Akkineni Nageswara Rao (Telugu: అక్కినేని నాగేశ్వరరావు) , (born 20 September 1924 at Ramapuram , Gudivada Taluk, Krishna District), also known as ANR, is a Telugu Cinema film actor from Gudivada, Andhra Pradesh.Nageswara Rao has worked in several genres of films - mythological, social, drama, etc - in his 69 year old acting career. Nageswara Rao has been with the telugu film industry since 1941 (ten years post the birth of Telugu Cinema) and is consiered one of the most veteran of telugu cinema actors.
Early Life and Background
Akkineni Nageswara Rao was born in a poor farmer's family on the 20th of September 1924 at Ramapuram. He has stated on record in several interviews that his education was limited to primary schooling due to the poor economic conditions of his parents. Nageswara Rao took to acting at a very early age. He started acting in street plays at the age of 9 and acted in several plays.
Indian plays in those days used to have all male casts and male leads often played female roles (as evidenced in the first Indian feature film Raja Harishchandra). Nageswara Rao in his early days as an actor used to enact such female roles on stage[12]. He acted more than 260 movies in his career.
Career
Nageswara Rao's first telugu film was Dharmapatni, a 1941 telugu film , wherein he played the role of one of the hero's childhood friends. He later continued his career as a part time stage actor and acted in several renowned telugu plays such as Ashoka jyothy, Sathyanveshana and Telugu talli. On one such occasion, when he was travelling back from a play in Tenali, he was spotted on the Vijayawada railway station by Ghantasala Balaramaiah a telugu film maker of those days and was immediately offered a role in his upcoming movie Seeta Rama Jananam. He was later cast in this movie in the role of Lord Rama.
In his career spanning 69 years in the telugu film industry, he has played the lead role in over 256 telugu films and 26 tamil films. Several of these films turned out to be financial and critical successes.
Amongst other things, Nageswara Rao is credited for influencing telugu film producers and creating a base for telugu films in Hyderabad.
Telugu film industry in its early days worked out of Madras (now, Chennai) in Tamilnadu. The new state of Andhra Pradesh was carved out from the Madras Presidency on 1 November 1956 and several leaders opined that in order to create a sepaarate identity for the telugu film industry, it had to be based out of Hyderabad - the then capital of Andhra Pradesh. ANR was one of the actors of that period who insisted on creating a base for telugu films in Hyderabad and established his own production studio, Annapurna Studios, to facilitate this.
Prominent Films
ANR acted in several landmark telugu films. Some of his prominent films that have been financial and critical successes are Tenali Rama Krishna, Kalidasu, Devadasu, MayaBazaar, Missamma, Dr. Chakravarthi, Ardhangi, Muga Manasulu, Dasara Bullodu, Prem Nagar and Premabhishekam amongst others. The film premabhishekam deserves a special mention as it has been one of his biggest hits.
Awards and Honors
He is the recipient of Dada Saheb Phalke Award, Padma Bhushan Award, Padma Sri Award, Kalimamani the Raghupati Venkayya Award,he won 7 Filmfare Awards Best Telugu Actor and the Kalidasu award granted by MP Government at national level. At a point of time he was also appointed as an adviser to the State Film Development Corporation.
