[1] Pullayya started his film career in 1921 as a camera apprentice to the 'father of Telugu cinema' Raghupati Venkaiah Naidu’s Star of the East in Madras, and at Kohinoor in Bombay.

After gaining experience in filmmaking, he purchased a second-hand movie camera in 1924 in Bombay and returned to his native place Kakinada with an intention to make films in Andhra.

He then directed Lava Kusa (1934) and Sati Anasuya (1936), the first Telugu children's film made with sixty child actors.

The film attracted unprecedented numbers of viewers to theatres and thrust the young industry into mainstream culture.

[9] Pullayya introduced Bhanumathi and Anjali Devi to the film industry through Vara Vikrayam (1939) and Gollabhama (1947) respectively.