Legends Of Telugu Cinema, NTR and ANR Options

[Abdur Rehman]

I am starting a new post on the Legends of Telugu Cinema NT Rama Rao and A Nageswar Rao. I know the foot fall of this post will be few but still I want to complete my collection and sharing the albums available with me of these two legends. These two need no introduction as far as Telugu Cinema is concerned. They were fortunate enough to have reigned the Golden Period of Telugu Cinema accompanied my Ghantasala's music. Here is the brief biography of these two stars followed by their filmography.

[Abdur Rehman]

A Nageswar Rao


Akkineni Nageswara Rao an actor as big as life, an artiste more than a star, a living legend in the history of Telugu film industry is also known as ANR. Nageswara Rao was born 20 September 1924 at Ramapuram, Gudivada in a poor farmer’s family, he education was only primary schooling and due to his parents’ poor economic conditions he took up acting at a very early age in street plays where he often played in female roles.
First Talkie film of Telugu Cinema 'Bhakta Prahlada' was released in 1931. Akkineni Nageswara Rao's (ANR) first film was released in 1941. It shows that the Telugu Cinema followed him except for the first 10 years. Knowing about Dr. Akkineni is like reading the encyclopedia of Telugu Cinema. His first debut Telugu film was Dharmapatni, where he played the role as one of the hero’s childhood friends, but later he continued as a part time stage actor and acted in several Telugu plays such as Ashoka Jyothy, Sathyanveshana and Telugu Talli. A famous Telugu filmmaker Ghantasala Balaramaiah, offered a role in his upcoming movie Seeta Rama Jananam in the role of Lord Rama to Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Akkineni's image is not restricted just to Andhra Pradesh alone. His characters do have Indian wide exposure. His 'Devdas' belongs to Bengali state, 'Kalidas' belongs to north, 'Tukaram' and 'Kora Gumbhara' belongs to Maha Rastra, 'Jayadeva' role belongs to Orissa and 'Kshetrayya' role belongs to Andhra Pradesh. By acting in films having background of various regions of India, he truly showed the national integrity and unity in diversity. Lucky that legendary singer Ghantasala too entered Telugu cinema almost with ANR. Ghantasala's rendition and ANR playing that role looked as 'made for each other'.
Akkineni Nageswara Rao acted in several Telugu films some of his prominent films that have been financial and success flims are Missamma, Ardhangi Kalidasu, , MayaBazaar, Dr. Chakravarthi, Muga Manasulu, Dasara Bullodu, Tenali Rama Krishna, Devadasu.
There is only one era for Telugu cinema as for as the Telugu Cinema is concerned. That is called Akkineni era. He gave new dimensions to the dances with his variety of dancing steps in is films. Nageswara Rao was a singing hero of the old times who sang for himself in some movies, Nageswara Rao was the contemporary to NTR who jointly shared popularity as one of the greatest Telugu actors for almost 40 years.
ANR has always been an outspoken person. His observations on his life and career are so realistic that one feels he has studied the world well. His comment on social, political and cultural scenario is well studied. He is the most attractive speaker in all the functions he participates these days. He is a potential conversationalist. Life in the tinsel world provided him basic education. He says that institutions like Pratibha, Bharani, Sarada, Annapoorna, Jagapati and individuals like DL Narayana, Raghavayya, Bhanumathi, Dukkipati and many famous writers and poets constituted his university of learning. These learned men are comparable only to learned professors in any University. Playing a poet, a singer, a lover, an adventurer or a folklore hero means a lot of experience. As an actor, ANR transported himself into the role first and then into one who is capable of looking at life from all angles, analytically. He learned a lot and digested quite a bit of it. ANR braved many challenges. He is a critic's critic and is gifted with analytical mind. "One has to first understand and assess his own strong and weak points before accepting a role. I love a journalist who mirrors the true faults in performances of artistes. I keep a man away who always praises me," he says.

Often he would say "What would have happened to me if Ghantasala Balaramiah did not notice me on the railway platform and looked other side while I was walking on the platform", he recalls. "It was a tryst with destiny or say was a matter of chance that I came into his view and that moment changed my destiny", he observes. He has his favorite artistes to cherish. Ashok Kumar and Dilip Kumar of Hindi cinema and Gregory Peck and Marlon Brando of Hollywood. But remember ANR has been a contemporary of these actors. There is a lot in his life for other artistes to learn. This actor, who was considered unfit for socials, after he figured in many folklores in the early period, ultimately proved he is a master at socials, historicals, mythologicals and devotionals like 'Vipranarayana'. ANR also takes credit even for the development of film industry in Andhra Pradesh. With him came many of his producers to Hyderabad. He is credited for many firsts – first who introduced hero dancing in cinema, call sheet diary system