4/13/25, 6:15 PM D.

Ramanaidu - Wikipedia

D. Ramanaidu
Daggubati Ramanaidu (6 June 1936 – 18
February 2015) was an Indian film producer known D. Ramanaidu
for his work in Telugu cinema. He founded Suresh
Productions in 1964 which became of one of the
largest film production companies in India.[1][2] He
was one of the most influential movie moguls in
Indian cinema.[3] He was placed in the Guinness
Book of World Records for the most films produced
by an individual, with more than 150 films in all
official Indian languages.[4] He also served as a
Member of Parliament for the Bapatla constituency
in Andhra Pradesh in the 13th Lok Sabha from 1999
to 2004.

In 2012, Ramanaidu was conferred with the third-

highest civilian award of India, the Padma Bhushan,
in recognition for his contribution to Indian Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
cinema.[5] In 2009, he was conferred with the Dada In office
Saheb Phalke Award, the highest award for films in 1999–2004
Indian cinema. He has also received the Raghupathi Preceded by N. Janardhana Reddy
Venkaiah Award, and the Filmfare Lifetime
Succeeded by Daggubati Purandeswari
Achievement Award – South for his work in Telugu
Constituency Bapatla
cinema. Ramanaidu contributed a substantial part of
his earnings to numerous philanthropic purposes Personal details
under the "Ramanaidu Charitable Trust" that was Born Daggubati Ramanaidu
founded in 1991.[6] 6 June 1936
Karamchedu, Madras
Presidency, British India
Early life (now in Andhra Pradesh, India)
Died 18 February 2015 (aged 78)
Daggubati Ramanaidu was born on 6 June 1936[7] in Hyderabad, Telangana, India
a Telugu Kamma family in Karamchedu, a village in
Political party Telugu Desam Party
Prakasam district in the present day Andhra
Pradesh.[8] He completed his schooling in the village Spouse Rajeshwari
and had his college education in Chirala and later Children 3 including D. Suresh Babu,
graduated from Presidency College, Chennai.[9] Venkatesh
Relatives See Daggubati–Akkineni
He started his career as a rice-mill owner and later
family
got into the transport business.[10] During this time,
Occupation Film producer
his father joined with a relative and co-produced the
Telugu film Nammina Bantu (1958), starring Awards Padma Bhushan (2012)
Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Savitri. He performed Dadasaheb Phalke Award
the dupe of Nageswara Rao in the film. Nageswara (2009)

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4/13/25, 6:15 PM D. Ramanaidu - Wikipedia

Rao advised him to go to Madras (now Chennai) and

work with film-makers.[9] He closed down his rice mill as he was not happy with it, and moved to
Madras in 1962. He intended to start a brick business, but later switched to real estate. His
frequent visits to the "Andhra Club" got him acquainted with the Telugu film fraternities.[8]

Film career
In 1963, Ramanaidu partnered with his friends Tagirisa Hanumantha Rao, Yarlagadda
Lakshmaiah Chowdary and co-produced the commercially unsuccessful Anuragam (1963).
Following that, he established his own production house Suresh Productions, and produced
Ramudu Bheemudu (1964).[8] Until the early 1970s, he kept to Telugu cinema and made films such
as Pratigna Palana (1965), Sri Krishna Tulabharam (1966), Shree Janma (1967), Paapa Kosam
(1968) and Sepoy Chinnaiah (1969). Ramudu Bheemudu remained his only box office success
during this period.[9] While in Madras, he partnered with B. Nagi Reddy's sons and formed a
company called "Vijaya Suresh Combines" and made some films under that house.[8]

In 1971, he produced Prem Nagar, starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Vanisri. The film went on
to become a "blockbuster" and its success prompted Tamil and Hindi remakes entitled Vasantha
Maligai (1972) and Prem Nagar (1974), respectively. Both versions were produced by him and
became equally successful.[9] Namma Kuzhaindagal, Tirumangalyam, Madhurageetham,
Kuzhaindaikaga and Deiva Piravi are some of his Tamil productions that were made during the
1970s.[8]

