Dasari Narayana Rao

Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1942 – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, lyricist, and politician, primarily known for his work in Telugu cinema. Over his four decade career, he directed more than 150 feature films, earning a Limca World Record for directing the most films in the world. He was known by the epithet "Darsaka Ratna" and was recognized for addressing social issues such as gender discrimination, casteism, corruption and injustice through his films. Narayana Rao received numerous accolades, including two National Film Awards, 16 Nandi Awards including the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, and five Filmfare Awards South including the Lifetime Achievement. He directed works such as Tandra Paparayudu, and Surigaadu (1992) which were screened at International Film Festival of India in the Panorama section, and Kante Koothurne Kanu (1998) which received the National Film Award Special Mention Feature Film in addition to a Kannada films. In 1983, he directed Meghasandesam which screened at the Indian Panorama, the Tashkent Film Festival, and the Moscow film festival. The film also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. During his career he also acted in several Telugu and Tamil films.

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the year 2000 and served as the Minister of state for Coal in the Manmohan Singh government.

Political career In the late 1990s, Dasari Narayana Rao announced plans to launch a regional political party in Andhra Pradesh called Telugu Talli Party. Dasari campaigned for the Indian National Congress (INC) during the 1996, 1998 and 1999 general elections. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the year 2000. He became the Minister of State for Coal. Said to be a confidante of Indian National Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Dasari once again became active in politics after INC came back to power in 2004.

On 11 June 2013 the Central Bureau of Investigation booked Dasari Narayana Rao for receiving ₹2.25 crores from Naveen Jindal in connection with the Coal scam, and filed FIR against both.

Business He launched a popular daily Telugu-language newspaper, Udayam, to counter the influence of Ramoji Rao's newspaper Eenadu.

Death Dasari Narayana Rao died on 30 May 2017 from prolonged illness, at the age of 75. His last rites were performed with full state honours. His funeral was held at his farmhouse in Moinabad village, Ranga Reddy district, where his wife Padma was cremated.

Awards

National Film Awards Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film) – Kante Kuthurne Kanu – 1998 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu – Meghasandesam – 1982 (As director and producer)

Filmfare Awards Special Jury Award - Swargam Narakam & Balipeetam (1975) Best Director – Gorintaku (1979) Best Director – Premabhishekam (1981) Best Film – Meghasandesam (1982) Lifetime Achievement (2001)

Nandi Awards NTR National Award Raghupathi Venkaiah Award - 1990 Best Actor – Mestri (2009) Best Actor – Mamagaru (1991) Second Best Feature Film - Silver – Kante Kuthurne Kanu (1998) Best Director - Kante Koothurne Kanu (1998) Best Feature Film – Bangaru Kutumbam (1994) Best Feature Film – Meghasandesam (1982) Best Feature Film – Swargam Narakam (1975) Best Feature Film – Samsaram Sagaram (1973) Best Feature Film – Tata Manavadu (1972) Best Story -Samsaram Sagaram (1973) Best Story - Nanna Garu (1994) Best Story - Kante Kooturne Kanu (1998) Special Jury – Premabhishekam (1981) Best Dialogue Writer – M.L.A. Yedukondalu (1983)

CineMAA Awards Lifetime Contribution – 2003

Other honours Vamsee Berkeley, Kalasagar, Siromani, Madras Film Fans Awards and Cine Herald Awards Jyothi Chitra Super Director Award – six times Ancient Andhra Patrika Best Director Award – six times Allu Ramalingaiah Memorial Award Sobhan Babu first memorial award in 2009 Bollimunta Sivaramakrishna Sahithi Kala Award-2016 Doctorate "Kalaprapoorna" from Andhra University for his contribution to Telugu culture and Telugu cinema in 1986

