GUMMADI
Gummadi
Today, 9th July happens to be the birthday of versatile telugu actor Gummadi Venkateshwara Rao. A village Ravikampadu in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh has gifted this Great actor on 9th July, 1925.
He has finished his Intermediate at Hindu College, Guntur in the year 1947. His passion for action made him a stage actor playing Father’s role. In the year 1950 his fortune clicked with a role in Soundara Rajans film “Adrushta Deepudu”. He tried his Luck as Hero in the film “Saantha” his own production. But was failed to impress audience as a hero.
He played the role of Balaramudu in “Maya Bazar”.
He has acted in the role of Dasaratha Maharaju in the films “Seetha Kalyanam” and “Sampoorna Ramayanam” both being directed by Bapu.
His dignified figure and commanding voice suited for the roles of Zamindar, Police Officer, Rich Father or a diwan.
Gummadi was such a great actor used to enter in to the given characters, live in them, explore the best action in him and presented the best performance in 500 plus films spanning nearly 6 decades.As a Diwan in the film “Lakshadhikari” he was outstanding.
As a shaken father in the film “Panthalu-Pattimpulu” he lived into the role with the song “Inukora Inukora ee mallanna mata “.
He narrated the sequences as a mad guy with the song ”Evaro vastharani yedo chestarani” in the film “Bhoomikosam”, directed by K B Tilak.
In the film “Pellipusthakam” by Bapu a Dialogue ”Nenoooo” presented by gummadi in peculiar diction has impressed one and all.
He was similar in age of N T R and A N R. He acted in elderly roles in most of the films with them,.
Gummadi expressed his satisfaction at the Preview of Colored version of evergreen Telugu film “Maya Bazar”.
From a long list of the movies he lived in, we mention few which are his best-
Santha
Kanyasulkam
Ardhangi
Chiranjeevulu
Ilavelpu
Illarikam
Premnagar
Bharya Bharthalu
Maya Bazar
M L A
Jayabheri.
Sipayi Koothuru
Panthalu-Pattimpulu
Chenchulakshmi
Anthasthulu
Bhaktha Pothana
Kanne Manasulu
Pranamithrulu
Jeevana Tharangalu
Kurukshetram
Aradhana
Punarjanma
Atmabalam
Dagudumoothalu
Dr.Chakravarthi
Loguttu Perumallukeruka
Annapoorna
Pelli Pusthakam
What Bal Raj Sahani is to the Hindi films, Gummadi can be termed as the same to Telugu Film industry.
In recognition of his great service to the Telugu cinema the AP Government has awarded him the prestigious ”Raghupathi Venkaiah Award” in the year 1998.
He was honored with Kala Prapurna by Pottisreeramulu University
He has received the Nandi Award for his best action in the Movie ”Maro Malupu” in the year 1982.
This great son of Telugu Cinema demised due to cardiac arrest on 26thJanuary 2010 at Hyderabad.
He was a very close friend of the most popular Telugu poet / lyricst Dr. C Narayana Reddy. Even at the age of 83 in the year 2008, he acted in a mythological movie “Jagadguru sri kasinayana charitra”. This is a proof of gummadi’s zeal for action.
Business of Tollywood wish everybody to remember “Gummadi” on his 86th birth anniversary .