AngleaDeason621 at 16:38, 28 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian film director, producer (1920–1999)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = B. Vittalacharya
| image = B.VittalacharyaImg.jpg
| caption =
| birthname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1920|01|28}}
| birth_place = [[Udupi]], [[Madras Presidency]], British India (Present day in [[Karnataka]], India)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1999|05|28|1920|01|28}}
| othername = Jaanapada Brahma, Maayaajala Mannan
| yearsactive = 1944–1993
| spouse = Jayalakshmi Acharya
| occupation = {{Hlist | Film director | producer}}
}}

'''B. Vittalacharya''' (28 January 1920 – 28 May 1999) was an Indian film director and producer known for his works in [[Telugu cinema|Telugu]] and [[Kannada cinema]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kinema2cinema.com/directors/janapada-brahma-vithalacharya-14.html |title=Janapada Brahma Vithalacharya Directors - Kinema2Cinema.com |access-date=13 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310074345/http://www.kinema2cinema.com/directors/janapada-brahma-vithalacharya-14.html |archive-date=10 March 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was known as ''Janapada Brahma'' in the Telugu film industry. Vittalacharya formed his film production company ''Vittal Productions,'' which produced the first film directed by him, ''Rajya Lakshmi''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=B. Vittalacharya |url=http://actiononframes.com/artist/b-vittalacharya-310/ |access-date=5 August 2023 |website=actiononframes.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 1952, he did his first movie ''Sri Srinivasa Kalyana'' in Kannada. He went on to make Kannada movies after the success of ''Sri Srinivasa Kalyana''.
In 1954, he produced and directed ''Kanyadhanam,'' a revolutionary Kannada film for that time. Wishing to remake the same in Telugu, he moved to [[Madras]] and settled there. After making two more Kannada movies, he concentrated on producing and directing. He also directed movies for other producers. He directed a total of 19 movies with [[N. T. Rama Rao]], the doyen of Telugu cinema at the time. Though he did not get any awards, most of his films were box office successes and he was fondly called "Jaanapada Brahma" and "Maayaajala Mannan" by his fans. He was well known for the visual effects shown in most of his movies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 January 2015 |title=A Face to the Faceless: The B Vittalacharya Tribute |url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/a-face-to-the-faceless-the-b-vittalacharya-birthday-tribute/ |access-date=5 August 2023 |website=Silverscreen India |language=en-US |archive-date=5 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805093749/https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/a-face-to-the-faceless-the-b-vittalacharya-birthday-tribute/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Biography==
B. Vithalacharya was born into [[Madhwa Brahmin]] family{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} on 28 January 1920 in Udayavara, in then [[Udupi]] Taluk as a seventh child. He was interested in dramas, Bayalata and [[Yakshagana]] since childhood. His father Padmanabhacharya was a noted ayurvedic doctor, who used to treat patients free of cost. He studied only up to third class. He left the house to seek his fortune at the age of nine years. Reaching Arasikere, he did odd jobs and finally bought an Udupi Restaurant from his cousin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=B Vittalacharya {{!}} V CINEMA – Biography, Photos, Movies, Age, Height, Family |url=https://www.vcinema.com/celebrity/about:blank |access-date=5 August 2023 |website=www.vcinema.com |language=en}}</ref> He successfully ran the hotel.{{Citation needed|date=July 2017}}

He participated in the [[Quit India Movement]] against the British Government along with some friends. He was imprisoned. After release from the Jail, he handed over his hotel business to his younger brother. He established One Touring Cinema in Hassan District along with his friend Sri D. Shankar Singh and others.

He was the executive partner running the Touring Talkies on a daily basis. He multiplied the single Touring Talkies into four units. He used to watch each and every film they screened and learnt film making techniques practically. In 1944, he married Jayalakshmi Acharya, the third daughter of U. Ramadasa Acharya of K. R. Pete.

With the same friends and Shankar Singh, they moved to [[Mysore]] and formed a film production company under the banner of Mahatma Pictures. They produced 18 Kannada pictures from 1944 to 1953, among them very successful ones like ''Naga Kanya'', ''Jagan Mohini'', and ''Srinivasa Kalyana''. During that period, one by one the partners parted company and finally only D. Shankar Singh and Vittalacharya remained. Some of the films were directed by others, some by D. Shankar Singh and some by Vittalacharya.

In 1953, he parted ways with D. Shankar Singh, and formed his own company under the banner Vittal Productions and produced and directed his first film, ''Rajya Lakshmi''. In 1954, he produced and directed ''Kanyadhanam'', a revolutionary Kannada film for that time. Wishing to remake the same in Telugu, he moved to [[Madras]] and settled there till his death.

