T. Chalapathi Rao

Tatineni Chalapathi Rao (22 December 1920 – 22 February 1994) was an Indian music composer who worked in Telugu cinema. His career spanned more than three decades from early 1950s, till 1980s. He was the cousin of T. Prakash Rao.

Early life Born to Dronavilli Manikyamma and Rattayya in the village of Vuyyuru in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh on 22 December 1920, but he was adopted by Tatineni Koteswara Rao and his wife Kotamma. He was the cousin of T. Prakash Rao.

Career His first film as music director was the Telugu film Puttillu in 1953 jointly with another music director, Mohan Das. His first independent work was for the Tamil film Amara Deepam (1956). Thereafter until 1984 he scored music for around 125 films mostly in Telugu and some in Tamil.

He created many popular songs for films starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Through the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, Chalapathi Rao and Nageswara Rao gave innumerable hits. Notable among them are Illarikam (1959), Punarjanma (1963), Manushulu Mamatalu (1965), Navaratri (1966), Dharma Daata (1970) and Srimanthudu (1971); together with some real chartbusters in 1972 which include Datta Putrudu, Manchi Rojulu Vachhayi and Raithu Kutumbam. To the end the pair continued to create music for films including Kanna Koduku (1973), Palletoori Baava (1973), Aalu Magalu (1977) and Sri Rama Raksha (1978).

T. Chalapathi Rao's hit scores with other Telugu heroes including Manchi Rojulu Vachchayi, Amma Nanna, Manchi Manasu and Kamalamma Kamatam with Krishnam Raju, Lakshadhikari, Ramuni Minchina Ramudu, Kalavaari Kodalu with N. T. Rama Rao and films such as Goodhachari 116, Asadhyudu with Krishna.

The last film he scored music for was Janam Manam in 1984.

Personal life He was married to Annapurna with whom he did not have children and later married Dr Jamuna with whom he had two sons and a daughter.

