Padmalaya Studios


Padmalaya Studios is an Indian film production company and studio facility established by actor Krishna and his brothers. Based in Hyderabad, it primarily focuses on the production and distribution of Telugu and Hindi films. The studio's operations are now managed through its successors, including Indira Productions, G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment, and Krishna Productions.
The production company, initially known as Padmalaya Movies, was founded in 1970 with its first film Agni Pariksha. In 1982, the Andhra Pradesh state government allocated 9.5 acres of land to Krishna to promote the development of the film industry in Hyderabad. This led to the establishment of the Padmalaya Studios, a film studio facility, which officially opened in November 1984. The first film shot at the studio was Simhasanam.

History

Padmalaya Movies

Padmalaya Movies, a film production company, was established in 1970 by Telugu actor Krishna and his brothers. The company made its debut with the film Agni Pariksha. Padmalaya Movies gained prominence in 1971 with the production of Mosagallaku Mosagadu, the first Indian Western film, which received acclaim and commercial success for its innovative genre.

Padmalaya Studios

In 1982, the state government of Andhra Pradesh allocated 9.5 acres of land in Shaikpet Mandal to Krishna at a concessional price of ₹8,500 per acre. This allocation was part of an initiative to encourage the Telugu film industry to shift its base from Madras to Hyderabad. The studio facility, named Padmalaya Studios, was inaugurated in November 1984. The first film shot at the studio was Simhasanam. Currently, the studio operates on approximately 4 acres of land.

Controversy

The allocation of 9.5 acres of land to Padmalaya Studios became controversial due to the substantial difference between the government-fixed price of ₹8,500 per acre and the prevailing market rate, which was estimated to be around ₹5 lakh per acre at the time. The land was granted under the Andhra Pradesh Alienation of State Lands and Land Revenue Rules of 1975, with the stipulation that it be used exclusively for film-related purposes. However, 5.3 acres of the allocated land were later sold to third parties, leaving the studio with only about 4 acres of its original allotment.

Filmography

Telugu

YearTitleCastDirectorNotes
1970Agni ParikshaKrishna, Vijaya NirmalaK. Varaprasada Rao
1971Mosagallaku MosagaduKrishna, Vijaya Nirmala, Jayalalithaa, NagabhushanamK. S. R. DasFirst Indian western film
1973Devudu Chesina ManushuluN. T. Rama Rao, Krishna, Jayalalithaa, Vijaya NirmalaV. Ramachandra Rao
1973Mayadari MalligaduKrishna, Manjula, Jayanthi, NagabhushanamAdurthi Subba RaoPresenter
1974Alluri Seetarama RajuKrishna, Vijaya Nirmala, JaggayyaV. Ramachandra Rao
1977KurukshetramKrishna, Vijaya Nirmala, Sobhan Babu, Krishnam Raju, Jaya Prada, Jamuna, Anjali DeviKamalakara Kameswara Rao
1982EenaduKrishna, RadhikaP. Sambasiva Rao
1986SimhasanamKrishna, Jaya Prada, Radha, Mandakini, Amjad KhanKrishna
1987Marana SasanamKrishnam Raju, JayasudhaS.S. Ravichandra
1988Mugguru KodukuluKrishna, Radha, Ramesh Babu, Mahesh Babu, SonamKrishna
1989Rajakeeya ChadarangamKrishna, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, SujathaP. Chandrasekhara Reddy
1989Koduku Diddina KapuramKrishna, Mahesh Babu, VijayashantiKrishna
1990BalachandruduMahesh Babu, GeethaKrishna
1993Anna ChelleluRamesh Babu, Aamani, SoundaryaP. Chandrasekhara Reddy
1994Pacha ThoranamRamesh Babu, RambhaAdurti Saibhaskar
1994Police AlluduKrishna, Malashri, Brahmanandam, Kota Srinivasa RaoMannava Balayya
2000VamsiMahesh Babu, Namrata Shirodkar, KrishnaB. Gopal
2001Pandanti SamsaramKrishna, Babloo PrithiveerajKrishna

Hindi

YearTitleCastDirectorNotes
1980TakkarSanjeev Kumar, Jeetendra, Zeenat Aman, Jaya Prada, Ashok Kumar, Vinod Mehra, Bindiya GoswamiK. Bapayya
1981Meri Aawaz SunoJeetendra, Hema Malini, Parveen BabiRajendra Singh Babu-
1983HimmatwalaJeetendra, SrideviK. Raghavendra Rao
1983Justice ChaudhuryJeetendra, Sridevi, Hema Malini, Moushumi ChatterjeeK. Raghavendra Rao
1983MawaaliJeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya PradaK. Bapayya
1984QaidiJeetendra, Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha, MadhaviS. S. Ravichandra
1984KaamyabJeetendra, Shabana Azmi, RadhaK. Raghavendra Rao
1985HoshiyarJeetendra, Shatrughan Sinha, Jaya Prada, Meenakshi SheshadriK. Raghavendra Rao
1985Pataal BhairaviJeetendra, Jaya PradaK. Bapayya
1986SinghasanJeetendra, Jaya Prada, MandakiniKrishna
1988MulzimJeetendra, Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha, Amrita SinghK. S. R. Das
1988KanwarlalJeetendra, Sujata Mehta, Raj BabbarS. S. Ravichandra
1999SooryavanshamAmitabh Bachchan, Soundarya, Jayasudha, Kader Khan, Anupam Kher, Bindu, Mukesh RishiE. V. V. Satyanarayana
2001Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha RupaiyaGovinda, Juhi Chawla, TabuK. Raghavendra Rao
2002Kyaa Dil Ne KahaaTusshar Kapoor, Esha Deol, Raj Babbar, Neena Kulkarni, Rajesh Khanna, Smita Jaykar, Ashok SarafSanjay Chhel
2004Ishq Hai TumseDino Morea, Bipasha BasuGhattamaneni Krishna

Tamil

YearTitleCastDirectorNotes
1980VishwaroopamShivaji Ganesan, Sujatha, Sridevi, Major SundarrajanA. C. Tirulokchandar
1982ThyagiSivaji Ganesan, Sujatha, Major Sundarrajan, V. S. RaghavanC. V. Rajendran
1986MaaveeranRajinikanth, Ambika, Jaishankar, SujathaRajasekhar

Kannada

YearTitleCastDirectorNotes
1985Amara JyothiAmbareesh, MadhaviB Subba Rao