Akkineni Nageswara Rao, widely known as ANR, was an Indian actor and film producer, primarily known for his works in Telugu cinema. Over his seven decade career, he starred in numerous landmark films, becoming one of the most prominent figures in the industry. Nageswara Rao received numerous accolades, including seven state Nandi Awards, five Filmfare Awards South and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award. He was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest recognition in Indian cinema, in 1990. Additionally, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan (2011), Padma Bhushan (1988) and Padma Shri (1968), by the Government of India for his contributions to art and cinema.
Jalandhara, also known as Chalantarana is an asura in Hinduism. He was born when Shiva opened his third eye in his fury when Indra struck him with his thunderbolt. However, Indra was saved, and the energy emitted from the eye was sent into the ocean. The energy developed into a boy and was raised by Varuna, and eventually, by Shukra. When he grew up, he conquered the three worlds - Svarga (heaven), Bhuloka (earth), and Patala (underworld). He married Vrinda, the daughter of Kalanemi. He would be slain by his creator, Shiva.
Mandodari was the queen consort of Ravana, the king of Lanka, according to the Hindu epic Ramayana. The Ramayana describes her as beautiful, pious, and righteous. She is extolled as one of the Panchakanya, the recital of whose names is believed to dispel sin.
Gokarna is a small temple town located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state in southern India, It has a population of around 20,000. Shiva is the most worshipped deity in the town. Gokarna's main temple, Mahabaleshwara, is dedicated to Shiva. The temple houses what is believed by some to be the earliest Shiva lingam (Atmalinga).
Seetha Kalyanam is a 1976 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film directed by Bapu from a screenplay written by Mullapudi Venkata Ramana. Based on the Bala Kanda, the ensemble cast film relates events from the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, up to his wedding to Seetha, incarnation of Lakshmi.
Vinayaka Chaviti is a 1957 Telugu-language Hindu mythological film written and directed by Samudrala Sr. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Jamuna and music composed by Ghantasala. It was produced by K. Gopala Rao under the Aswaraja Pictures banner. The story is of Syamantakopakhyanam, annually read during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival day celebrations of Lord Vinayaka. The film was dubbed into Tamil as Vinayaga Chathurthi and was released in 1959 and later into Hindi in 1973 as Ganesh Chaturti.
Rahasyam (transl. Secret) is a 1967 Indian Telugu-language swashbuckler film directed by Vedantam Raghavayya. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, B. Saroja Devi, Kanta Rao, Krishna Kumari and S. V. Ranga Rao, with music composed by Ghantasala. The film was produced by Allareddy Shankar Reddy under the Lalitha Siva Jyothi Films banner.
Chenchu Lakshmi is a 1958 Indian Hindu mythological film produced and directed by B. A. Subba Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Anjali Devi, with music composed by S. Rajeswara Rao. Along with the Telugu version, it was simultaneously shot in Telugu and Tamil, with most of the actors and scenes being the same in both the versions. Another Chenchu Lakshmi was earlier made in 1943 with a different cast and crew.
Sri Seeta Rama Jananam is a 1944 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film, produced and directed by Ghantasala Balaramayya under the Pratibha Productions banner. The film stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Tripurasundari, Vemuri Gaggayya, Rushyendramani. Music was jointly composed by Prabhala Satyanarayana and Ogirala Ramachandra Rao. The film marks the debut of Akkineni Nageswara Rao as a lead actor. It is also the debut of Ghantasala as a chorus singer and in a character role. The film was a commercial failure.
Sri Krishnarjuna Yuddhamu is a 1963 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film, produced and directed by K. V. Reddy under the Jayanthi Pictures banner. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao and B. Saroja Devi, with music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao. The film was based on the Telugu play Gayopakhyanam written by Chilakamarti Lakshmi Narasimham in 1890. It was later dubbed into Kannada and into Tamil.
The Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna is a 4th-century CE Hindu temple located in Gokarna, Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka state, India which is built in the classical Dravidian architectural style. It is a site of religious pilgrimage. The temple faces the Gokarna beach on the Arabian Sea. The temple deifies the Pranalinga also called Atmalinga or Shiva Linga In legend, it is said that the deity of the temple will bestow immense blessings to devotees, even to those who only glimpse it. Currently the administrative charge of the temple is with an Overseeing Committee under the Chairmanship of Justice BN Srikrishna, a Retired Justice of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India. It is one of the 275 paadal petra sthalams expounded in the Tevaram, a sacred Tamil Shaivite text written during the 6th and 7th centuries by 63 saints called Nayanars.
Bhookailas is a 1940 Telugu film produced by A. V. Meiyappan and directed by Sundar Rao Nadkarni. The film starred Subbaiah Naidu, R. Nagendra Rao, and Rayaprolu Subramanyam. It was the first hit film after the establishment of AVM Productions.
Sita Rama Kalyanam is a 1961 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film directed by N. T. Rama Rao in his directorial debut. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Haranath, Geetanjali, B. Saroja Devi, Kanta Rao, Sobhan Babu. The film was produced by N. Trivikrama Rao on 'National Art Theatres' banner. The music composed by Gali Penchala Narasimha Rao.
Bhookailasa is a 1958 Indian Kannada language film directed by K. Shankar and produced by A. V. Meiyappan under the banner of AVM Productions. It stars Rajkumar, Kalyan Kumar and K. S. Ashwath in pivotal roles. The movie is a depiction of the legend prevalent in Gokarna, Karnataka and is also referred to as Gokarna Mahakshetra. It is based on the famous Kannada stage play Bhookailasa by Sri Sahitya Samrajya Nataka Mandali of Mysore which A. V. Meiyappan had earlier adapted into the Telugu movie titled Bhookailas in 1940. A. V. Meiyappan also shot the movie simultaneously in Telugu as Bhookailas starring N. T. Rama Rao.
Sri Vinayaka Vijayamu is a 1979 Telugu-language Hindu mythological film directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao and produced by Jagarlamudi Radhakrishna Murthy under Jaganmatha Arts. The film stars Krishnam Raju, Rama Krishna, Vanisri, M. G. V. Madan Gopal, Kaikala Satyanarayana in the lead roles. The music was composed by S. Rajeswara Rao. The lyrics were written by Devulapalli Krishnasastri, Arudra, Veeturi and Kosaraju. The film is about Lord Ganesha's life from his birth till he tamed Mushikasura, a rakshasa who later became Ganesha's vahana. The film was a major commercial success.
Valmiki is 1963 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film, based on the life of Valmiki, produced by S. K. Habibulla under Jupiter Pictures and directed by C. S. Rao. The films stars N. T. Rama Rao, Rajasulochana and Leelavathi with music composed by Ghantasala. Director Rao and Jupiter Pictures made the film simultaneously in Kannada with the same title starring Rajkumar in the lead role retaining most of the cast and crew.
Sati Savitri is 1957 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film, based on the life of Savitri and Satyavan directed by K. B. Nagabhushanam. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, S. Varalakshmi, S. V. Ranga Rao with music composed by S. V. Venkatraman. It is produced by S. Varalakshmi under the Varalakshmi Pictures banner. The film was dubbed into Tamil language with the title Sathiyavan Savithri.
Sri Krishna Tulabharam is a 1966 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film, produced by D. Ramanaidu under the Suresh Productions banner and directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Anjali Devi, Kanta Rao and Jamuna with music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao.
Indrajeet (Sati Sulochana) is a 1961 Telugu-language Hindu mythological film, based on the life of Indrajit from the epic Ramayana, produced by S. Rajinikanth, D. V. Subba Rao and Kancharla Madhava Rao under the Srikanth Productions banner and directed by S. Rajinikanth. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Anjali Devi with music composed by T. V. Raju. Sati Sulochana and Pendli Pilupu were released on the same day, both starred by NTR. The film is dubbed into Bengali in 1979 as Meghnad Badh/Vadh
'Master Viswam was a child actor during the early era of Telugu Cinema during the British era of India. He shot to fame with the role of Balawardhiraju in 1942 Balanagamma movie produced by Gemini Studios.
