Keechaka Vadham

Keechaka Vadham (English: The Extermination of Keechaka) alternatively spelt as Keechaka Vatham, is a 1918 Indian silent film produced, directed, filmed and edited by R. Nataraja Mudaliar. The film was based on an episode from the Hindu epic Mahabharata focusing on the characters Keechaka and Draupadi; it starred Raja Mudaliar as Keechaka and Jeevarathnam as Draupadi, the female lead.

Keechaka Vadham was the first silent film made in South India. The film was shot in five weeks in 1917 at Nataraja Mudaliar's studio, India Film Company. Despite being a silent film, the cast was filled with Tamil people, hence it was also considered the first Tamil film. Keechaka Vadham was released in January 1918 and received critical acclaim and went on to become a commercially successful venture. The film's success prompted Nataraja Mudaliar to make a series of similar historical films. Because no print of the film is known to survive, this makes it a lost film.

Cast

Raghu Babu

Raghu Babu is a Telugu comedian well known for his comic expressions & timing. He has worked in many successful films in Telugu industry. He is the eldest son of famous comedian and character actor Giri Babu. He got married in 1988. He played a crucial role in comedy part in movies, establishing himself as the director's pick in several Telugu films. He is a Nandi Award nominee for a Telugu film. He is ready to debut as a director very soon.

Partial filmography