Y. V. Rao | |
---|---|
Born | Yaragudipati Varada Rao 30 May 1903
Nellore,
Madras Presidency, British India |
Died | 13 February 1979 | (aged 75)
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1930–1968 |
Spouse(s) | Rajam, Kumari Rukmani |
Children | Lakshmi |
Relatives | { Aishwariyaa Bhaskaran (granddaughter) |
Yaragudipati Varada Rao (30 May 1903 – 13 February 1979 [1]) was an Indian director, producer, actor, screenwriter, and editor known for his works primarily in Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil films. [2] Rao plunged into theatre and did a few stage plays before moving to Kolhapur and Bombay to act in silent films. [3] [4] Rao started his career as a lead actor in many silent films such as Gajendra Moksham (1923), [5] Garuda Garvabhangam (1929), [6] and Rose of Rajasthan (1931). [5] [7] [8] Regarded as one of the greatest filmmaking pioneers of the Cinema of South India, [3] [7] he made motion-pictures across Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Konkani, and Hindi languages, apart from silent films. [3] [7]
Rao made significant contributions to South cinema during the British rule in India. Rao's 1934 film Sati Sulochana was the first talkie film in the Kannada language. [3] [7] In 1937, he directed the hagiographical classic Chintamani, the Tamil sleeper hit ran for a year with highest estimated footfall at a single screen in India, and British Ceylon. [9] Rao's 1938 film Swarnalatha was one of the finest political drama scripted by Ayyalu Somayajulu; with prohibition as the central theme, in which Rao played the lead. The film was shot extensively at Newtone Studios, Kilpauk, during Madras Presidency. [7] Rao's 1940 film, Viswa Mohini, is the first Indian film, depicting the Indian movie world, scripted by Balijepalli Lakshmikanta Kavi, starring V. Nagayya. [10] Rao subsequently made the mythology sequel films Savithiri (1941), and Sathyabhama (1942) casting thespian Sthanam Narasimha Rao. [3]
Yaragudipati Varada Rao was born in Telugu Brahmin family [3] [1] of Nellore in the then Madras Presidency of British India in May 1903. In the late 1920s, he moved to Madras and ventured into Kannada cinema. [3] He married Kumari Rukmini who was paired with him in Lavangi (1946). Indian actress Lakshmi is their daughter. [11]
Rao moved into film direction and made silent films such as Pandava Nirvan (1930), Pandava Agnathavaas (1930) and Hari Maya (1932). In 1932, a Marwari businessman, Chamanlal Doongaji from Bangalore, launched South India Movie Tone. The company made Sati Sulochana, the first talking picture in Kannada with an expense of ₹40,000 (equivalent to ₹14 million or US$170,000 in 2023). Rao directed this blockbuster film shot at Chatrapathi Cinetone, in Kolhapur; the shooting took eight weeks. He then directed Hari Maya (1932) that starred his first wife, Rajam. [3]
As Director
As Producer - Telugu
Y. V. Rao | |
---|---|
Born | Yaragudipati Varada Rao 30 May 1903
Nellore,
Madras Presidency, British India |
Died | 13 February 1979 | (aged 75)
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1930–1968 |
Spouse(s) | Rajam, Kumari Rukmani |
Children | Lakshmi |
Relatives | { Aishwariyaa Bhaskaran (granddaughter) |
Yaragudipati Varada Rao (30 May 1903 – 13 February 1979 [1]) was an Indian director, producer, actor, screenwriter, and editor known for his works primarily in Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil films. [2] Rao plunged into theatre and did a few stage plays before moving to Kolhapur and Bombay to act in silent films. [3] [4] Rao started his career as a lead actor in many silent films such as Gajendra Moksham (1923), [5] Garuda Garvabhangam (1929), [6] and Rose of Rajasthan (1931). [5] [7] [8] Regarded as one of the greatest filmmaking pioneers of the Cinema of South India, [3] [7] he made motion-pictures across Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Konkani, and Hindi languages, apart from silent films. [3] [7]
Rao made significant contributions to South cinema during the British rule in India. Rao's 1934 film Sati Sulochana was the first talkie film in the Kannada language. [3] [7] In 1937, he directed the hagiographical classic Chintamani, the Tamil sleeper hit ran for a year with highest estimated footfall at a single screen in India, and British Ceylon. [9] Rao's 1938 film Swarnalatha was one of the finest political drama scripted by Ayyalu Somayajulu; with prohibition as the central theme, in which Rao played the lead. The film was shot extensively at Newtone Studios, Kilpauk, during Madras Presidency. [7] Rao's 1940 film, Viswa Mohini, is the first Indian film, depicting the Indian movie world, scripted by Balijepalli Lakshmikanta Kavi, starring V. Nagayya. [10] Rao subsequently made the mythology sequel films Savithiri (1941), and Sathyabhama (1942) casting thespian Sthanam Narasimha Rao. [3]
Yaragudipati Varada Rao was born in Telugu Brahmin family [3] [1] of Nellore in the then Madras Presidency of British India in May 1903. In the late 1920s, he moved to Madras and ventured into Kannada cinema. [3] He married Kumari Rukmini who was paired with him in Lavangi (1946). Indian actress Lakshmi is their daughter. [11]
Rao moved into film direction and made silent films such as Pandava Nirvan (1930), Pandava Agnathavaas (1930) and Hari Maya (1932). In 1932, a Marwari businessman, Chamanlal Doongaji from Bangalore, launched South India Movie Tone. The company made Sati Sulochana, the first talking picture in Kannada with an expense of ₹40,000 (equivalent to ₹14 million or US$170,000 in 2023). Rao directed this blockbuster film shot at Chatrapathi Cinetone, in Kolhapur; the shooting took eight weeks. He then directed Hari Maya (1932) that starred his first wife, Rajam. [3]
As Director
As Producer - Telugu