Filmography Year Film Language Director Banner Notes 1953 Puttilu Telugu Dr. Raja Rao Raja Productions with C. Mohandas 1954 Parivartana Telugu T. Prakash Rao Janata Pictures with C. Mohandas 1956 Amara Deepam Tamil T. Prakash Rao Venus Pictures G. Ramanathan & G. N. Balasubramaniam 1956 Amara Jeevi Telugu T. Prakash Rao Venus Pictures G. Ramanathan 1958 Pathi Bakthi Telugu A. Bhimsingh Buddha Pictures 1958 Veera Pratap Telugu T. Prakash Rao Venus Pictures G. Ramanathan 1959 Illarikam Telugu T. Prakash Rao Prasad Art Pictures 1959 Koodi Vazhnthal Kodi Nanmai Tamil D. S. Rajagopal Narasu Studios 1959 Uthami Petra Rathinam Tamil M. A. Thirumugam Amara Productions 1960 Maa Babu Telugu T. Prakash Rao Pragathi Art Productions 1960 Meenda Sorgam Tamil C. V. Sridhar Madhuram Pictures 1961 Anbu Magan Tamil T. Prakash Rao Pragathi Art Productions 1961 Punar Jenmam Tamil R. S. Mani Vijaya Films 1961 Thandrulu Kodukulu Telugu K. Hemabharadara Rao Raghuramayya Creations 1962 Sri Valli Kalyanam Telugu T. R. Ramanna Narasu Studios 1963 Lakshadhikari Telugu V. Madhusudhana Rao Ravindra Art Pictures 1963 Punarjanma Telugu K. Pratyagatma Prasad Art Pictures 1963Chandra KumaraKannadaN. S. VarmaH M Baba ProductionsM. Venkataraju is the co-music director. 1964 Kalavari Kodalu Telugu K. Hemambaradhara Rao Raghuram Pictures 1964 Manchi Manishi Telugu K. Pratyagatma Chaya Chitra 1964 Mane Aliya Kannada S. K. A. Chari Prasad Art Pictures 1964 Nalvaravu Tamil Charlie–Maniam S. V. Movies 1965 Manushulu Mamathalu Telugu K. Pratyagatma Navayuga Films 1965 Mavana Magalu Kannada S. K. A. Chari Prasad Art Pictures 1966 Badukuva Daari Kannada K. S. Prakash Rao Balaram Pictures 1966 Gudachari 116 Telugu M. Mallikarjuna Rao Vauhini Studios 1966 Mangalasutram Telugu A. K. Velan Arunachalam Studios 1966 Navaratri Telugu T. Rama Rao Prasad Art Pictures 1966 Zamindar Telugu V. Madhusudhana Rao Ravindra Art Pictures 1967 Aada Paduchu Telugu K. Hemambharadhara Rao Subhashini Art Pictures 1967 Maadi Veettu Mappilai Tamil S. K. A. Chari Prasad Art Pictures 1967 Marapurani Katha Telugu V. Ramachandra Rao Sri Productions 1967 Pattukunte Padivelu Telugu M. Mallikarjuna Rao Navajyoti Films 1967 Shiva Leelalu Telugu A. P. Nagarajan Sri Vijayalakshmi Pictures with K. V. Mahadevan 1968 Asadhyudu Telugu V. Ramachandra Rao Tiger Productions 1968 Bangaru Gaajulu Telugu C. S. Rao Ravindra Art Pictures 1968 Brahmachari Telugu T. Rama Rao Prasad Art Pictures 1968 Chelleli Kosam Telugu M. Mallikarjuna Rao Jayasri Lakshmi Pictures 1968 Nadamanthrapu Siri Telugu T. Rama Rao Navajyoti Pictures 1968 Prema Katha Telugu Muktha Srinivasan Muktha Films 1968 Srimanthulu Telugu T. R. Ramanna R. R. Pictures 1969 Chiranjeevi Telugu Savitri Arunachalam Studios 1969 Madhura Milana Kannada 1969 Madras To Hyderabad Telugu Thirumalai–Mahalingam Sri Venkateswara Cinetone 1969 Prema Kanuka Telugu V. Sobhanadri Rao Digvijaya Films 1970 Akhandudu Telugu V. Ramachandra Rao Tiger Productions 1970 Dharma Daata Telugu A. Sanjeevi Ravindra Art Pictures 1971 Adrusta Jathakudu Telugu K. Hemambaradhara Rao Subhashini Art Pictures 1971 Pavitra Hrudayalu Telugu A. C. Tirulokchandar Sri Vijaya Venkateswara Films 1971 Sisindri Chittibabu Telugu Akkineni Sanjeevi Rao Ravindra Art Pictures 1971 Srimanthudu Telugu K. Pratyagatma Viswa Bharathi Productions 1972 Datta Putrudu Telugu Tammareddy Lenin Babu Ravindra Art Pictures 1972 Kiladi Bullodu Telugu Nandamuri Ramesh Chitrakaka Films 1972 Manchi Rojulu Vachchayi Telugu V. Madhusudhana Rao Gemini Studios 1972 Raitu Kutumbam Telugu T. Rama Rao Nava Bharath Movie 1973 Doctor Babu Telugu Tammareddy Lenin Babu Ravindra Art Pictures 1973 Kanna Koduku Telugu V. Madhusudhana Rao Vishwa Bharti Production 1973 Mainaru Babu Telugu T. Prakash Rao Saradhi and TPR Combines 1973 Palletoori Bava Telugu K. Pratyagatma Prasad Art Pictures 1974 Adapillala Tandri Telugu K. Vasu Satya Enterprises 1974 Gali Patalu Telugu T. Prakash Rao Anil Arts 1974 Mugguru Ammayilu Telugu K. Pratyagatma Navabharat Art Films 1974 Vani Dongala Rani Telugu Aamancharla Seshagiri Rao Navodaya Art Movies 1975 Chinninati Kalalu Telugu K. Viswanath Ravindra Art Pictures 1975 Devudu Chesina Pelli Telugu T. Rama Rao Sri Lakshmi Productions 1975 Parivartana Telugu K. Hemambaradhara Rao 1975 Ramuni Minchina Ramudu Telugu M. S. Gopinath Rajeswari Fine Arts 1975 Samsaram Telugu T. Prakash Rao Anil Productions 1975 Vayasochina Pilla Telugu Lakshmi Deepak Krishiwala Pictures 1976 Alludochchaadu Telugu K. Pratyagatma Prasad Art Pictures 1976 Amma Nanna Telugu Tammareddy Lenin Babu Ravindra Art Pictures 1976 Mahatmudu Telugu M. S. Gopinath Rajeswari Chitra 1976 Vanaja Girija Telugu Gautham Sri Vanaja Movies 1977 Aalu Magalu Telugu T. Rama Rao Prasad Art Pictures 1977 Ardhangi Telugu A. Mohan Gandhi Prasad Art Pictures 1977 Athavarillu Telugu K. Pratyagatma Prasad Art Pictures 1977 Gadusu Ammayi Telugu K. Pratyagatma Dwarka Art Productions 1977 Mahanubhavudu Telugu K. Hemambharadhara Rao Subhasini Combines 1977 Mohini Vijayamu Telugu N. S. Varma Sri Venkatalakshmi Pictures with M. Poornachandra Rao 1978 Manchi Manasu Telugu K. Pratyagatma A. A. Combines 1978 Sri Rama Raksha Telugu T. Rama Rao Ajay Art Pictures 1978 Thalle Challani Daivam Telugu M. S. Gopinath Rajeshwari Chitra Combines 1979 Kamalamma Kamatam Telugu K. Pratyagatma Prasad Art Pictures 1979 Love Marriage Telugu Tammareddy Lenin Babu Ravindra Art Pictures 1980 Janthu Prapancham Telugu Sri Lakshminarayana Films 1980 Nayakudu Vinayakudu Telugu K. Pratyagatma Prasad Art Pictures 1980 Thandava Krishna Tarangam Telugu Rajkumar with Sanjay Manikya 1980 Yuvatharam Kadilindi Telugu Dhavala Satyam Navataram Pictures 1981 Harischandrudu Telugu U. Visweswar Rao Vishwashanthi Movies 1981 Maro Kurukshetram Telugu Tammareddy Lenin Babu Charita Film Combines 1982 Circus Prapancham Telugu U. Visweswar Rao 1983 Keerthy Kantha Kanakam Telugu U. Visweswar Rao Vishwashanthi Movies 1984 Janam Manam Telugu Mohan Das Navaratnam Films 1985Thayi ThandeKannadaV. SathyanarayanaU S R Pictures