HYDERABAD: Senior film actor, theatre artiste and writer Raavi Kondala Rao, who had appeared in more than 600 Telugu films, died of cardiac arrest at the age of 88 in a private hospital in Begumpet here on Tuesday.
Kondala Rao, born in Srikakulam, was also an extraordinary film journalist. He edited Vijayachitra for 36 years, making it one of the most-read magazines. He was introduced to the film industry during his early days as a journalist.
First as a writer, then as a dubbing artist and later as an assistant director, Rao donned different roles while trying his luck at acting. He was the assistant director for Nartanasala (1963), directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. He again worked as an assistant director for Pooja Phalam (1964), which the legendary BN Reddy had directed. He had earlier got a small role in Sobha (1958) and later on, played several such roles. The actor’s alliance with Mullapudi Ramana and Bapu helped him take a major turn in his career. Preminchi Choodu (1964) shot him into prominence as after that, he signed about 15 films in a row.
In the movie, Rao played the character of hero Akkineni Nageswara Rao’s father. In an interview, Kondala Rao had reminisced how when he was asked to shout at Nageswara Rao he frozen with fear. “But everything went fine as the actor and director told me that it was a father pulling up a son, and not Raavi Kondala Rao pulling up Nageswara Rao,” he had said.
The character won him recognition. Interestingly, Kondala Rao and his wife Radha Kumari had done husband-wife roles in more than 100 movies, which is, a world record. Kondala Rao kept acting in dramas till the age of 85. Healthy comedy was his forte. His filmography included memorable films like Ramudu Bhimudu (1998), Tene Manasulu (1965), Ali Baba 40 Dongalu (1970), and Andala Ramudu (1973).
The veteran had also produced films like Bhairavadweepam and Sri Krishnarjuna Vijayam. Kondala Rao was also a recipient of nine Nandi Awards that honoured his works as an actor, writer and historian. The actor’s wife passed away in 2012. He is survived by his son RV Sashikumar. Kondala Rao always advises the younger generation to do complete justice to the profession they choose.
He led a disciplined life in the film world, which itself is a message to the new age actors that they should guard against yielding to temptations. Later in the day, CM K Chandrasekhar Rao mourned his death and recalled what a fine artiste Kondala Rao was in his time. He prayed that his soul would rest in peace.