Tadepalli Lakshmi Kantha Rao (16 November 1923 – 22 March 2009) was an Indian actor and producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. Regarded as one of the finest method actors, Rao appeared in more than 400 feature films, starring in many, in a variety of genres including mythological, social and folklore. After a success string in folklore and swashbuckling films, he became popularly referred to as Kattula Kantha Rao. He has also acted in a few Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Malayalam movies. He has produced about five films under the Hyma Films banner.
In the 1960s, he was one of the primary actors in Telugu cinema, along with N. T. Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Kantha Rao was known for portraying the roles of Narada, Lord Krishna and Arjuna in mythological films. He played Lakshmana in the blockbuster film Lava Kusa, for which he received Vishehsa Puraskaram in 1963.
Early life Rao was born into a Telugu Brahmin family to Kesavarao and Seetaramamma at Kodad of Suryapet district in present-day Telangana on 16 November 1923. According to the Hindu calendar, it corresponds to Rudhirodgari Samvatsara Kartika Sudha Ashtami day. He lost his father the next year. His primary education was done in Gudibanda and Khammam. He was exposed to puranas and Hindu epic stories from his grandmother.
Career Surabhi Drama troupe has visited their village. Impressed by their professional performances, he established "Balamitra Natya Mandali" and used to play Gayopakhyanam and Madhuseva plays with his friends. He played the character Brahma in Sri Krishna Leelalu in the group "Surabhi" and subsequently in the plays Madhuseva, Kanakatara and Telugu Talli.
Rao was sent to Tenali to distract from the drama activities. Tenali used to be very active in drama activities with stalwarts like Pulipati Lakshminarayana. He used to stay in same street where Rentachintala Satyanarayana and Banda Kanakalingeswara Rao used to live.
He then shifted to Madras in 1950 and used to stay with T. Krishnamachari, who used to work as assistant director for H. M. Reddy's Rohini Pictures.
H. M. Reddy gave him a chance to play a small role in Nirdoshi in 1951 and as his hero for Pratigna in 1953. He has acted in 450 films and in about 100 films as hero, whereas in others as different character roles. They include some popular roles in films like Jayasimha (1955), Shri Krishna Pandaviyam (1966), Guruvunu Minchina Sishyudu (1963), Lava Kusha (1963), Nartanasala (1963), Pandava Vanavasam (1965) and Muthyala Muggu (1975). His last movie was Pandurangadu, with Balakrishna, directed by K. Raghavendra Rao in 2008.
He produced four films between 1969 and 1974, Saptaswaralu, Gandara Gandadu, Premajeevulu and Gundelu Theesina Monagadu and lost all his previous earnings. The last film he made was Swathi Chinukulu. Subsequently, he moved to Hyderabad.
Awards National honours Visesha Puraskaram in Ramineni Foundation Awards in 2004. Mahanati Savitri Award C.H. Narayana Rao Award
Nandi Awards Raghupathi Venkaiah Award by the government of Andhra Pradesh in 2000, for lifetime achievement. Nandi Award for Best Book, for Anaganaga Oka Raakumaarudu won for the year 2007.
Filmography Telugu films + List of Kantha Rao Telugu film credits Year Title Role 1951 Nirdoshi1955 Jayasimha Vijayasimha1956 Ilavelpu 1957 Sati Anasuya1959 Jaya Vijaya Sabash Ramudu Sati Sukanya Ashwini Devatalu1960 Bhatti Vikramarka Bhatti Chivaraku Migiledi PrakasamRama Sundari Sahasra Siracheda Apoorva ChintamaniPrathapa Simha Deepavali Narada Muni SanchariKanakadurga Pooja MahimaMadhava Santhi Nivasam Raju Sri Krishna Rayabaram 1961 Sabash Raja Sati Sulochana Narada Muni Sri Seetha Rama Kalyanam Narada Muni Usha Parinayam Aniruddha Varalakshmi Vratham1962Madana Kama Raju Katha Bhishma Salwa Chitti Tammudu Srihari Khaidi Kannayya Nuvva Nena Padandi Munduku Raktha Sambandham Anand Swarna Gowri1963 Sri Krishnarjuna Yudham Narada Muni Valmiki Aapta Mitrulu Deva Sundari Edureeta Village DoctorSomavara Vrata MahatyamChandrangada Guruvunu Minchina Sishyudu Vijayudu Lava Kusa Lakshmana Nartanasala Lord Krishna Vishnumaya Thobuttuvulu Shankar 1964 Babruvahana Lord Krishna Desa Drohulu MarmayogiThotalo Pilla Kotalo RaniVijaya Sri Satyanarayana Mahatyam1965 Aada Bratuku Devata Cameo Dorikithe DongaluPratigna PalanaRajasekharuduAakasaramanna Jwaladweepa Rahasyam Pandava Vanavasam Lord Krishna Sri Simhachala Kshetra Mahima Pururava Chakravarthi Veerabhimanyu Arjuna1966 Bhimanjaneya Yuddham Nala Kuber Mohini BhasmasuraVishnu