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 |
|
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 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.
Aluru Venkata Subbarao, popularly known by his pen name Chakrapani, was an Indian screenwriter, film producer, studio owner, and director in Telugu cinema. He received two Filmfare Awards and was notable for his association with Vijaya Vauhini Studios, one of Asia's largest studios at the time. Chakrapani was also a partner at Vijaya Productions alongside B. Nagi Reddi and co-founded Chandamama, the children's magazine.
Relangi Venkata Ramayya, known mononymously by his surname as Relangi, was an Indian actor, comedian, and producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He was honoured with the Padma Shri for his contribution to Indian cinema in 1970. Relangi is particularly known for his comic expressions, and dialogues during the 1950s and 1960s. Together with Ramana Reddy, they were a comedy double act.
Kadiri Venkata Reddy, commonly known as K. V. Reddy, was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer, primarily known for his work in Telugu cinema. Renowned as one of the most influential filmmakers in South Indian cinema, he directed 14 feature films during his career. His contributions earned him several prestigious accolades, including three National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award South.
Vuppaladadiyam Nagayya Sarma, popularly known as Chittoor Nagayya, was an Indian actor, singer, music composer, and director known for his works in Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, and Telugu theatre. Nagayya was one of the first multilingual filmmakers in India. Indian film journalist Baburao Patel described Nagayya as "The Paul Muni of India". Nagayya was considered the best character actor in South Indian cinema during 1940s and 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.
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.
Porayath 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, K. Raghavan, 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. Leela is known for her sweet and melodious voice that she named Ganamani. She was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2006. She made her debut as a playback singer in the 1948 Tamil film Kangkanam.
Pillavalu Gajapathy Krishnaveni, more famously known as Jikki, was an Indian playback singer from Andhra Pradesh. She sang around 10,000 songs in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Sinhalese, and Hindi languages.
Gunasundari Katha is a 1949 Indian Telugu language fantasy film produced and directed by K. V. Reddy, starring Sriranjani, Kasturi Siva Rao, Santha Kumari. The script was written by Pingali Nagendra Rao, K. V. Reddy, and Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. Kameswara Rao was also the associate director. William Shakespeare's play King Lear was the inspiration for the core plot. However the writers changed the tone from the tragedy of King Lear to a more entertaining one for the film. The film was commercially successful.
Marcus Bartley was an Anglo-Indian cinematographer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema along with a few Hindi, Malayalam, and Tamil films. He was the cinematographer of all time classics like Shavukaru (1950), Pathala Bhairavi (1951), Missamma (1955), Maya Bazaar (1957), Gundamma Katha (1962), Chemmeen (1965), Ram Aur Shyam (1967). He won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography in 1970 for Shanti Nilayam. He also won the Gold Medal at the Cannes Film Festival for Best Cinematography, becoming the first Indian to win the award.
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.
Paramanandayya Sishyula Katha is a 1966 Indian Telugu-language swashbuckler film directed by C. Pullayya. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, K. R. Vijaya with music composed by Ghantasala. It is produced by Thota Subba Rao under the Sridevi Productions banner.
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 Pauranika Chitra Brahma, Kameswara Rao 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.
Guna Sundari or Gunasundari is a 1955 Indian Tamil-language film starring Gemini Ganesan and Savitri. The film was a remake of the 1949 Telugu film Gunasundari Katha. It was not successful at the box office.
Sri Lakshmamma Katha is a 1950 Telugu-language film, produced and directed by Ghantasala Balaramayya under the Pratibha Productions banner. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Anjali Devi, with 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.