To place film in the urbanization of Hyderabad, a brief history of milestones of urban transformation of the city is needed. The two important markers for urban change in Hyderabad city in the twentieth century were the Musi river floods and the work of the City Improvement Board. The Musi floods of 1908 was the beginning of Hyderabad's spatial transformation with planned development. The area to the south of the Musi was where the densely populated walled old city of Hyderabad was located. In 1908, Hyderabad city was the fourth largest city in India after Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, and had a population of more than 400,000. The Musi floods devastated the entire area and there was a huge loss of life and property. The actual loss could not be ascertained but estimates point to about 15,000 people losing their lives and 19,000 homes being destroyed. The floods called for a massive restructuring of the city. Along with the relief work, the then Nizam, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, wanted to ensure that such a disaster would not repeat in future. Sir Mokshagundam Visweswarayya, B.A., L.C.E, M.I.C.E, C.I.E, who was the dewan of Mysore at that time, was hired to draw up a plan for the new city. Employing Visweswarayya was acceptable to both the Nizam and the British, as he was an Indian but educated in the Western system. Visweswarayya made suggestions for drafting a new city, avoiding future flooding, and constructing a drainage system.