Friday 30 March 2012


Gummadi Venkateswara Rao

Gummadi Venkateswara Rao
Born9 July 1925
Ravikampadu near Tenali,Andhra PradeshIndia
Died26 January 2010 (aged 82)
Hyderabad, India
OccupationCharacter actor
Years active1950–2010
Gummadi Venkateswara Rao (9 July 1925 – 26 January 2010), popularly known as Gummadi, was a popular Telugu film character actor. Though he began to act in films much later than famous artistes like N.T.Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao he had through the course of his career acquired a niche for himself vis a vis the character roles of brother, father etc. which he often undertook.
Early life
He was born in Ravikampadu near Bhattiprolu, Guntur District of Andhra PradeshIndia. According to one of his interviews, he studied in Hindu College (Guntur).
Career
Gummadi's acting career extended from 1950 onwards for almost six decades and he worked with three generations of people in the film industry. Though young, he used to play the dignified roles of relatively elderly people at the beginning. He was a versatile character actor in sociopolitical and mythological movies. He acted in nearly 500 movies. He played the role of father to many lead actors in old Telugu films.
Gummadi Venkateswara Rao first appeared as an actor in 1942, where he played the role of an old man on the stage. He began his cinema career with Adrushtadeepudu (1950) and continued on for about 500 more films portraying roles ranging from the hero, the villain, and the character artiste, to roles with a slight comedic bent, such as his guest appearance in Missamma (1955). Gummadi's excellent portrayal of middle-age roles, even playing father to artistes who are older than he, such as NTR and ANR, made his name synonymous with that of a typical middle-age man.
His roles in Thodu Dongalu (1954) and Mahamantri Timmarusu (1962) alongside NTR brought him appreciable critical acclaim, with the former film winning the President's Award and the latter conferring him the National Award for Best Supporting Actor. His roles in several films were much appreciated, but roles in Maya Bazar (1957), Maa Inti Mahalakshmi (1959), Kula Daivam (1960), Kula Gothralu (1962), Jyothy (1977), Nelavanka (1981), Maro Malupu (1982), Ekalavya(1982), Ee Charitra Ye Siraatho? (1982), Gaaju Bommalu (1983), Pelli Pusthakam (1991) stand out from the rest and some won him awards. Gummadi won several awards as Best Supporting Actor in his career, the President's Silver Medal and Telugu University's honorary doctorate (in 1963) for essaying the title role in Mahamantri Timmarusu and the Best Actor Award for his role in Maro Malupu.
Sree Gummadi Venkateswara Rao served as jury member thrice on the National Film Awards, twice on the Nandi Awards Committee (and twice more as chairperson), and was on the Selection Committee for the NTR Award and Raghupati Venkayya Award. He wrote his memoirs in filmdom and brought them out as an autobiographical titled teepi gurtulu-chEdu j~naapakaalu. When his role needed to be dubbed for Aayanakiddaru (1995) due to his ill health, the veteran artiste who was very popular for his voice decided to quit acting, but he acted again in the title character of Jagadguru Sree Kasi Nayana Charitra (2008) as the role would match his real age and voice.

Characters played by him

Personal life

Gummadi was married and had five daughters and two sons. He died of multiple organ failure at Care hospital, Hyderabad on 26 January 2010. His last public appearance was at the screening of Maya Bazar which had since been colorized. Here he expressed his happiness and said that "Watching this great movie in colour probably could have been the only reason for me to have stayed alive for so long."

