BRIEF NOTE: Early History  the Film industry in Karnataka has a history of over six decades. In  their  early   phase, films produced  in  Karnataka  were   only based on  themes  from  the Kannada Theatre. The   first  'Mooki'    (silent)  film was produced and directed   by Mohan Bhavanani with Yenakshi Rama Rao, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, T.P. Kailasam, G.K. Nanda and others and it had the title "Mrichchakatika".		During the1930s two Bombay  Industrialists, Haribhani R. Desai and Bhogilal Dave  established the first studio of Southern India in Bangalore named Surya  Film  Company and made about 40 silent films in about four years. Prominent movies and personalities  'Sadarame' (1935), 'Subhadra' (1941),'JeevanaNataka'(1942), 'Hemareddy   Mallamma' (1945), 'Gunasagari', 'Bedara Kannappa' (1954), 'Bhutarajya' and 'Domingo' were the prominent movies of that age with the last two being produced by  Dr. Shivaram Karanth.
The   notable personalities who made an impact on the silver screen in the early times were T.P. Kailasam, M.G. Mari Rao,   Gubbi Veeranna,  R. Nagendra Rao,M.V. Subbaiah Naidu, Tripuramba,C.T. Sheshachalam, M.V. Rajamma,B.R. Pantulu, Kemparaj Urs, Shanker Singh,B.V. Vithalacharya, H.L.N.Simha and B.S. Ranga, the last two of whom were instrumental in bringing the Kannada Film field from Madras to Bangalore. The first film based on Children's subject "Makkala Rajya" was also released   during this period. The decades of the 1970's is considered the age of the new-wave or experimental films. "Bedara Kannappa" (1954) launched Raj Kumar who later grew into a colossus in the Kannada film industry.		In the 1950's the trend of social films began. New Cinema The year 1964 was significant in the history of Kannada films for the production of the first entirely colour movie "Amarashilpi Jakanachari". In the 1960's, the man acknowledged by one and all as the greatest director in Kannada film history, Puttanna Kanagal, made memorable films like "Bellimoda" (1967), "Gejje Pooje" (1968), "Sharapanjara"  and in the 70s movies like "Sakshatkara", "Nagara Havu" etc. In the 1980s the Government of Karnataka granted 50% tax exemption to   Kannada films completely made in Karnataka and it increased the subsidy amount   to Kannada films. The popular film studios of Karnataka are Premier Studio at  Mysore and Chamundeshwari, Sree Kantheerava and Abhimaan at Bangalore.