Filmography As director, writer, and producer YearFilmCredited asLanguageNotes Director Writer Producer 1970 Oke Kutumbam Telugu 1971 Vintha Samsaram Telugu 1972 Mohammed-bin-Tughluq Telugu Hantakulu Devantakulu Telugu Matrimoorti Telugu 1973 Panjaramlo Pasipapa Telugu Thatha-Manavadu Telugu 1974 Samsaram Sagaram Telugu Bantrothu Bharya Telugu Evariki Vaare Yamuna Teere Telugu Radhamma Pelli Telugu Tirupati Telugu 1975 Swargam Narakam Telugu Balipeetam Telugu Bharatamlo Oka Ammayi Telugu Devude Digivaste Telugu 1976 Manushulanta Okkate Telugu Muddabanti Puvvu Telugu Thoorpu Padamara Telugu Yavvanam Katesindi Telugu Paadavoyi Bharateeyuda Telugu 1977 O Manishi Tirigi Choodu Telugu Bangarakka Telugu Chillarakottu Chittemma Telugu Idekkadi Nyayam Telugu Jeevitame Oka Natakam Telugu Kanya - Kumari Telugu 1978 Devadasu Malli Puttadu Telugu Katakatala Rudrayya Telugu Sivaranjani Telugu Swarag Narak Hindi 1979 Gorintaku Telugu Kalyani Telugu Korikale Gurralayite? Telugu Needa Telugu Peddillu Chinnillu Telugu Ravanude Ramudayithe? Telugu Rangoon Rowdy Telugu Kudi Edama Ayite Telugu 1980 Yeh Kaisa Insaf Hindi Jyoti Bane Jwala Hindi Bandodu Gundamma Telugu Buchi Babu Telugu Circus Ramudu Telugu Yedanthasthula Meda Telugu Ketugaadu Telugu Natchathiram Tamil Sardar Papa Rayudu Telugu Sita Ramulu Telugu Sujata Telugu 1981 Swapna Telugu Deeparadhana Telugu Paalu Neellu Telugu Srivari Muchatlu Telugu Viswaroopam Telugu Pyaasa Sawan Hindi Sangeeta Telugu Addala Meda Telugu Premabhishekam Telugu Prema Mandiram Telugu 1982 Bobbili Puli Telugu Golconda Abbulu Telugu Jayasudha Telugu Krishnarjunulu Telugu Mehndi Rang Layegi Hindi O Aadadi O Magadu Telugu Raaga Deepam Telugu Swayamvaram Telugu Yuvaraju Telugu Meghasandesam Telugu Bangaaru Koduku Telugu 1983 Prem Tapasya Hindi Bahudoorapu Batasari Telugu M.L.A. Yedukondalu Telugu Police Venkataswami Telugu Ramudu Kadu Krishnudu Telugu Rudrakali Telugu Oorantha Sankranthi Telugu 1984 Bhola Shankarudu Telugu Aaj Kaa M.L.A. Ram Avtar Hindi Asha Jyoti Hindi Haisiyat Hindi Yaadgaar Hindi Zakhmi Sher Hindi Abhimanyudu Telugu Jagan Telugu Justice Chakravarthy Telugu Police Papanna Kannada Yuddham Telugu 1985 Sarfarosh Hindi Wafadaar Hindi Brahma Mudi Telugu Edadugula Bandham Telugu Lanchavataram Telugu Pelli Meeku Akshintalu Naaku Telugu Tirugubatu Telugu 1986 Aadi Dampatulu Telugu Dharma Peetham Daddarillindi Telugu Tandra Paparayudu Telugu Ugra Narasimham Telugu Nampally Nagu Telugu 1987 Aatma Bandhuvulu Telugu Brahma Nayudu Telugu Majnu Telugu Nene Raju Nene Mantri Telugu Viswanatha Nayakudu Telugu Rotation Chakravarti Telugu Ayyappa Swami Janma Rahasyam Telugu 1988 Brahma Puthrudu Telugu Kanchana Sita Telugu Praja Pratinidhi Telugu Intinti Bhagavatam Telugu 1989 Lankeswarudu Telugu Black Tiger Telugu Naa Mogudu Naake Sontham Telugu Two Town Rowdy Telugu 1990 Abhisarika Telugu Mama Alludu Telugu 1991 Amma Rajinama Telugu Niyanta Telugu Ramudu Kadu Rakshasudu Telugu 1992 Ahankaari Telugu Surigaadu Telugu Subba Rayudi Pelli Telugu Venkanna Babu Telugu 1993 Santaan Hindi Akka Pettanam Chelleli Kapuram Telugu Kunti Putrudu Telugu Mama Kodalu Telugu 1994 Bangaru Kutumbam Telugu Nannagaaru Telugu 1995 Kondapalli Rattayya Telugu Maya Bazaar Telugu Orey Rikshaw Telugu 1996 Rayudugaru Nayudugaru Telugu 1997 Osey Ramulamma Telugu Rowdy Durbar Telugu 1998 Greeku Veerudu Telugu 1999 Pichodi Chetilo Raayi Telugu 2000 Adavi Chukka Telugu Kante Koothurne Kanu Telugu Sammakka Sarakka Telugu 2001 Chinna Telugu 2002 Kondaveeti Simhasanam Telugu Rifles Telugu 2003 Fools Telugu 2007 Aadivaram Aadavallaku Selavu Telugu Maisamma IPS Telugu 2008 Premabhishekam Telugu Adivishnu Telugu 2009 Mestri Telugu Bangaru Babu Telugu 2010 Young India Telugu Also choreographer 2011 Parama Veera Chakra Telugu 2014 Erra Bus Telugu

