Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao (born 23 May 1942) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, choreographer, and producer known primarily for his work in Telugu cinema, besides a few Hindi film and Kannada films. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has directed over a hundred films across various genres, including romantic dramas, romantic comedies, fantasies, melodramas, action thrillers, and biographical dramas. He has received numerous accolades, including the National Film Award, ten state Nandi Awards and five Filmfare Awards South.
Raghavendra Rao received the state Nandi Award for Best Director for his works such as Bobbili Brahmanna (1984), and Pelli Sandadi (1996). He received the Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu for the drama film Prema Lekhalu (1977), the fantasy film Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990), and the romance film Allari Priyudu (1993). Raghavendra Rao is known for his works in hagiographical films such as Annamayya (1997), which won two National Film Awards, and was featured at the 29th IFFI in the mainstream section. Raghavendra Rao also received the Nandi Award for Best Direction, the Filmfare Award for Best Direction for his work in the film. His other hagiographic works such as Sri Manjunatha (2001), Sri Ramadasu (2006), Shirdi Sai (2012) and Om Namo Venkatesaya (2017), received several state honours.
His mainstream works such as the 1987 social problem film Agni Putrudu, and the 1988 romantic action Aakhari Poratam, were featured at the 11th and 12th IFFI respectively in the mainstream section. In 1992, he directed the melodrama Gharana Mogudu featured at the 24th IFFI in the mainstream section. It became the first Telugu film to gross over at the box office. Next, he directed the instant hit Allari Priyudu (1993), featured at the 25th IFFI in the mainstream section. In 2004 he produced Bommalata which fetched the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu at the 53rd National Film Awards.53rd National Awardspib.nic.in
Personal life Raghavendra Rao was born on 23 May 1942 to veteran director K. S. Prakash Rao and Koteswaramma.Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: He is also the father of actor turned filmmaker Prakash Kovelamudi. Raghavendra Rao was an executive member in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Board from 2015 to 2019.
Awards and honors National Film Awards Best Feature Film in Telugu - Bommalata (2006)
Nandi Awards NTR National Award - 2015 B. N. Reddy National Award for lifetime contribution to Telugu cinema (2009) Best Director – Annamayya (1997) Best Choreographer – Pelli Sandadi (1996) Best Director – Pelli Sandadi (1996) Best Director – Allari Priyudu (1993) Best Director – Bobbili Brahmanna (1984)
Filmfare Awards South Best Director – Prema Lekhalu (1977) Best Director – Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990)http:// Refer Filmfare Magazine August 1991, 38th filmfare awards south Best Director – Allari Priyudu (1993) Best Director – Annamayya (1997) Lifetime Achievement Award (2002)
IIFA Awards Outstanding contribution to Indian cinema (2017)
SIIMA Awards Lifetime Achievement Award (2014)
CineMAA Awards Lifetime Contribution Award – (2012) Best Film (Jury) – Shirdi Sai – (2013)
Other Awards Allu Rama Lingaiah Award (2016)
Filmography