As all the studios were based in Madras at that date, he started "Ramanaidu Studios" in Hyderabad
with the help of the state government in 1983.[11][12] While frequently making films in Telugu and
Tamil, he branched out into the Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Oriya film,
Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Assamese and Punjabi industries.[13] His Hindi films include Dildaar, Tohfa,
Anari, Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain and Aaghaaz.[8]

As of 2015, he had made more than 130 films in 13 Indian languages. The feat earned him a place
in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2008.[14] Ramanaidu also acted in a few films, mostly
his own productions. He played a full-length role for the first time in the 2007 Telugu film Hope.
The film, which dealt with teenage suicides arising out of educational stress among students, won
the award for Best Film on Other Social Issues at the 54th National Film Awards.[15]

Family and personal life

Ramanaidu got married in 1958 and had three children, two sons and a daughter. His elder son D.
Suresh Babu is a producer and his younger son Venkatesh is an actor in Telugu cinema.[11] He had
eight grandchildren, two of whom – Rana and Naga Chaitanya – are actors in Telugu cinema.[8]

Ramanaidu was a member of the Telugu Desam Party and represented Baptala constituency of
Guntur district in the 13th Lok Sabha from 1999 to 2004. He lost the 2004 election for the same
seat in the 14th Lok Sabha.[16][17]

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Awards and honors

Civilian Honors

Padma Bhushan - 2012

National Film Awards

National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali –

Asukh (1999)[11]
National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues -
Hope (2006)
Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 2009[12]
Nandi Awards
President Pranab Mukherjee
Nandi Award for Best Feature Film - Andhra Vaibhavam presenting the Padma Bhushan
Nandi Award for Best Feature Film - Preminchu (2001)[18] Award to Ramanaidu, at an
Raghupathi Venkaiah Award - 2006[19] Investiture Ceremony, at
Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards on 5 April 2013

Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film (Third prize) –
Namma Kuzhanthaigal (1970)[20]
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film (Second prize) – Madhurageetham (1977)[20]
Filmfare Awards South

Filmfare Award for Best Telugu Film – Jeevana Tarangalu (1973)[21]

Filmfare Award for Best Telugu Film – Soggadu (1976)[22][23]
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South (2000)[24]
Other Honors

Honorary doctorate from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati[25]

Death
In January 2014, it was reported that Ramanaidu had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He
died on 18 February 2015, at the age of 78, in Hyderabad, Telangana.[26][27] All of the big Telugu
contemporaries like Chiranjeevi, Balakrishna, Nagarjuna, Rajasekhar, Ravi Teja, K. Raghavendra
Rao, Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, and NTR Jr. paid their last respects to
him.[28]

Partial filmography

Telugu
Ramudu Bheemudu Prema Nagar
Pratiganapalana Jeevana Tarangalu
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4/13/25, 6:15 PM D. Ramanaidu - Wikipedia

Chakravakam Jayam Manadera

Soggadu Preminchu
Agni Poolu Nee Premakai
Devata Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu
Mundadugu Hari Villu
Sangharshana Vijayam
Kathanayakudu Neeku Nenu Naaku Nuvvu
Kaliyuga Pandavulu Malliswari
Ramu Soggadu
Aha Naa Pellanta Nireekshana
Chinababu Sri Krishna 2006
Brahma Puthrudu Madhumasam
Prema Tulasi
Indrudu Chandrudu Kousalya Supraja Rama
Bobbili Raja Baladoor
Coolie No. 1 Bendu Apparao R.M.P
Super Police Aalasyam Amrutam
Dharma Chakram Mugguru
Oho Naa Pellanta Masala
Preminchukundam Raa Nenem…Chinna Pillana?
Ganesh Bhimavaram Bullodu
Preyasi Rave Drushyam
Kalisundam Raa Gopala Gopala
Tamil
Vasantha Maligai

Thanikattu Raja

Hindi
Dildaar

Tohfa

Anari

Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain

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External links
D. Rama Naidu (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0619656/) at IMDb

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