Dasari Narayana Rao | |
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![]() Dasari Narayana Rao in his office as a Central Minister in New Delhi on May 24, 2004 | |
Born | |
Died | 30 May 2017 70) | (aged
Occupations |
|
Spouse | Dasari Padma |
Children | 3 |
Awards | National Film Awards |
Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1947 [1] – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, lyricist, and politician known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema, in addition to Hindi cinema. He has directed more than 150 feature films in a variety of genres. He holds the Limca World Record for directing the most number of films in the world. [2] He is known by the moniker Darsaka Ratna (transl. Jewel among directors). His works emphasize social injustice, corruption and gender discrimination. Narayana Rao has received two National Film Awards, nine state Nandi Awards including the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, and four Filmfare Awards South including the Lifetime Achievement. [3] [4] During his career he had also acted in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada films. [5]
Narayana Rao also gained recognition for directing Hindi films such as Swarag Narak (1978), Jyoti Bane Jwala (1980), Pyaasa Sawan (1981), Prem Tapasya (1983), Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtar (1984), Asha Jyoti (1984), Yaadgaar (1984), Zakhmi Sher (1984), Sarfarosh (1985), Wafadaar (1985). [6] [7] [8] He directed works such as Tandra Paparayudu (1986), and Surigaadu (1992) which were screened at International Film Festival of India in the Panorama section, [9] [10] and Kante Koothurne Kanu (1998) which received the National Film Award Special Mention Feature Film. In 1983, he directed Meghasandesam which screened at the Indian Panorama, the Tashkent Film Festival, and the Moscow film festival. The film also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. [11] [12]
He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the year 2006. He became the Minister of state in the Ministry of Coal in the Manmohan Singh government. [13]
Dasari was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the year 2006. He became the Minister of state in Ministry of Coal. [13] Said to be a confidante of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Dasari once again became active in politics after Congress Party came back to power in 2004. [14]
On 11 June 2013 Central Bureau of Investigation booked Dasari Narayana Rao for receiving ₹2.25 crores from Naveen Jindal in connection with Coal scam, and filed FIR against both. [15] [16]
He launched a popular daily newspaper named Udayam to counter the effect of Ramoji Rao's newspaper Eenadu . [17] [18]
Rao died on 30 May 2017 from prolonged illness, at the age of 70. [19] His last rites were performed with full state honours. His funeral was held at his farmhouse in Moinabad village, Ranga Reddy district, where his wife Padma was cremated. [20]
(Hindi Films are marked as *)
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Swarg Narak is a 1978 Indian Hindi-language drama film, produced by B. Nagi Reddy under the Vijaya Productions Pvt. Ltd. banner and directed by Dasari Narayana Rao. It stars Sanjeev Kumar, Jeetendra, Vinod Mehra, Moushumi Chatterjee, Shabana Azmi and music is composed by Rajesh Roshan. All three songs became popular. The film is a remake of the Telugu Silver Jubilee movie Swargam Narakam (1975) made by the same director.
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Swargam Narakam is a 1975 Telugu-language romantic drama film written and directed by Dasari Narayana Rao. The debut film for Mohan Babu and Annapoorna, the film was later remade in Bollywood as Swarg Narak (1978), and in Tamil as Sorgam Naragam. The film has garnered the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film.
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Kante Koothurne Kanu is a 1998 Indian Telugu-language drama film written, directed and produced by Dasari Narayana Rao starring Ramya Krishna in the lead role. The film won the National Film Award Special Mention Feature Film, "for taking a stand on gender discrimination" at the 46th National Film Awards, and won five state Nandi Awards including Best Feature Film. The film was later remade in Kannada as Hetthare Heranne Herrabekku (2007).
Mikkilineni Radhakrishna Murthy was an Indian actor and thespian known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He was the founder of the theater group Praja Natya Mandali. He has received the honorary Kalaprapoorna from Andhra University, for his contributions towards Telugu theater and cinema.
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