Director YearTitleLanguageNotes1975 Babu Telugu1976 Jyothi Raja 1977 Amara Deepam Remake of Tamil film Dheepam (1977) Prema Lekhalu Kalpana Remake of Hindi film Anamika Adavi Ramudu 1978 Padaharella Vayasu Remake of Bharathiraja's 16 Vayathinile (Tamil) Simha Baludu Radha Krishna KD No:1 1979 Driver Ramudu Nindu Noorellu Vetagaadu 1980 Nippulaanti Nijam Nishana Hindi Bhale Krishnudu Telugu Gharana Donga Mosagadu Rowdy Ramudu Konte Krishnudu 1981 Satyabhama Remake of Tamil film Mouna Geethangal Ragile Jwala Gaja Donga Ooriki Monagadu Tirugu Leni Manishi Satyam Shivam Prema Kanuka Kondaveeti Simham 1982 Madhura Swapnam Trishulam Justice Chowdary Iddaru Kodukulu Farz Aur Kaanoon Hindi Devata Telugu1983 Himmatwala Hindi Adavi Simhalu Telugu Jaani Dost Hindi Justice Chaudhury Shakthi Telugu1984 Tohfa Hindi Bobbili Brahmanna Telugu Kaamyab Hindi Naya Kadam Iddaru Dongalu Telugu1985 Hoshiyar Hindi Pattabhishekam Telugu Adavi Donga Masterji Hindi Remake of Tamil film Mundhanai Mudichu Mera Saathi Agni Parvatam Telugu Vajrayudham 1986 Apoorva Sahodarulu Kaliyuga Pandavulu Dharm Adhikari Hindi Ravana Brahma Telugu Kondaveeti Raja Suhaagan Hindi Chanakya Shapadham Telugu1987 Bharatamlo Arjunudu Sahasa Samrat Agni Putrudu 1988 Janaki Ramudu Donga Ramudu Manchi Donga Aakhari Poratam Yuddha Bhoomi 1989 Agni Rudranetra Ontari Poratam 1990 Alludugaru Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari 1991 Coolie No.1 Rowdy Alludu 1992 Sundarakanda Allari Mogudu Gharana Mogudu remake of the Kannada film Anuraga Aralithu Aswamedham 1993 Allari Priyudu Major Chandrakanth 1994 Allari Premikudu Muddula Priyudu Mugguru Monagallu 1995 Raja Simham Gharana Bullodu 1996 Sahasa Veerudu Sagara Kanya Bombay Priyudu Pelli Sandadi 1997 Annamayya Mere Sapno Ki Rani Hindi1998 Shrimati Vellosta Telugu Love Story 1999 Paradesi 1999 Iddaru Mitrulu Raja Kumarudu 2000 Pelli Sambandham Moodu Mukkalaata 2001 Sri Manjunatha Kannada Partially reshot in Telugu Aamdani Atthani Kharcha RupaiyaaHindiRemake of the Tamil film Viralukketha Veekkam2003 GangotriTelugu 100th film2005 Subash Chandra Bose Allari Bullodu2006 Sri Ramadasu2008 Pandurangadu2010 Jhummandi Naadam2012 Shirdi Sai2017 Om Namo Venkatesaya
Actor YearTitleRoleNotes 2021 Pelli SandaD Vasishta Sequel of Pelli Sandadi
Supervisor of direction YearTitleNotes 2001 Student No.1 Directorial debut of S. S. Rajamouli 2002 Okato Number Kurraadu Director A. Kodandarami Reddy 2004 Pallakilo Pellikoothuru Director Suchitra Chandrabose2021Pelli SandaDDirector Gowri Ronanki
Associate director YearTitleNotes 1961 Vagdanam Director Acharya Aatreya
Producer YearTitleNotes 1980 Bhale Krishnudu 1984 Naya Kadam Hindi film; remake of Trishulam 1993 Allari Priyudu 1999 Iddaru Mitrulu 2000 Pelli Sambandham 2002 Okato Number Kurradu 2004 Morning Raga English film Bommalata Won Best Film in Telugu at the 53rd National Awards
Presenter YearTitleNotes 2001 Student No. 1 2002 Bobby 2011 Anaganaga O Dheerudu 2015 Baahubali: The Beginning 2017 Baahubali: The Conclusion
Choreographer YearTitleNotes 1996 Pelli Sandadi
Television 2002: Santhi Nivasam (ETV) 2010: Arundathi (ETV Kannada) 2013: Mangammagari Manavaralu (Zee telugu) 2014: Soundrya Lahari (ETV) 2016: Koyilamma (MAA TV) 2017: Sye Sye Sayyare (ETV) 2017: Agnisakshi (Star MAA) 2018: Siri Siri Muvvalu (Star MAA) 2020: C/o Anasuya (Star MAA) 2021: Krishna Tulasi (Zee telugu)
References
External links