Annapurna Studios is an Indian film studio facility founded in 1976 by the Telugu actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao. It is located on a 22-acre (8.9 ha) site in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. The studio provides comprehensive production and post-production services.It is also a film production and distribution company, previously known as Annapurna Pictures. Registered in 1951 as Annapurna Pictures (P) Ltd., it was founded by Nageswara Rao and his mentor Dukkipati Madhusudana Rao. The first film made on the banner was Donga Ramudu (1955). It has produced over 60 feature films till date.In 2011, Akkineni family launched a non-profitable educational institute called the Annapurna International School of Film and Media. The family serves as directors on the company board.

Background

Telugu film industry was originally based in based in Madras (now Chennai) before the industry started moving to the capital of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, in the late 1970s, largely due to the influence of Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Nageswara Rao was one of the first to move his film business entirely to Hyderabad, motivating others to follow suit and contributing significantly to the industry's relocation. He made it clear to the film producers that he would work in their films only if they were produced in Andhra Pradesh, except for Vauhini and Venus Studios, for which he used to work in Madras.In 1976, the Andhra Pradesh government allocated 22 acres of land in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad to Akkineni Nageswara Rao for the purpose of building a film studio, aimed at promoting the Telugu film industry in Hyderabad. According to a ''Deccan Herald'' report, the land was secured at a nominal price of 7,5008,000 per acre, totaling approximately 1.51.8 lakh for the entire plot.