Dasari Yoganand (16 April 1922 – 23 November 2006) was a South Indian film director.
Early life Yoganand was born in Madras under British India. His parents were Venkata Das, estate manager under Nawaab Raza Ali Khan of Machilipatnam, and Lakshmi Bai. He became a photographer. He was interested in playing and directing dramas and came close to Tungala Chalapathi Rao and Yadavalli Nageswara Rao in Machilipatnam. He went to Bangalore, trained in Radiology, and he went to Madras in 1939 to help his father. Yoganand joined Jiten Benarjee of Newtone Studios after his father's death and later worked with famous cinematographer M. A. Rehman.
He participated in the Quit India Movement of 1942. In the Indian Freedom Movement, he came close to Congress leaders like Rajagopalachari, Tanguturi Prakasam and Bulusu Sambamurthi.
Film career Yoganand worked as an associate to Gudavalli Ramabrahmam and L. V. Prasad. He worked in Samsaram directed by L.V. Prasad. In 1943, he joined Manikyam as an editor for the film Mayalokam and also worked as an assistant director to Gudavalli Ramabrahmam. He worked for Bhakta Tulasidas by Lanka Satyam in Salem for three years.
His debut film was Ammalakkalu (Telugu) and Marumagal (Tamil) by Leena Chettiar in 1953. He became the in-house filmmaker for his Krishna Pictures and made many box-office successes including the Madurai Veeran (1956) which sowed the seeds for M. G. Ramachandran to be projected as more than a mere good-looking hero.
After working with Yoganand, N. T. Rama Rao offered to let him direct Thodu Dongalu (1954). He also wrote the story for the film, which received many awards including a merit certificate from the President of India and an award in the China Film Festival. NTR gave him a second chance in his next film Jayasimha which became a blockbuster.
He directed about 50 films in Telugu and Tamil languages; among them N. T. Rama Rao had the lead role in 17 films. His films include Thodu Dongalu, Ilavelpu, Kodalu Diddina Kapuram, Ummadi Kutumbam, Muga Nomu, Jai Jawan, Vemulavada Bheema Kavi, Kathanayakuni Katha, Dabbuku Lokam Dasoham, Jayasimha, Vade Veedu, Thodu Dongalu, Thikka Shankarayya and Pelli Sandadi. He had the unique distinction of directing all the top stars, both in Telugu and Tamil film fields such as N. T. Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Relangi, Bhanumathi Ramakrishna, Savitri, Padmini, Vyjayanthimala, Jayalalitha, Pandari Bai, B. Saroja Devi, Devika, Sivaji Ganesan, M. G. Ramachandran, Gemini Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran and M. N. Nambiar, K. Balaji.
He died of a heart attack in Chennai.
Filmography Year Film Language Role 1945 Mayalokam Telugu Assistant editor 1953 Ammalakkalu Telugu Director 1953 Marumagal Tamil Director 1954 Todu Dongalu Telugu Director 1955 Jayasimha Telugu Director 1955 Kaveri Tamil Director 1955 Vijaya Gowri Telugu Director 1956 Ilavelpu Telugu Director 1956 Madurai Veeran Tamil Director 1956 Sri Gowri Mahatyam Telugu Director 1958 Anbu Enge Tamil Director 1958 Boologa Rambai Tamil Director 1959 Kalyana Penn Tamil Director 1959 Pelli Sandadi Telugu Director 1959 Vachchina Kodalu Nachchindi Telugu Director 1960 Engal Selvi Tamil Director 1960 Kanna Kooturu Telugu Director 1960 Parthiban Kanavu Tamil Director1962Valar PiraiTamilDirector 1962 Raani Samyuktha Tamil Director 1963 Parisu Tamil Director 1964 Pasamum Nesamum Tamil Director 1967 Farz Hindi Assistant cameraman 1967 Ummadi Kutumbam Telugu Director 1968 Baghdad Gajadonga Telugu Director 1968 Tikka Sankarayya Telugu Director 1969 Mooga Nomu Telugu Director 1970 Jai Jawan Telugu Director 1970 Kodalu Diddina Kapuram Telugu Director 1971Thangaikkaga Tamil Director 1972 Rani Yaar Kuzhanthai Tamil Director 1973 Dabbuku Lokam Dasoham Telugu Director 1973 Vaade Veedu Telugu Director 1974ThaaiTamil Director 1974 Vemulawada Bheemakavi Telugu Director 1975 Ee Kalam Dampatulu Telugu Director 1975 Kathanayakuni Katha Telugu Director 1976 Gruhapravesam Tamil Director 1978 General Chakravarthi Tamil Director 1978 Justice Gopinath Tamil Director 1979 Naan Vazhavaippen Tamil Director 1980 Yamanukku Yaman Tamil Director 1982 Oorukku Oru Pillai Tamil Director 1982 Vaa Kanna Vaa Tamil Director 1983 Simham Navvindi Telugu Director 1983 Sumangali Tamil Director 1984 Sarithira Nayagan Tamil Director
Awards National Film Awards 1954: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Telugu - Thodu Dongalu 1960: President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil - Parthiban Kanavu Other Awards His Ummadi Kutumbam (1967) film was selected for screening at Moscow Film Festival. Kalaimamani Award from Government of Tamil Nadu in 1981.
References
External links