Kovelamudi Bapayya

Kovelamudi Bapayya, known as K. Bapayya, is an Indian film director. He has directed about 80 films in Telugu and Hindi languages. He is the cousin of noted director K. Raghavendra Rao and nephew of director and producer K. S. Prakash Rao.

Early life Kovelamudi Bapayya was born in Hyderabad. He lost both his parents at a very young age, and was raised by his paternal uncle K. S. Prakash Rao, who was a popular filmmaker. He is a first cousin of K. Raghavendra Rao, also a filmmaker. He also has two daughters, Padma and Chamundeswari. Bapayya studied in Vijayawada and Chennai.

Career Bapayya began his film career by working under K. B. Tilak as an apprentice for the films Muddu Bidda (1956), M. L. A. (1957), and Attaa Okinti Kodale (1958). He then worked for Suresh Productions with Tapi Chanakya for the production's debut film Ramudu Bheemudu in 1964.

Bapayya made his directorial debut in the Tollywood film industry with the feature film Drohi in 1970. He was given the offer to direct the film by producer D. Rama Naidu. The film had Vanisri and Kongara Jaggaya playing the lead characters. The film that truly earned Bapayya name and fame in the Telugu film industry was the drama feature film Soggadu (1975). The Telugu film hit the silver screens on 19 December 1975 and was released again on 1 January 1976. It starred Sobhan Babu, Jayachitra and Jayasudha In the lead roles. The movie won two Filmfare awards. The drama film ran in 17 cinema halls in the then united Andhra Pradesh for one hundred days.

Bapayya made his directorial debut in the Bollywood film industry with the Hindi movie Dildaar (1977). Dildaar was a remake of Bapayya's Soggadu. The Bollywood film hit the big screens on 13 April 1977. It starred Jeetendra, Rekha and Nazneen in lead roles. Bapayya remained active in the film industry till the mid 1990s. Towards the end of his career, Bapayya started focusing on making Bollywood films. One of his blockbusters from the 1990s was Pyar Hua Chori Chori (1991). The romance film hit the theatre halls on 7 June 1991. The film starred Mithun Chakraborty, Gautami, Shikha Swaroop, Shafi Inamdaari, Shakti Kapoor and Anupam Kher. It was Gautami's Hindi debut and a remake of the Malayalam flick Chithram.

He also directed Parda Hai Parda (1992) which is remembered as Chunkey Pandey's solo hit and South Indian actress Meena's debut in the Bollywood film industry. The movie hit the screens on 10 July 1992. Bapayya was known to collaborate with Jeetendra and Mithun Chakraborty in the Bollywood industry.