Paduka PattabhishekamRama Palnati Yuddham Nalagamaraju Sri Krishna Pandaveeyam Narada Muni Sri Krishna Tulabharam Narada Muni SrimathiRavi1967 Chikkadu Dorakadu Dorakadu Kanchu KotaNarendraIddaru MonagalluDevuni Gelichina ManavuduVijayadattudu PinniAggi DoraJayanth Rahasyam1968 Rajayogam Veeranjaneya Bangaru Gaajulu Niluvu Dopidi GuestEvaru MonagaduInspector Sekhar1969Devudichina BhartaSridatta Saptaswaralu SarangaUkku PiduguVasantha Rayalu Tarasasankam Ekaveera VeerbhupatiGandara GandaduManoharudu1970 Oke KutumbhamSuguna Sundari KathaPrasunaMerupu Veerudu1971 Sri Krishna VijayamuKathiki Kankanam Ananda Nilayam Sri Krishna Satya Narada Muni Chelleli KapuramAndam Kosam PandemMadhavudu1972 Sri Krishnanjaneya Yuddham Narada Muni Bala Bharatam Pandu Raju1973 Devudu Chesina Manushulu SureshMayadari MalligaduJailor Neramu Siksha Rajasekharam1974 Alluri Seetharama Raju Padalu Sri Ramanjaneya Yuddham Narada Muni Devadasu O Seeta Katha Madhava Rao Nippulanti ManishiPolice Inspector who takes care of a young Vijay Nirnayam1975 Muthyala Muggu Raja Rao Bahadur Pooja Maya Machhindra Eduruleni ManishiSarkar1976Padi PantaluEx-Army man and Gopi's mentor Mahatmudu RaajaGajapathi VarmaShri Rajeshwari Vilas Coffee Club America Ammayi Magaadu Mahakavi Kshetrayya Seeta Kalyanam1977 Kurukshetram Drupada Yamagola Indrudu Edureeta 1978 Vayasu PilichindiAgent GopiIntelligence Chief Manavoori Pandavulu Dharmayya Patnavasam RamaiahSahasavanthuduJumra Gorantha Deepam Lawyer Viswanath1979 YugandharInspector VarmaAndadu AagaduInspector General of PoliceKorikale GurralaitheJagannatha RaoMaa Voori DevathaDr. Sanjeeva RaoSamajaniki SavalPrakash's (Chakrapani) fatherMande Gundelu Sommokadidhi Sokokadidhi 1980 Chandipriya MahalakshmiKalidasu Vamsa Vruksham Kaali Superman Chukkallo Chandrudu Sarada Ramudu Raja Rao Ram Robert Rahim Catholic priest Prema Tarangalu Ranga Rao1981 Satyabhama Radha Kalyanam Kondaveeti Simham Oorukichina Maata Pratapa Rao Sati Savitri1982 Kaliyuga Ramudu Peter the Trumpet Player Shamsher Shankar Hanumantha Rao EkalavyaKrishnavataram PratignaBhushayya Golconda Abbulu1983 Moodu Mullu Dharmaiah AmarajeeviChattaniki Veyyi Kallu Raghunath, Commissioner of Police Moogavani PagaRamaiah Puli DebbaSrimannarayanaMayagaduDr. Rama Rao Poratam Ranganayakulu Lanke BindeluKanthaiah 1984 Sardar GangadharamPadmavyuhamSundari SubbaraoJagannatham1985 America Alludu Raghava Rao Vijetha Venkayya (guest) Mantra DandamVishnu DuttaMusugu DongaVeerayyaNerasthuduRamanna Master Nyayam Meere Cheppali Pachani Kapuram Ananda Rao 1986 SimhasanamTandra Paparayudu Sri Shirdi Saibaba Mahathyam Shyama VikramSrimathi KanukaChaitanyamVivaha Bandham Desoddharakudu Santhi Nivasam Dr. RaoChanakya SapadhamSasi's father 1987 Viswanatha NayakuduUmmadi MoguduRotation Chakravarthy1988 Jhansi Rani Ramudu Bheemudu1989Swathi Chinukulu 1991 Alludu Diddina Kapuram 1993Naga Jyothi1994 Mugguru Monagallu Bangaru KutumbamAtha Kodalu Alludu Poru Ammayi JoruHeadmaster1996Puttinti Gowravam 1998 Naga Shakthi Kante Koothurne Kanu 1999 Postman2003 Kabirdas Nijam Narayana Rao Satyam Simhachalam Somayajulu Seetayya 2001 Chinna Judge 2005 Dhana 51 2007 Shankar Dada Zindabad 2008 Pandurangadu
Other language films + List of Kantha Rao other language film credits Year Title Role Language 1957MahiravanaKannada1960Ranadheera KanteeravaAasha Sundari 1961 Nagarjuna1963Valmiki Manthiri Kumaran Tamil 1972 Sree Guruvayoorappan Malayalam 1974 Devi Kanyakumari 1975 Alakh Niranjan Hindi1978Ilamai Oonjal AadukirathuTamil
Producer Saptaswaralu (1969) Gandara Gandadu (1969) Premajeevulu (1971) Gundelu Teesina Monagaadu (1974) Swaati Chinukulu (1989)
Personal life Rao was married to Suseela and had a daughter in 1942. Their daughter died of smallpox during infancy. They had a son in 1945 named after his father as Keshav. He married Hymavathi in 1950; Suseela died of an illness soon afterwards. His son also died of typhoid fever in his childhood. He had four sons and a daughter by Hymavathi, named Pratap, Keshav, Suseela, Raja and Satyam, in that order.
His son Raja (Rajeswara Rao) has acted in Sudigundalu, Prema Jeevulu, Gandara Gandadu, Gundelu Teesina Monagadu, Swati Chinukulu, Ukku Pidugu, Rajasimha, Evaru Monagadu, Maro Prapancham and Manushulu Matti Bommalu.
His other son, Satyam, has acted in Saptaswaralu, Prema Jeevulu and Gandara Gandadu. His grandson Sai Eshwar worked as a child artist in television.
Death Rao died at Yashoda Hospital, Hyderabad on 22 March 2009 due to cancer complications.
See also Raghupathi Venkaiah Award
References
External links