Filmography

This is partial filmography of Gummadi. Kindly help expanding it.
YearFilmCharacterRemarks
1950Adrushta DeepuduDebut film
1953Pitchi PullaiahBhopala Rao
1954Thodu DongaluLokanatham
1955KanyasulkamSowjanya Rao Pantulu
ArdhangiZameendaar
JayasimhaRanadhir
MissammaEmployer (guest role)
Rani Ratnaprabha
1956ChiranjeevuluDr. Krishna
Edi NijamMunusabu
IlavelpuFather of Sekhar
Pennin Perumai
1957Suvarna Sundari
Maya BazaarBalarama
Dampatyam
Dongallo Dora
M.L.A.Damodaram
Premada Putri
Preme Daivam
Sarangadhara
Sati Anasuya
Veera Kankanam
Vinayaka ChavitiSatrajit
1958Aadapettanam
Chenchu LakshmiDurvasa
Dongalunnaru Jagratha
Ettuku Pai EttuGovindaiah
Intiguttu
1959IllarikamZamindar
JayabheriViswanatha Sastri
Krishna Leelalu
Maa Inti Mahalakshmi
Nammina Bantu
Pelli Sandadi
Raja MakutamPrachandudu
Sabhash Ramudu
Sati Tulasi
Sipayi Kooturu
1960DeepavaliNagadattudu
HarishchandraVishwamitra Maharshi
Pelli Kaanuka
Renukadevi Mahatyam
Sahasra Siracheda Apoorva Chinthamani
Shantinivasam
Sri Venkateswara MahatyamBhrigu Maharshi
1961Bharya BharthaluFather of Anand
Iddaru MitruluBhanoji Rao
Pandava VanavasamDharmaraaju
Rishyashringar
Rushyashrunga
Santa
Sri Seetha Rama KalyanamViswamitra Maharshi
Tandrulu Kodukulu
VagdanamRanganatham
1962AradhanaPrincipal
BhishmaKarna
Constable Koothuru
Kalimilemulu
Khaidi Kannayya
Kula GothraluBhushaiah
Mahamantri TimmarusuMahamantri Timmarusu
Siri Sampadalu
1963Chaduvukunna Ammayilu
Irugu - Porugu
LakshadhikariSeetayya
Mooga ManasuluZamindar
Paruvu Prathishta
Punarjanma
Savati Koduku
Sri Krishnarjuna YudhamYudhishtira
Tirupathamma Katha
1964Aatma BalamPsychiatrist
Dr. Chakravarthy
Manchi Manishi
Murali Krishna
PoojaphalamDiwan Ramakrishnaiah
RamadasuKabir
Varasatwam
Velugu Needalu
1965Aatma Gowravam
AntastuluZamindar
Chandrahasa
C.I.D.Chalapathi
Keelu Bommalu
Naadi Aada Janme
Preminchi Choodu
Satya Harishchandra
1966AastiparuluZamindar
Bhakta PotanaPothana
Kanne Manasulu
NavarathriFather of Radha
Palnati Yudham
Shri Krishna Pandaviyam
1967Kambojaraju Katha
Prana MithruluDiwan
Private Master
Rahasyam
SudigundaluDefence Lawyer
1968Bandhipotu DongaluDoctor
Bangaru Gaajulu
Bangaru Sankellu
Govula Gopanna
Mana Samsaram
Pala Manasulu
1969Adrushtavanthalu
Aadarsa Kutumbam
AatmiyuluJagannadham
Bhale Rangadu
Buddhimanthudu
Manushulu Marali
Shri Rama Katha
Tara Sasankam
1970Agni Pareeksha
Akka ChelleluDharmayya
Jai Jawan
Maro Prapancham
Poola RangaduChalapathi
Sridevi
1971Amayakuralu
Bhagyavanthudu
Bharya Biddalu
Dasara Bullodu
Mosagallaku MosagaduDaanala Dharmayya
Nenu Manishine
Prem Nagar
Sampoorna RamayanamDasharadha
Shri Krishna Satya
Shrimanthudu
Sisindri Chittibabu
Suputhrudu
Vichithra Dampathyam
1972Bangaru Babu
Iddaru AmmayiluRamanujam
Kalam Marindi
Koduku Kodalu
Neethi Nijayathi
Pandanti Kapuram
Tata ManavaduParamatma Rao
Vichitra Bandham
1973Jeevana TarangaluVenugopal Rao
Kannavari Kala
Mallamma Katha
Marapurani Manishi
Minaru Babu
Samsaram Sagaram
Vichitra Vivaham
Vintha Katha
1974Alluri Seetharama Raju
Ammayi Pelli
Anaganaga Oka Thandri
Bhoomikosam
Devadasu
Dora Babu
Gali Patalu
Intinti Katha
Manushullo DevuduFather
1975Babu
Samsaram
Saubhagyavati
SoggaduSimhadri
Yashoda KrishnaNanda
Zamindarugari Ammayi
1976Ramarajyamlo Rakthapasam
Manchiki Maro Peru
Oka Deepam Veligindhi
Padavoyi Bharatheeyuda
Secretary
Sita KalyanamDasaradh
Sita SwayamvarDasarath
Yavanam Katesindi
1977Aalu Magalu
Chakradhari
Indradhanusu
Kalpana
KurukshetramuBheeshma
Seeta Rama Vanavasam
1978Chal Mohana Ranga
Akbar Saleem Anarkali
Devadasu Malli Puttadu
Sahasavantudu
1979Captain Krishna
Ganga Bhavani
Intinti Ramayanam
Karthika Deepam
Khiladi Krishnudu
Mande Gundelu
Muddula Koduku
Naa Illu Naa Vaalu
Shri Tirupati Venkateswara Kalyanam
1980Mosagadu
Chandipriya
Buchi Babu
Dharma Chakram
Gajadonga
Gharana Donga
Gopala Krishnudu
Heema Hemeelu
Kaksha
Kotha Jeevithalu
Sardar Papa Rayudu
Shri Vasavi Kannika Parameshwari Mahatyam
Sreevari Muchatlu
1981Agni Poolu
Alludugaru Zindabad
Asha Jyoti
Bhoga Bhagyalu
Premabhishekam
Prema Mandiram
Sandhya Ragam
1982Mondighatam
Anuraga Devatha
Bangaru Kanuka
Ee Charitra Ae Siratho
Ekalavya
Jagannatha Rathachakralu
Kaliyuga Ramudu
Maro MalupuNandi Award for Best Actor
Raga Deepam
Swayamvaram
1983Sangharshana
Prema Pichollu
Adavallu Aligithe
Ee Pillaku Pellavuthundha
MLA Yedukondalu
Mundadugu
NelavankaSitarama Raju
Pelli Choopulu
Police Venkataswamy
Rudrakali
1984RustumBrahmaiah Naidu
Rojulu Marayi
1985Raktha SindhuramJagannatham
Shri Datta DarshanamJamadagni
1986VikramCommissioner
KiraathakuduDharmateja
1987Pasivadi Pranam
Thene Manasulu
1988Kanoon Ki Hathkadee
1990Bobbili Raja
1991Pelli PustakamCompany BossNandi Award for Best Feature Film
Talli Tandrulu
1992Brundavanam
1993Govindha GovindhaDoorvasa Maharshi
Muta MesthriChief Minister
Gaayam
Rajendrudu GajendruduElephant's Master
Rajeshwari Kalyanam
Varasudu
1995Dharma Chakram
Maya BazaarBalarama
Aayanaki Iddaru
2008Jagadguru Sri Kasinayana CharitraKasinayana

Writing

  • Gummadi has written his memoirs of Telugu cinema in Teepi Gurthulu and Chedu Jnapakalu.

Awards

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