Jonnalagadda Venkata Somayajulu (30 July 1920 or – 24 April 2004) was an Indian actor known for his works in Telugu cinema and a few Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam films. In 1981, he received the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his work in the classic Sankarabharanam. On the centenary of Indian cinema, Forbes included his performance in the film among the 25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema.
Some of the other films that earned Somayajulu a good reputation as an actor were Allari Pillalu, Nelavanka, Rowdy Alludu, Swathi Muthyam, Tyagayya, Saptapadi, Vijeta, Appula Appa Rao, Vamsa Vruksham and the Hindi film Jaag Utha Insan. He portrayed the guru character of Sri Raghavendra in the Tamil film Sri Raghavendrar. He made a 13-episode television serial based on the play Kanyasulkam. He also portrayed A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in the biographical series Abhay Charan.
Personal life and career Jonnalagadda Venkata Somayajulu was born in Lukalam Agraharam in Srikakulam district of present-day Andhra Pradesh. His father worked as an Inspector in the Prohibition and Excise department in Gudivada and other towns. He spent his childhood in Vizianagaram and also participated in stage dramas there. He was a government official and worked as a Deputy collector for Mahabub Nagar district.
His career spanned five decades in stage dramas, films and television. His passion for Gurazada Apparao's play, Kanyasulkam, was such that he, along with his actor brother J V Ramana Murthy, played it about 500 times in 45 years. His exposition of the delightfully notorious character, "Ramappanthulu" in the play, has become legendary. The woman behind the success of Somayajulu was his mother Saradamma. Somayajulu had two sons and a daughter.
Other works For the development of Telugu theatre in the twin cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Somayajulu established 'Rasaranjani' along with his contemporaries, Chatla Sriramulu, Garimella Rama Murthy and Rallapalli. Somayajulu worked in the Directorate of Cultural Affairs before retiring from government service.
Death Somayajulu died of heart attack in Hyderabad in 2004 at a reported age of 76.
Filmography Telugu films +List of Telugu films and roles Year Title Role(s) Notes1976Jyoti1980SankarabharanamShankara Sastry Filmfare Award for Best Actor – TeluguVamsa Vruksham1981TyagayyaTyagayyaSaptapadiYajulu1982Pelleedu Pillalu P V Rao1983NelavankaRaheemSitaara1985DevalayamAalapaanaVijethaNarasimham1986Tandra PaparayuduSri Shirdi Saibaba MahathyamNana ChandorkarManavudu DanavuduDevalayamThathayya KankanamNaa Pilupe PrabhanjanamJanakiramaiahUgra NarasimhamSwathi MuthyamMagadheeruduKaliyuga Pandavulu1987Madana GopaluduSankeertanaPunnami ChandruduMajnuUmmadi MoguduChakravarthySwamijiSwayam KrushiViswanatha Nayakudu1988AbhinandanaBava Marudula SavalRaktabhishekam1989Swara KalpanaAyyappa Swamy MahatyamNeerajanamAshoka ChakravarthyVedam Venkataraya Sastry1990JayasimhaMukunda Rao, DFOMagaadu1991Aditya 369Mahamantri ThimmarusuSri Yedukondala SwamyTharaka Prabhuni Deeksha MahimaluRowdy Alludu1992Appula Appa RaoSankara SastriKaruninchina Kanakala DurgaAllari Mogudu1993AadarshamMutha MestriMLA RaghavayyaAnna VadinaKaliyugamAdivaram Amavasya1994Govinda GovindaTTD Chief PriestBobbili SimhamAngarakshasuduSarigamalu 1995 Khaidi InspectorSivaramakrishnaiahBig Boss1996Puttinti GowravamSampradayamJabilamma PelliDharma ChakramAdhrindi Alludu1997Super HeroesOmkaram1998Subbaraju Gari KutumbamSambhavam1999Chinni Chinni Aasa2000Kodanda RamuduAdavi Chukka2001Chinna2003IndirammaKabirdas
Tamil films +List of Tamil films and roles Year Title Role(s) 1984Neengal Kettavai Music teacher 1985Sri RaghavendrarSaint SudheendraYaar?Swamiji1988Idhu Namma AaluSrinivasa Sastry1989Thiruppu MunaiSathyamoorthy1990Pagalil Pournami Monk1997MannavaAstrologer
Kannada films +List of Kannada films and roles Year Title Role(s) 1983 Gandharvagiri Narasimha Joshi1988Sri Venkateshwara Mahime1995Mutthinantha Hendathi2003Raktha KanneeruChandhra's fatherOndagona BaaRaghavayya (Ajja)
Hindi films +List of films and roles Year Title Role(s) 1984Jaag Utha InsanPanditji1990PratibandhChief Minister Satyendra2005Bhagmati
Malayalam films +List of Malayalam films and roles Year Title Role(s) 1994SopanamRaja Raja Varma Thamburan1997Itha Oru Snehagatha Hema's Grandfather2001Naranathu ThampuranGuruji
Television Lady Detective (1995) Abhay Charan as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1996) Nagamma as Rayudu (2002–2004)
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