Today, January 18, 2005, is being observed as ‘Vardhanti’ Day of the renowned actor – politician N.T.Rama Rao. While many functions are being held to commemorate, I recalled my good old association with NTR. He was always courteous and friendly whenever I sought to talk to him. One good thing with NTR and ANR was that I had to talk little as they narrate so much about films and industry that I had plenty to note. On this occasion I would like to create a flashback to my self and narrate what NTR told to me about how he entered Telugu cinema and then again his observation during the fag end of his acting career, turning almost philosophic. He also lamented that his mythological master pieces never crossed Telugu land, while Biblical films were taken all over the world.

NTR , the Giant of Telugu cinema was a screen god and foremost maker of Mythological films for over 25 years. He played prominent characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata, in his films.

“My stage days at college are memorable. I played all types of roles – Tagore’s ‘Sacrifice’ rendered into Telugu, ‘Alli Mutha’, ‘Chesina Papam’. Jaggaiah and K.V.S. Sharma were my colleagues on stage. We ran theater called National Art Theaters. I remember Mr. Santaram from Bombay presiding over the meeting and gave us Best Production award in competitions conducted by Andhra Nataka Kala Parishat.

In April 1947, I wrote my final Degree examination and was back to Vijayawada, only to be greeted by my friend who told me that Mr.L.V.Prasad was there to select artistes for a film he planned to producer for Sarathi studios. My friends suggested my name and took me too Durga Kalamandiram, at Vijayawada, where he was watching ‘Rythu Bidda’ . It was beyond midnight Sri Prasad came out of the theatre. He saw me and asked whether I had Photograph of mine. I did not have one. He then asked me to come to Madras for a screen test. I was jobless and could not afford train fare. I did not want to ask my father for money. I told Prasad all this and asked him to send to and fro train fare. He understood my plight and sent money after he reached Madras. I went to Madras. Prasad did my screen test on May 21, 1947, for Sobhanachala studios. The project did not come up and I returned to Vijayawada. It was a matter of survival. I was doing odd jobs. I applied for public service commission examination for the post of Sub-registrar. I got the call and wrote the exam and I was selected. I was posted as probationer at Guntur. Then Prasad wrote to me that there was a small role in ‘Mana Desam’ I joined the post and was not willing to leave it. There was another letter from this time from the producers of ‘Palletoori Pilla’. There was also an introductory letter from Sri Prasad. They offered main role. My friends at Guntur, asked me to leave the job and go to the film field. They brought upon a lot of pressure. Yet I was unable to take a decision. Then my officer one Mr.Chalapati Rao brainwashed me. He was joint Sub-registrar. He said that although he was An MA with first rank he was still doing the same job for a long time. If he wished to purchase a saree for his wife he could do it only with the help of his father-in-law. Such was the merger income from his job. He asked me to leave for Madras in search of my fortune. All my friends literally pushed me into train at Guntur. The first question I asked Sri Prasad after I reached Madras, to tell me whether I had any thing in me that could hamper my progress as film actor. Mr.Prasad said there were none. And assured me that he would come up and added that only luck should favor me.

If it was only question of luck I decided to fight May way up. After taking this decision I resigned my post after 21 days of service and embraced my film career.



When NTR was making a picture on Lord Srinivas, with Jayaprada playing consort Padmavati (Jayaprada). Hundreds of villager who trekked over 20 kilometers through forest and milled around him to have the Darsan of NTR. He was made up as Srinivasa and one wondered at his marvelous figure. He intruded his young son Balakrishna who played Narada. He pinned a lot of hope on his son said he was the real inheritor of his art. He then said he gets immense satisfaction in portraying mythological roles.

“It is indeed difficult to play mythological roles. One has to dedicate himself totally to play them. One has to be devoted when playing the roles of Gods. Then alone will people believe our interpretation of the characters. Epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana are my favorites. I created a world record in playing five roles in the epic of Mahabaharata’s Aranya Kanda. Virataparva, - as Krishna, Arjuna, Bruhannala Duryodhana and Keechaka. It is indeed a challenge to play so many diverse roles in one film and convince the audience. My ambition is to produce four mammoth mythologicals before I retire. ‘Dana Veera Sura Karna’ has already been released. ‘Srirama Pattabhishekam’ is complete. Presently I am making Sri Venkateswara Kalyanam. Later ‘Virata Parvam’ will be taken up. This is my endless persuit. There is no end for an artiste. I am striving and keep worrying and pursuing. I am now turning more towards God. I have developed philosophical bent of mind. I feel like retiring and spend my last days in this kind of serene atmosphere.”

I never heard him talking with such a sense of self-realization. But in another four years he launched Telugu Desam party and became Chief Minister of the state in 1983.

“We are doing everything in our power to bring our hollowed epics into limelight. It is up to Government to lend us a helping hand in getting these films dubbed into Hindi and other languages and have them distributed. I am also anxious to send my mythological films abroad, to international film festivals. If the West can make Biblical stories and screen them throughout the world, why not our mythological be dubbed or subtitled and sent abroad. One can trace my authenticity as I traced everything from Puranas. Without Duryodhana There is no Karna. Ravana is born with the 'Amsa' of Brahma (then he recited a verse to that effect). How can you call any of them as villains. I could not make ‘Srirama Pattabhishekam’ depicting Ravana as villain. Rising starlet Sangeetha portrayed Sita, then. As to others making films with me in the lead, I would never interfere with their way of making that mythological.”

“The sate Government asked me to comet to Hyderabad and start my own studio. I was subjected to many hardships instead of being helped. This taught me to become self-reliant. I am a servant of time and was always so since my student days. My stage days at college were memorable.

Tail piece: It is time to think whether some of these selected mythologicals, made in black and white, can be converted into color using the present advanced technology.

Written by Gudipoodi Srihari