| C. Pullaiah | |
|---|---|
| Born | Chittajallu Pullaiah 1898 Kakinada, India |
| Died | October 6, 1967 Madras, India |
| Occupation | Director |
Chittajallu Pullaiah popularly known as C. Pullaiah (Telugu: సి.పుల్లయ్య) (b: 1898 - d: October 6, 1967) is an eminent Telugu film director. He is one among those film personalities associated with the Telugu movie right from its silent movie days. His son C. S. Rao is also famous film director in later period.
Sati Anasuya, the first children's movie in Telugu cinema was directed by him. Pullaiah made it with sixty child artistes. He took them all to Calcutta along with a teacher, so that their studies might not be interrupted. Hi wife Rangamma ran a small diary to meet the need for milk, butter-milk and butter for the children. The sixty children regarded Pullaiah as their father.
Pullaiah directed Vara Vikrayam and Malathi Madhavam under the East India Film Company at Calcutta. He directed Bala Nagamma, Apoorva Sahodarargal and Vindhya Rani under Gemini Pictures after shifting base to Madras.
He is well remembered as the maker of Magnum opus Telugu film Lava Kusha in 1934 and 1963, the story of Lava and Kusha in Hindu epic Ramayana.
Pakkinti Ammayi (1953) the forerunner of Bollywood film Padosan (1968) is directed by him and starring Padmasri Relangi Venkataramaiah.