R. Anjaneyulu.
In addition to reusing some dialogues and poems of the drama, H.M. Reddy made Chandala Kesavadasu to pen new songs. The great poet Kesavadasu, thus remains in the history of Telugu Cinema to have penned its first song.

Cast

B. V. Subbarao, Chitrapu Narasimha Rao, and Master Krishna play supporting roles.

Release

"After scouting for evidence in libraries in Chennai, Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai, I finally stumbled upon ‘The Bombay Government Gazette -Part I’ dated February 4, 1932 at the National Film Archives, Pune, which had the dates of films produced and censored in Bombay.
The censor date of Bhaktha Prahlada was given in it as January 22, 1932. The Bombay Chronicle carried an advertisement on January 31, 1932 that the film would be released soon. And it was released on February 6, 1932 at Krishna Cinema on New Charlie Road, Bombay. The Times of India carried a review of the film on the same day of its release as preview show was held before its release. Subsequently, it was released in Andhra and then on April 2, 1932 at the National Picture Palace, Madras. All this clearly proves that Bhaktha Prahlada was released only in 1932."
— Film historian Rentala Jayadeva proving the release date of Bhakta Prahlada

The release of the film which is the first Telugu talkie, was generally considered to have released on 15 September 1931 but it was eventually revealed to have been released on 6 February 1932.