Raitu Bidda (1939)

Synopsis: The story was set in Nagapuram. Rami Reddy (Kosaraju) contests elections representing the peasants. The powerful Zamindar (Gidugu Sitapathi) nominates Venkayya (E. Seshaiah) as his candidate. The shavukar (Makeup chief MC Raghavan) and the village Karanam (VV Subbaiah) force Narsi Reddy (Bellari Raghava) the peasant leader to support the zamindar's candidate. Narsi Reddy refuses. The wily zamindar arranges a Kuchipudi dance (Vedantam Raghavaiah choreographed and played) and locks up those who attended the show to keep them away from casting their vote. The farmers break open the door and Rami Reddy wins the election. While the zamindar suffers humiliation, his trusted servant Khasa Subbanna (Bhimavarapu Narasimha Rao) creates havoc in Nagapuram. The Shavukar and the Karanam withe the help of the Tahsildar (Nellore Nagaraja Rao) confiscate Narsi Reddy's property. Aghast at the floods that made them penniless, the Shavukar and Karanam repent for their deeds join Narsi Reddy to fight the Zamindar. The zamindar is also a reformed man now.
Cast: Bellari Raghavacharya (Narsi Reddy), Padmavati Devi (Lakshmi), Cherukupalli Ellapragada Nehru, Sundaramma (Rajaratnam), Gidugu Venkata Sitapathi Rao (Zamindar), Tanguturi Suryakumari (Sita), Kosaraju Raghavaiah Chowdary (Rami Reddy), Gangaratnam, S. Varalakshmi, Nellore Nagaraja Rao (Tahsildar), Bhimavarapu Narasimha Rao (Khasa Subbanna), M.C. Raghavan (Shavukaru), P. Suri Babu (Ramajogi), Malladi Vishwanatha Kaviraju, V.V. Subbaiah (Karanam), E. Seshaiah (Venkayya), G. Venkata Ramayya (Munasabu), Sanjeeva Kumari, Balamba, VV Subba Raju (Krishna Reddy), Gudavalli (cameo)
Story: Gudavalli Ramabrahmam
Dialogues: Tapi Dharma Rao, Tripuraneni Gopichand, Malladi Vishwanatha Kaviraju
Lyrics: Basavaraju Appa Rao, Samudrala Raghavacharya, Kosaraju, Thummala Seetharama Murthy, Nellore Venkatarama Naidu, Gudavalli Ramabrahmam, Tapi Dharma Rao
Music: Bhimavarapu Narasimha Rao
Playback: Tanguturi Suryakumari, P. Suribabu, Kosaraju
Cinematographer: Sailen Bose
Choreography: Vedantam Raghavaiah
Makeup Chief: MC Raghavan
Producer: Challapalli Maharaja
Director: Gudavalli Ramabrahmam
Banner: Sarathi Films
Duration: 175 minutes
Release Date: 27 August
Trivia: The then Zamindars of Venkatagiri were greatly offended by its content and sought a ban. They even burnt the film prints resulting in clashes. The Nellore district Magistrate imposed a ban on its screening. Similar ban was also imposed in Krishna District.
Gudavalli dedicated the film to the memory of Bollini Munuswamy Naidu hailed as 'Rythu Bandhava'.
Tanguturi Suryakumari made her debut in Telugu films as Bellari Raghava's daughter. Her rendition of Basavaraju Appa Rao's immortal song, 'Raboku rabokura chandurooda' in this film was a huge hit.
Kosarju made his screen debut both as an actor and a lyricist. 'Nidra melkora thammuda...' was his first film lyric while he himself rendered, enacted 'Rythuke votivva valananna' penned by him.
Gudavalli made a cameo appearance as a news paper editor.
This film won critical acclaim but was a box office failure.
The print is available with the National Film Archives, Pune.
Popular Songs:
1. Raboku rabokura chandurooda (Basavaraju Appa Rao)
2. Nidra melkora thammuda (Kosaraju)
3. Rythuke votivva valananna (Kosaraju)