G. V. Narayana Rao

G. V. Narayana Rao (9 October 1953 – 26 August 2026) was an Indian Telugu actor, television producer, and film producer whose career spanned nearly five decades. He made his acting debut in K. Balachander's Anthuleni Katha, for which he won the Nandi Award for Best Supporting Actor, and later played the lead in Mrinal Sen's Oka Oori Katha (1977), for which he received a Special Jury Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. He acted in more than 100 films and around 50 television serials, produced several films and serials — including Telugu's first daily television serial, Triveni Sangamam — and worked closely with Megastar Chiranjeevi both as a co-star and as a producer.

Early life and training Rao was born in [Guntakal / Kurumaddali village — sources conflict, see note below], Andhra Pradesh, the son of Gullapalli Durga Prasada Rao, a film distributor who founded Navayuga Films (established 1947) and ran its Ceded (Rayalaseema) region branch in Guntakal, and who was also Managing Director of Sarathi Studios. He spent his early life in Guntakal, and trained in Bharatanatyam under Gidugu Visalakshi, Kuchipudi under Nataraja Ramakrishna, and theatre under Adusumilli Radhakrishna ("A.R. Krishna") at the Andhra Pradesh Natya Sangham.

Rao's work in this period has been described as filling a gap on the Telugu screen comparable to actors such as Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri in Hindi cinema, alongside contemporary Satyendra Kumar; his films of the era included Angadi Bomma, Nijam, Subbaraoki Kopam Vachindi, and Yuvatharam Kadilindi. He was known for accepting roles only when he liked the part rather than for financial or image-building reasons, and for prioritising films addressing social issues over regular commercial work — an approach he attributed to a left-leaning outlook present in his family.

Rao was originally intended for the lead role in Gautam Ghosh's Maa Bhoomi, but handed the part to Sai Chand after being unable to return from Karlovy Vary in time and needing to complete Angadi Bomma, a remake of the Malayalam film Her Nights directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao; he later played a journalist guiding the Maa Bhoomi character Narasing Rao in Rangula Kala. He appeared in more than 100 films altogether, including Muthyala Pallaki, Manchu Pallaki, Oorukichchina Maata, Chattaniki Kallu Levu, Gang Leader, Hitler, Chakram (2005), and Sahasam (2013). His final production was the film Alochana, directed by Surender Chaacha, co-starring Narsimha Raju, Prasadbabu, and Rajan Hari, which was arranged to release after his death.

Personal life Rao said in an interview that he married his cousin (his sister's daughter), and had two children and two grandchildren. Rao was a devoted admirer of Akkineni Nageswara Rao and chose not to adopt a stage name in tribute to him. (1980) as Ramarao Nijam (1980) Oorukichchina Maata (1981) as Gireesam Chattaniki Kallu Levu (1981) as Ranga Manchu Pallaki (1982) Pralaya Rudrudu (1982) as Murali Bahudoorapu Batasari (1983) Devanthakudu (1984) Premayanam (1988) Nyayam Kosam (1988) as Madhu Yamudiki Mogudu (1988) Muthyamantha Muddu (1989) Raja Vikramarka (1990) Seetharamaiah Gari Manavaralu (1991) Gang Leader (1991) Surya IPS (1991) Super Express (1991) as Person with speech impediment Prema Chitram Pelli Vichitram (1993) Hitler (1997) Sahasam (2013) Maha bhakta Siriyala (2014) Raju gari gadi 2 (2017) Tholu Bommalata (2019) Skylab (2021) Angadi Bomma [year needed] — remake of the Malayalam film Her Nights, directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao Subbaraoki Kopam Vachindi [year needed] Yuvatharam Kadilindi [year needed] Rangula Kala [year needed] — as a journalist guiding the character Narasing Rao Chakram (2005) Idenizam [year needed] Intikoka Rudramma [year needed] Pelli Neeku Subham Naaku [year needed] Alochana (2026) — directed by Surender Chaacha; his final film, released posthumously

Television series Pasupu Kumkuma (Zee Telugu) Sundarakanda (Gemini TV) Girija Kalyanam (Gemini TV) Geethanjali (Gemini TV) Mallitellavarindhi (Doordarshan) — won the Nandi Award for Best Actor, 1988 Agni Sakshi (ETV) — won the Yuva Kalavahini award for Best Supporting Actor, 2002 Triveni Sangamam — story, screenplay, and production; described as Telugu's first daily serial Mahalakshmi — produced Abhishekam — produced Babai Hotel (ETV) — cooking show, host