Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu

Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu (1853–1912) was a renowned Telugu dramatist and playwright from Bellary. He was known as "Andhra Nataka Pithamaha" and wrote more than 30 original plays.

He was born in Dharmavaram village in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh in 1853 (Karthika Sudha Ekadasi). His parents were Krishnamacharyulu and Laxmidevamma; family name was Komanduru. He lost his father when he was 16 years of age and the family responsibility fell on his shoulders. After Matriculation, he worked for sometime in the Municipal High School and Adoni Taluk Office. He returned to Bellary and started practising as vakil in the Cantonment. He lost his wife soon after marriage and later married Laxmidevamma. He had passed first grade pleader's examination and F.A. in 1874. His legal practice flourished as he mastered the art of cross examination of the witness to bring out the truth. He had three brothers and three sisters. His sisters were Pedda Seshamma, Chinna Seshamma and Krishnamma. Pedda Seshamma was the mother of Bellary Raghava. His brothers were Dharmavaram Gopalacharyulu, Venkata Krishnamacharyulu and Seshacharyulu.

During the famine between 1871-73 he and his friends established a society called Veera Sangam, to serve those affected. After the famine it was converted into a debating society. He initially wrote four short plays which were instant success. In 1888, the society was replaced by the famous Sarasa Vinodini Sabha.

Influenced by the success of Kannada dramas staged by Rajadhani Nataka Mandali in 1881, his brother Gopalacharyulu wrote a drama in Telugu and staged it. It did not made any impact to the public. Having felt insulted, Krishnamacharyulu wrote a drama himself in Kannada Swapna Niruddhamu and staged it in 1886. The drama impressed the public very much. There was an opinion that Telugu language was not suitable for drama format. He took up the partly written Telugu drama Chitra Naliyam and completed it. He directed the play and took the lead role on 29 January 1887. The play was great success thereby the misconception that Telugu was unsuitable for playwriting was removed. He wrote about 29 dramas successively and staged them with great success. He introduced songs and poems in the drama. He took his troupe to Madras and staged his plays in 1891 at Victoria Public Hall. They were greatly appreciated by the public. P. Sambandham Mudaliar, inspired by these dramas, established Suguna Vilas Sabha. He about 90 dramas in Tamil and staged them. He was considered as the modern Tamil Nataka Pithamaha. He recognized Ramakrishnamacharyulu as his Guru.

Many of his plays were performed by the Surabhi Drama Troupe, the most noted one being Bhakta Prahlada which was made into a movie, the first Telugu talkie movie. Ramakrishna Vilas, a theatre building in Bellary named after Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu, was the second theatre building in Bellary. This was later converted into a cinema theatre and renamed as Star Cinema.