Filmography + Film performances Year Title Language Cast Notes 1970 Drohi Telugu Krishnam Raju, Jaggayya, Vanisree 1973 Memu Manushulame Telugu Krishnam Raju, Jamuna 1974 Urvasi Telugu Sanjeev Kumar, Sarada 1975 Eduruleni Manishi Telugu N.T. Rama Rao, Vanisree Remake of 1975 Soggadu Telugu Sobhan Babu, Jayachitra, Jayasudha 1975 Vykunthapaali Telugu Ranganath, Sarada 1976 Mire ata Choodandi Telugu 1977 Dildaar Hindi Jeetendra, Rekha Remake of Soggadu 1977 Gadasu Pillodu Telugu Sobhan Babu, Jayasudha 1977 Indradhanusu Telugu Krishna, Sharada 1978 Dil Aur Deewaar Hindi Jeetendra, Moushumi Chatterjee, Rakesh Roshan Remake of Jeevana Tarangalu 1978 Sahasavantudu Telugu N.T. Rama Rao, Vanisree 1978 Yuga Purushudu Telugu N.T. Rama Rao, Jaya Prada 1979 Mande Gundelu Telugu Krishna, Sobhan Babu, Jaya Prada, Jayasudha 1980 Takkar Hindi Sanjeev Kumar, Jeetendra, Vinod Mehra, Zeenat Aman, Jaya Prada, Bindiya Goswami Remake of Devudu Chesina Manushulu 1980 Bandish Hindi Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini Remake of Chilipikrishnudu 1981 Aggi Ravva Telugu N.T. Rama Rao, Sridevi 1981 Agni Poolu Telugu Krishnam Raju, Jaya Prada, Jayasudha 1981 Guru Sishyulu Telugu ANR, Krishna, Sridevi, Sujatha 1982 Kaliyuga Ramudu Telugu N.T. Rama Rao, Rati Agnihotri 1982 Naa Desam Telugu N.T. Rama Rao, Jayasudha Remake of Laawaris 1982 Nivuru Gappina Nippu Telugu Krishna, Jaya Prada 1982 Sindoor Bane Jwala Hindi Sanjeev Kumar, Sharada 1983 Mawaali Hindi Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya Prada Remake of Chuthallunarru Jagartha 1983 Mundadugu Telugu Sobhan Babu, Krishna, Jaya Prada, Sridevi 1984 Daanavudu Telugu Sobhan Babu, Jayasudha 1984 Dandayatra Telugu Sobhan Babu, Jayasudha 1984 Ghar Ek Mandir Hindi Mithun Chakraborty, Ranjeeta Remake of Bommarillu 1984 Maqsad Hindi Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, Sridevi, Jaya Prada Remake of Mundadugu 1984 Inti Guttu Telugu Chiranjeevi, Nalini 1984 Telugu Mohan Babu Remake of Mullum Malarum 1985 Hindi Jackie Shroff, Padmini Kolhapure 1985 Pataal Bhairavi Hindi Jeetendra, Jaya Prada Remake of Patala Bhairavi (1951) 1985 Chattamtho Poratam Telugu Chiranjeevi, Madhavi, Sumalatha 1986 Jayam Manade Telugu Krishna, Sridevi 1986 Aag Aur Shola Hindi Jeetendra, Sridevi, Mandakini 1986 Ghar Sansar Hindi Jeetendra, Sridevi 1986 Muddat Hindi Mithun Chakraborty, Jaya Prada, Padmini Kolhapure 1986 Swarag Se Sunder Hindi Jeetendra, Jaya Prada, Mithun Chakraborty, Padmini Kolhapure 1987 Majaal Hindi Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya Prada, 1987 Himmat Aur Mehanat Hindi Jeetendra, Sridevi, Poonam Dhillon 1987 Mard Ki Zabaan Hindi Dharmendra, Jackie Shroff, Poonam Dhillon, Kimi Katkar 1987 Makutamleni Maharaju Telugu Krishna, Sridevi 1987 Maa Voori Magadu Telugu Krishna, Sridevi 1988 Pyar Ka Mandir Hindi Mithun Chakraborty, Madhavi 1988 Charnon Ki Saugandh Hindi Mithun Chakraborty, Amrita Singh 1988 Waqt Ki Awaz Hindi Mithun Chakraborty, Sridevi 1988 Sone Pe Suhaaga Hindi Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Anil Kapoor, Poonam Dhillon, Sridevi, Kimi Katkar 1989 Sikka Hindi Dharmendra, Moushumi Chatterjee, Jackie Shroff, Dimple Kapadia 1990 Izzatdaar Hindi Dilip Kumar, Govinda, Madhuri Dixit 1990 Pyar Ka Karz Hindi Mithun Chakraborty 1991 Pyar Hua Chori Chori Hindi Mithun Chakraborty, Gautami Remake of Malayalam film Chithram 1991 Pyar Ka Devta Hindi Mithun Chakraborty, Madhuri Dixit 1992 Kasak Hindi Rishi Kapoor, Chunky Pandey, Neelam Remake of Mouna Ragam 1992 Parda Hai Parda Hindi Chunky Pandey Remake of Malayalam film In Harihar Nagar 1995 Diya Aur Toofan Hindi Mithun Chakraborty