Actor

Swargam Narakam (1975) Yavvanam Katesindi (1976) Sivaranjani (1978) Peddillu Chinnillu (1979) Bhola Shankarudu (1980) Paalu Neellu (1980) Addala Meda (1981) Jayasudha (1982) Swayamvaram (1982) Yuvaraju (1982) Bahudoorapu Batasari (1983) M.L.A. Yedukondalu (1983) Police Venkataswami (1983) Oorantaa Sankranti (1983) Jagan (1984) Police Papanna (1984) Lanchavataram (1985) Aatma Bandhuvulu (1987) Dabbevariki Chedu (1987) Rotation Chakravarti (1987) Intinti Bhagavatam (1988) Muthyamantha Muddu (1989) Naa Mogudu Naake Sontam (1989) Mama Alludu (1990) Chevilo Puvvu (1990) as himself Amma Rajinama (1991) Mamagaaru (1991) Seetharamayya gari Manavaralu (1991) Venkanna Babu (1992) Surigaadu (1992) Raguluthunna Bharatham (1992) Pellam Chaatuna Mogudu (1992) Parvatalu Panakalu (1992) Chinnalludu (1993) Mama Kodalu (1993) Ladies Special (1993) Mudhal Paadal (1993) Tamil Bangaru Kutumbam (1994) Nannagaaru (1994) Punya Bhoomi Naa Desam (1994) O Tandri O Koduku (1994) Kondapalli Rattaiah (1995) Maya Bazaar (1995) Orey Rikshaw (1995) Subhamastu (1995) Mayadari Kutumbam (1995) Madhya Taragati Mahabharatam (1995) Premaku Padi Sutralu (1995) Rayudugaru Nayudugaru (1996) Osey Ramulamma (1997) Hitler (1997) Rukmini (1997) Deergha Sumangalibhava (1998) Greeku Veerudu (1998) Subba Rajugaari Kutumbam (1998) Pichodi Chetilo Raayi (1999) Kante Koothurne Kanu (2000) Sammakka Sarakka (2000) Chinna (2001) Adhipathi (2001) Kondaveeti Simhasanam (2002) Fools (2003) Mestri (2009) Young India (2010) Jhummandi Naadam (2010) Parama Veera Chakra (2011) Pandavulu Pandavulu Tummeda (2014) Erra Bus (2014)

Lyricist

Oke Kutumbam (1970) Manushulanta Okkate (1976) Buchchi Babu (1980) Sita Ramulu (1980) Viswaroopam (1981) Swapna (1981) Swayamvaram (1982) Yuvaraju (1982) Ramudu Kadu Krishnudu (1983) Yuddham (1984) Ugra Narasimham (1986) Manavudu Danavudu (1986) Majnu (1987) Brahma Puthrudu (1988) Lankeswarudu (1989) Surigaadu (1992) Greeku Veerudu (1998) Kante Koothurne Kanu (2000) Sammakka Sarakka (2000) Maisamma IPS (2007)

Television Director Vishwamitra (1989) Thoorpu Padamara (2007-2010) Abhishekam (2008-2017) Shivaranjani (2010-2011) Kumkuma Rekha (2010-2013) Producer Abhishekam (ETV) Gokulamlo Sita (ETV)