HYDERABAD: Veteran Telugu film director Kodi Ramakrishna, who won Raghupathi Venkaiah Award for his contribution to Telugu cinema in 2012, passed away due to lung infection at a private hospital here on Friday. He was 69 and survived by his wife Padma, daughters -- Deepthi and Pravallika.
A native of Palakollu in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, Kodi Ramakrishna began his career as an associate to late director Dasari Narayana Rao in Korikale Gurralaite (1979). His career as a director began with Megastar Chiranjeevi-starrer ‘Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya’ in 1982.
Produced by K Raghava under Prathap Art Productions, the family entertainer was a blockbuster and has the record run of 525 days in two centres. It was followed by Tarangini which ran for 365 days.
In a career spanning over three decades, Kodi has directed over 100 films in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi. These include ‘Srinivasa Kalyanam’ (1987), ‘Ankusham’ (1989), ‘20va Shatabdam’ (1990), ‘Bharat Bandh’ (1991), ‘Sathruvu’ (1991), ‘Pelli’ (1997), ‘Devullu’ (2000) and ‘Puttintiki Ra Chelli’ (2004). His last film Nagarahavu, an epic-fantasy in Kannada, was released in 2016.
Kodi Ramakrishna holds the record of directing three films with Nandamuri Balakrishna ‘Mangamma Gari Manavadu’ (1984), ‘Muddula Krishnayya’ (1986) and ‘Muddula Mavayya’ (1989) that ran for a year. His another notable film ‘Mapallelo Gopaludu,’ which marked the debut of actor Arjun Sarja ran for 367 days.
He was also known for giving breaks to upcoming actors and film technicians in his films. He introduced actors including Bhanu Chandar, Suman, Babu Mohan and Gautami Tadimalla among others to the industry.
Kodi also acted in films like ‘Inti Donga,’ ‘Aasti Mooredu Aasha Baaredu’ and ‘Dongaata.’
He won 10 Nandi awards and two film fare awards. Known as a celluloid visionary, Kodi Ramakrishna introduced high-end visual effects to South Indian film industry in films like ‘Ammoru’ (1995), ‘Devi’ (1999), and ‘Arundhati’ (2009). He was a multi-tasker. Kodi Ramakrishna’s last rites will be performed on Saturday at Mahaprasthanam in Hyderabad.
Greatest hits
‘Srinivasa Kalyanam’ (1987), ‘Ankusham’ (1989), ‘Bharat Bandh’ (1991), ‘Sathruvu’ (1991), ‘Pelli’ (1997) and ‘Devullu’ (2000) were some of Ramakrishna’s most famous movies