Kasturi Siva Rao | |
|---|---|
 Screenshot of Rao | |
| Born | March 6, 1913 |
| Died | February 24, 1966 (aged 52) Tenali, Andhra Pradesh |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Spouse | Shakuntala Kasturi |
| Children | Three Sons and Four Daughters |
| Parents |
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Kasturi Siva Rao (6 March 1913 - 24 February 1966) was an Indian actor, comedian, playback singer, producer and director known for his works in Telugu cinema. He was one of the first star comedians of Telugu cinema. [1] [2] [3]
Kasturi Siva Rao started his career in the film industry as a movie narrator for the silent films produced at that time. Besides providing commentary, he was also a projector operator and had a unique humor to his fame. Theaters would advertise films as having "commentary by Siva Rao". [2] [3] He became an actor with the film Vara Vikrayam in 1939 and shot into the limelight with Chudamani in 1941. B N Reddy's Swarga Seema in 1945 and Balaraju in 1948 catapulted him to stardom. [4]
He became a lead actor with the film Gunasundari Katha in 1949, in which he played the role of a cursed prince. The film became a huge hit and his mannerisms and dialogue were so popular that people started conversing in the same tone. He owned a Buick, which was a rare possession, and whenever people saw the car on roads they used to swarm the car and run along with it. Kasturi Siva Rao later on became a producer and director with the film Paramanandayya Sishyulu in the year 1950. [4]
Ghantasala Venkateswararao, known mononymously by his surname as Ghantasala, was an Indian playback singer and film composer known for his works predominantly in Telugu and Kannada cinema and also in Tamil, Malayalam, Tulu and Hindi language films. He is considered as one of the greatest singers of Telugu cinema. In 1970, he received the Padma Shri award, India's fourth highest civilian award for his contribution to Indian cinema. According to The Hindu and The Indian Express, Ghantasala was 'such a divine talent and with his songs he could move the hearts of the people'. 'Ghantasala's blending of classical improvisations to the art of light music combined with his virtuosity and sensitivity puts him a class apart, above all others in the field of playback singing'. Gifted with what Indian film historian V. A. K. Ranga Rao called 'the most majestic voice', Ghantasala helped Telugu film music develop its own distinct character which remains unparalleled. He is referred to as the 'Gaana Gandharva' for his mesmerising voice and musical skills.
Chakrapani was an Indian film producer, screenwriter, and director known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He won two Filmfare Awards for Telugu films. He was also notable for his association with Vijaya Vauhini Studios, one of the largest studios in Asia at that time. Chakrapani was also a partner of Vijaya Productions along with B. Nagi Reddy and founder of Chandamama children magazine.
Chittajallu Krishnaveni, often known as C. Krishnaveni or simply Krishnaveni, is an Indian Telugu language actress, producer and playback singer.
Kadiri Venkata Reddy, known professionally as K. V. Reddy, was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who primarily worked in Telugu cinema. He is considered as one of the greatest directors in the history of Telugu cinema. He directed 14 feature films and won three National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award South.
Chittoor V. Nagayya was an Indian actor, singer, composer, screenwriter, director, and producer known for his work in Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, and Telugu theatre. Indian film journalist and the editor of Film India, Baburao Patel, described Nagayya as "The Paul Muni of India". According to S. Muthiah, Nagayya was considered the best character actor in South cinema during 1938-1950s. In 1965, he became the first South Indian actor to receive the Padma Shri in arts from the Government of India for his contributions to Indian cinema. In his honour, the Chittoor Nagayya Kalakshetram of Arts was established in Chittoor of Andhra Pradesh.
Basavaraju Venkata Padmanabha Rao, known mononymously as Padmanabham, was an Indian actor, comedian, producer, and director who predominantly worked in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre. He is known for his comic expressions and dialogues. In a career spanning over six decades, he acted in more than 400 films.
Porayathu Leela was an Indian playback singer, Carnatic vocalist and a music director. She has recorded more than 5,000 songs in various Indian languages including Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Sanskrit, Odia, Gujarati, Marati. and also Sinhale. She is also known for her extensive history of collaboration in the songs with Music Composers V Dakshinamoorthy., MS Baburaj, G Devarajan, Ghantasala, MS Viswanathan, KRaghavan, Br Lakshmanan, LPR Varma, BA Chithambara athletes, AT Ummer, MK Arjun,Johnson, Ouseppachan, Ilaiyaraja, and with the playback singers KJ Yesudas and Ghantalasa over the years. She is also known mostly for her sweet and melodious voice for which she is fondly called as Ganamani. She was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2006.
