The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : YSR kicks off Telugu cinema's platinum jubilee celebrations

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 26, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

YSR kicks off Telugu cinema's platinum jubilee celebrations

Special Correspondent

Special postal cover and CD released; top film stars stay away

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy sounds the clapper board to launch the celebrations of the platinum jubilee of the Telugu film industry. Also seen are (L-R) film actor Krishna, his wife Vijayanirmala, Union Minister Dasa ri Narayana Rao, Finance Minister K. Rosaiah, Information Minister Mohd Ali Shabbir, film actor Mohan Babu, producer Seshagiri Rao.— Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: The Telugu cinema's platinum jubilee celebrations were kicked off here on Thursday with Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy dubbing cinema as the biggest form of entertainment of the Telugus.

The celebrations under the aegis of the Andhra Pradesh State Film, Television and Theatre Development Corporation began a day ahead of the much-hyped programme of the Telugu film industry.

The Chief Minister released a special postal cover brought out by the Department of Posts marking the milestone reached by the Telugu film industry, besides a CD `Seventy five years of Telugu cinema - sweetest memories'.

However, the inaugural function, more so being an official event, was no ode to Telugu cinema but a paean to successive Congress Governments that "laid the foundation for bringing Telugu cinema to Hyderabad and ensuring its prosperity with a series of incentives over the decades".

No glamour

Conspicuous by its absence was the entire Telugu film industry itself barring a few personalities known for their staunch support to the party, be it Union Minister Dasari Narayana Rao, superstar Krishna, writer Mallemala or actor Mohan Babu, who was widely tipped for the Padma Sri award this year.

Removal of the slab system that wrought havoc in the industry, introduction of special drive against video piracy and allocation of land for the setting up of film studios in Visakhapatnam were highlighted by the Chief Minister. Following a request from the industry representatives, the Government was even considering reducing the land rates for the studios in the port city, he said.

Powerful medium

"Cinema is the most powerful medium to send the right message to the people and eradicate social evils. Hence, I always rose to the occasion when the industry came out with proposals for its growth," the Chief Minister maintained.

Record holder

Union Minister Dasari Narayana Rao, who also holds the Guinness Book of World Record for directing the highest number of films in the world, said the Telugu film industry was slipping away from the path of brilliance laid by yesteryear filmmakers. He exhorted the film industry to `go back to the past and seek inspiration from the works of the golden era' and shape its future.

Actor Krishna said Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy, by scrapping the slab system had breathed life into Telugu cinema, which was in doldrums.

APSFTTDC chairman G. Adiseshagiri Rao also spoke.

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