Making of a Peasant Industry

Abstract

What can the cinema tell us about its time? This article explores the problem by focusing on the role the Telugu film industry played in the rise to economic and political prominence of a post-colonial and post-feudal elite in what is now the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. A two decade period in the history of Telugu cinema is examined to show how the industry came under the control of entrepreneurs of peasant origin by becoming a destination of surpluses generated by agriculture and related activities. During this period, an industry model that facilitated the absorption of large infusions of capital at the production center in Madras, as also relatively small retail investments at the local level, was assembled. The model, predicated on syndicated investments and distribution of risk, fell into place at a time when peasants began to migrate out of the village for a variety of reasons and were expanding their activities from agriculture, commodity speculation, and rural money lending.