Gunasundari Katha is a 1949 Telugu language fantasy film directed by K. V. Reddy, starring Sriranjani. It is loosely based on William Shakespeare's King Lear. Story, dialogue and songs were by Pingali Nagendra Rao. The screenplay was by K. V. Reddy, Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. Kameswara Rao was also associate director. "Sri Tulasi Jaya Tulasi", sung by P. Leela, was a hit with the public. The film was commercially successful.
Swarga Seema is a 1945 Telugu drama film directed by B. N. Reddy and starring Chittor V. Nagaiah, B. Jayamma and Bhanumathi Ramakrishna. Ghantasala entered film world as a Playback singer for a song of C. H. Narayana Rao and it is also Ghantasala's first duet with Bhanumathi Ramakrishna for the song Oh Naa Raaja. Marcus Bartley also made a debut as a cinematographer with this film.
Balaraju is a 1948 Indian Telugu-language swashbuckler fantasy film produced and directed by Ghantasala Balaramayya under the Pratibha Productions banner. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, S. Varalakshmi, and Anjali Devi with music jointly composed by Ghantasala, Galipenchala Narasimha Rao and C. R. Subbaraman. The film was recorded as an Industry Hit at the box office and was the first Telugu Silver Jubilee film.
Susarla Dakshinamurthi Jr. was an Indian music composer, playback singer, record producer, Carnatic musician, multi-instrumentalist, and an eminent violinist known for his works in the South Indian film industry, Hindi cinema, Sri Lankan cinema, and Hollywood.
C. R. Subbaraman also known as C. S. Ram (1916–1952) was a famous South Indian film music composer and producer. He was born to Ramasamy at Chintamani village in Thirunelveli, in present-day Tamil Nadu. Music director Shankar of Shankar–Ganesh duo was his younger brother. His ancestors were from the Krishna district of present-day Andhra Pradesh and due to this, his family spoke Telugu well.
Kamalakara Kameswara Rao was an Indian film director known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema, and a few Tamil and Hindi films. Widely known as Pouraanika Chitra Brahma, Kameswara Rao has directed fifty feature films in a variety of genres.
Ghantasala Balaramayya was an Indian film director, producer, and actor in Telugu cinema. His notable films include Sri Seetarama Jananam (1944), Balaraju (1948), Swapna Sundari (1950), and Sri Lakshmamma Katha (1950). Balaramayya is known for providing Akkineni Nageswara Rao his first lead role in the 1944 mythological film Sri Seetarama Jananam.
M. Ranga Rao was a prominent Indian composer who predominantly worked in Kannada cinema. Rao was known for his mellifluous scores and lilting tunes backed with strong classical nuances. "Ranga Rao" composed tunes for approximately 100 films in Kannada cinema.
Guru Shishyaru is a 1981 Indian Kannada-language comedy film, directed by H. R. Bhargava and produced by Dwarakish under his "Dwarkish Chitra" production house.
Uma Chandi Gowri Sankarula Katha is a 1968 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film, directed by K. V. Reddy under the Vijaya Productions. It stars N. T. Rama Rao and B. Saroja Devi, with music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao.
Guna Sundari or Gunasundari is a 1955 Indian Tamil-language film starring Gemini Ganesan and Savitri. The film was remake of the 1949 Telugu film Gunasundari Katha. It was not successful at the box office.
Sri Lakshmamma Katha is a 1950 Telugu-language Hindu mythological film, produced and directed by Ghantasala Balaramaiah under the Pratibha Productions banner. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Anjali Devi and music composed by C. R. Subburaman.
Paramanandayya Sishyulu is a 1950 Indian Telugu-language swashbuckling comedy film, produced and directed by Kasturi Siva Rao under the Allied Productions banner. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Lakshmi Rajyam, C.S.R. and music jointly composed by Ogirala Ramachandra Rao and Susarla Dakshinamurthi. The film was remade again in Telugu in 1966 as Paramanandayya Sishyula Katha starring N. T. Rama Rao, K. R. Vijaya in pivotal roles, which went on to be remade in Kannada in 1981 as Guru Shishyaru.