Veteran producer-director Dasari Narayana Rao breathed his last on 30 May after a prolonged illness. He was 75. Dasari Narayana Rao was a filmmaker who brought distinct value to the director’s chair. Like the musical trinity, it was to the credit of Dasari Narayana Rao-Bapu-K Viswanath trio to have produced many a Telugu cinema’s celluloid riches during the 70s and 80s.
One of the leading voices of the Telugu film industry, Dasari Narayana Rao directed 151 films, produced 53 films and worked in more than 250 films in different capacities as a writer and lyrics. He has had the distinction of working with stalwarts like N.T. Rama Rao in Sardar Paparayudu, Manushulantha Okkate, and Bobbili Puli. He directed Akkineni Nageswara Rao in films including Premabhishekam, Srivari Muchchatlu, Yedantasthula Meda and Megha Sandesham. Dasari made debut as a director in 1972 with Tata Manavadu, for which he won the prestigious Nandi Award for Best Feature Film. And he never looked back. He was one of the seasoned Indian filmmakers with two National Awards under his belt. He has also made his mark in Hindi cinema and he achieved a pan-India recognition when he directed legendary actor Rajesh Khanna in films like Asha Jyoti and Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtar in 1984.
He entered the Limca World Record for doing a maximum number of films as a director in India. Dasari was also a seasoned politician and said to be a close confidante of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. He was also a former Union Minister of State for Coal in the Manmohan Singh government and was chargesheeted in the coal scam.
Nickhil Mani
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