==Filmography==
{{more citations needed|date=January 2024}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of B. Vittalacharya film credits
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Language
! class="unsortable" scope="col" | Notes
|-
| 1952
| ''[[Sri Srinivasa Kalyana (1952 film)|Sri Srinivasa Kalyana]]''
| Kannada
| Director and producer
|-
| 1953
| ''Rajya Lakshmi''
| Kannada
| Director and producer
|-
| 1954
| ''Kanyadhanam''
| Kannada
| Director and producer
|-
| 1956
| ''Muttiyde Baghya''
| Kannada
| Director and producer
|-
| 1956
| ''Vaddante Pelli''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1957
| ''Jaya Vijaya''
| Kannada
| Director and producer
|-
| 1957
| ''Mane Thumbida Hennu''
| Kannada
| Producer
|-
| 1958
| ''Anna Chellalu''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1958
| ''Mane Thumbida Hennu''
| Kannada
| Director
|-
| 1958
| ''Pelli Meeda Pelli''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1959
| ''Penn Kulathin Pon Villakku''
| Tamil
| Director
|-
| 1960
| ''Anna Chellelu''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1960
| ''Kanaka Durga Pooja Mahima''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1961
| ''Varalakshmi Vratham''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1962
| ''[[Khaidi Kannayya]]''
| Kannada
| Director
|-
| 1962
| ''Madana Kama Raju Katha''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1963
| ''[[Manthiri Kumaran]]''
| Tamil
| Director
|-
| 1963
| [[Bandipotu (1963 film)|''Bandipotu'']]
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1963
| ''[[Guruvunu Minchina Sishyudu]]''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1963
| ''Nava Graha Pooja Mahima''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1963
| ''[[Veera Kesari]]''
| Kannada
| Director
|-
| 1964
| ''[[Aggi Pidugu]]''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Jwaladweepa Rahasyam]]''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1965
| [[Mangamma Sapatham (1965 film)|''Mangamma Sapatham'']]
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1965
| ''Vijaya Simha''
| Kannada
| Director
|-
| 1966
| ''[[Aggi Barata]]''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1966
| ''Iddaru Monagallu''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1967
| [[Chikkadu Dorakadu (1967 film)|''Chikkadu Dorakadu'']]
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1967
| ''[[Pidugu Ramudu]]''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1967
| ''Aggi Dora''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1968
| ''Bhale Monagadu''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1968
| ''[[Kadaladu Vadaladu]]''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1969
| ''[[Gandikota Rahasyam]]''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1969
| ''[[Aggi Veerudu]]''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1970
| ''[[Ali Baba 40 Dongalu]]''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1970
| ''[[Lakshmi Kataksham]]''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
|1970
| ''[[Vijayam Manade]]''
|Telugu
|Director
|-
| 1971
| ''[[Rajakota Rahasyam]]''
| Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1971
| ''C. I. D. Raju''
| Telugu
| Producer
|-
| 1972
| ''[[Beedala Patlu]]''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1973
| ''[[Palleturi Chinnodu]]''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1974
| ''Aadadani Adrushtam''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1975
| ''Kotalo Paga''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1978
| [[Jaganmohini (1978 film)|''Jaganmohini'']]
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1979
| ''Gandharva Kanya''
| Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1980
| ''Madana Manjari''
|Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1983
| ''Nava Mohini''
|Telugu
| Director and producer
|-
| 1984
| ''Jai Bhetala 3D''
|Telugu
| Story and Screen Play
|-
| 1985
| ''Mohini Sapadham''
|Telugu
| Producer and director
|-
| 1986
| ''Veera Pratap''
|Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1987
| ''Sri Devi Kamakshi Kataksham''
|Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1991
| ''Srisaila Bhramarambika Kataksham''
|Telugu
| Director
|-
| 1992
| ''Karuninchina Kanakadurga''
|Telugu
| Director
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0009775}}
* [http://www.citwf.com/person46515.htm Complete list of films directed by B.Vittalacharya]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vithalacharya, B.}}
[[Category:Telugu film directors]]
[[Category:Kannada film directors]]
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:1999 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Udupi]]
[[Category:Tulu filmmakers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Film producers from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Kannada film producers]]
[[Category:Telugu film producers]]
[[Category:Tulu people]]

B. Vittalacharya - Revision history

AngleaDeason621 at 16:38, 28 March 2026