Kadiri Venkata Reddy was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who primarily worked in Telugu cinema. He is regarded as one of the most influential film directors in the history of Indian cinema. He directed 14 feature films and won three National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award South.

Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based in Film Nagar, Hyderabad. As of 2021, Telugu cinema is the largest film industry in India in terms of box-office. Telugu films sold 23.3 crore tickets in 2022, the highest among various film industries in India.