List of Movies
1 Seeta Rama Jananam 1944
2 Ratnamala 1944
3 Mugguru Maratilu 1946
4 Palnati Yudham 1947
5 Mayalokam 1948
6 Balaraju 1948
7 Keelu Gurram 1949
8 Rakha Rekha 1949
9 Laila Majnu 1949
10 Palletoori Pilla 1950
11 Swapna Sundari 1950
12 Samsaram 1950
13 Mayalamarari 1951
15 Prema 1952
16 Paradesi 1953
17 Bratuku Theruvu 1953
18 Devadasu 1953
19 Chakrapani 1954
20 Vipranarayana 1954
21 Missamma 1955
22 Ardhangi 1955
23 Rojulu Marayee 1955
24 Ardhangi 1955
25 Anarkhali 1955
26 Santhaanam 1955
27 Vadina 1955
28 Donga Ramudu 1955
29 Bhale Ramudu 1956
30 Ilavelpu 1956
31 Thodi Kodallu 1957
32 Sati Savithri 1957
33 Mayabazar 1957
34 Allavuddin Adbhutadeepam 1957
35 Suvarna Sundari 1957
36 Dongallo Dora 1957
37 Chenchu Lakshmi 1958
38 Pellinati Pramanalu 1958
39 Mangalyabalam 1959
40 Pellisandadi 1959
41 Jayabheri 1959
42 Illarikam 1959
43 Namminabantu 1960
44 Santinivasam 1960
45 Mahakavi Kalidasu 1960
46 Pellikanuka 1960
47 Mahakavi Kalidasu 1960
48 Runanubandham 1960
49 Abhimanam 1961
50 Velugu Needalu 1961
51 Bharya Bharthalu 1961
52 Sabhash Raja 1961
53 Iddaru Mithrulu 1961
54 Aradhana 1962
55 Manchi Manasulu 1962
56 Gundamma Katha 1962
57 Kulagothralu 1962
58 Siri Sampadalu 1962
59 Sri Krishnarjuna Yudham 1963
60 Chaduvukunna Ammayilu 1963
61 Poojafalam 1964
62 Atmabalam 1964
63 Mooga Manasulu 1964
64 Muralikrishna 1964
65 Amarasilpi Jakkanna 1964
66 Doctor Chakravarti 1964
67 Antastulu 1965
68 Manushulu Mamatalu 1965
69 Sumangali 1965
70 Aatma Gowravam 1966
71 Navarathri 1966
72 Aastiparulu 1966
73 Poola Rangadu 1967
74 Manchi Kutumbam 1968
75 Brahmachari 1968
76 Govula Gopanna 1968
77 Bangaru Gajulu 1968
78 Adrushtavanthulu 1969
79 Mooga Nomu 1969
80 Bandhipotu Dongalu 1969
81 Athmeeyulu 1969
82 Buddhimanthudu 1969
83 Sipayi Chinnayya 1969
84 Akkachellelu 1970
85 Iddarammayelu 1970
86 Dasara Bullodu 1971
87 Pavithrabandham 1971
88 Prem Nagar 1971
89 Suputhrudu 1971
90 Amaayakuraalu 1971
91 Rithukutumbam 1972
92 Vichitrabandham 1972
93 Koduku Kodalu 1972
94 Manchi Rojulu Vachchaayi 1972
95 Datta Putrudu 1972
96 Bangaru Babu 1973
97 Bhakta Tukaram 1973
98 Palletoori Bava 1973
99 Andala Ramudu 1973
100 Manchivadu 1974
101 Bangarukalalu 1974
102 Dorababu 1974
103 Secretary 1976
104 Chakradhari 1977
105 Alumagalu 1977
106 Bangaru Bommalu 1977
107 Chanakya Chandragupta 1977
108 Chilipi Krishnudu 1978
109 Ramakrishnulu 1978
110 Devadaasu Mallee Puttaadu 1978
111 Muddula Koduku 1979
112 Yedanthastulameda 1980
113 Pilla Zameendaaru 1980
114 Buchhibabu 1980
115 Srivari Muchhatlu 1981
116 Premabhishekam 1981
117 Gurusishyulu 1981
118 Ramudu Kadhu Krushnudu 1983
119 Bahoodhurapu Baatasari 1983
120 Sriranganeetulu 1983
121 Anubandham 1984
122 Collectorgari Abbai 1987
123 Sutradharulu 1989
124 Sitaramayyagari Manavaralu 1991
125 College Bullodu 1992
126 Mechanic Alludu 1993
127 Bangaru Kutumbam 1994
128 Daddy Daddy 1998
129 Sri Seetarama Kalyanam Chutamurarandi 1998
130 Chukkallo Chandrudu 2006
131 Sri Ramadasu 2006
132 Rajeswari Kalyanam 1992
133 Raogariillu 1987
134 Raogarintlo rowdi 1989
135 Pandaga 1998
136 Madhavaiah gari manavadu 1993
137 Bramhaputrudu 1986
138 Sri Ramadasu 2006
139 Gandeevam 1993
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akkineni_Nageswara_Rao
