B. Subba Rao
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B. A. Subba Rao was an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter who primarily worked in
Telugu cinema Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Cinema of India, Indian cinema dedicated to the production of Film, motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Based in Film N ...
. He played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of several prominent actors, including
N. T. Rama Rao Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996), often referred to by his initials NTR, was an Indian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, film editor, philanthropist, and politician who served as the Chief Minister o ...
. Subba Rao made his directorial debut with '' Palletoori Pilla'' (1950), a film that launched N. T. Rama Rao in his first lead role and became a major success. He went on to direct other notable films such as '' Raju Peda'' (1954), '' Chenchu Lakshmi'' (1958), and ''Bhishma'' (1962). Subba Rao is also the founder of BAS Productions and produced seven films under the banner. In recognition of his contributions to cinema, he was honoured with the
Raghupathi Venkaiah Award The Raghupathi Venkaiah Award is an award issued by the Indian state government of Andhra Pradesh to recognise lifetime achievements in Telugu cinema. The award was introduced in 1981 in honour of Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu, one of India's film p ...
in 1982. He later served as the Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Film Development Corporation.


Early life

B. A. Subba Rao was born in 1915 in
Kakinada Kakinada (; formerly known as Cocanada) is a Port, port city and municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Situated along the Bay of Bengal, it serves as the headquarters of Kakinada district and is a prominent economic and c ...
. From a young age, he developed a passion for the performing arts, influenced by
Surabhi Kamadhenu (, , ), also known as Surabhi (, or , ), is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hinduism as the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous cow of plenty who provides her owner whatever they desire and is often portrayed as the mother o ...
theatre performances,
Gubbi Veeranna Gubbi Hampanna Veeranna (1891 – 1972) was an Indian theatre director. He was one of the pioneers and most prolific contributors to Kannada theatre. He established the drama company, ''Gubbi Sree Channabasaveshwara Nataka Company'', which play ...
plays,
Sohrab Modi Sohrab Merwanji Modi (2 November 1897 – 28 January 1984) was an Indian stage and film actor, director and producer. His films include ''Khoon Ka Khoon'' (1935), a version of Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'', ''Sikandar (1941 film), Sikandar'', '' ...
's Hindi dramas, and
silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
s. He became involved in theatre through the Natya Kala Vinodini Sabha, a drama company founded by his brother-in-law, K. A. Naidu. With this troupe, he performed in social plays like ''Only Daughter'' and ''Bhale Pelli'' across the
Andhra Andhra Pradesh (ISO: , , AP) is a state on the east coast of southern India. It is the seventh-largest state and the tenth-most populous in the country. Telugu is the most widely spoken language in the state, as well as its official lang ...
and
Nizam Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I ...
regions, alongside actress C. Krishnaveni. During this time, he also developed an interest in English plays through his involvement with the Young Men's Happy Club in Kakinada, where he worked with future film industry figures like
Anjali Devi Anjali Devi (; 24 August 1927 – 13 January 2014) was an Indian actress, model and producer in Telugu and Tamil films. She was well known for her role as the Devi Sita in '' Lava Kusa'' as well as for the title roles in movies like Chenchu ...
and P. Adinarayana Rao.


Career


Early career in Calcutta

Subba Rao's dedication to the arts led him to skip his final school exams, and without informing his family, he left for
Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...
(now Kolkata) to pursue a career in films. He impressed Radha Film Company's manager, Banerjee, and worked as an assistant director in Bengali films for four years, gaining significant experience. This period was crucial in shaping his skills in filmmaking, preparing him for his later ventures in Telugu cinema.


Transition to Madras

In 1940, Subba Rao moved to
Madras Chennai, also known as Madras ( its official name until 1996), is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian ce ...
(now Chennai) and initially took on a small comic role in a film. He then joined Sobhanachala Studios as a manager, where he actively participated in story discussions. With encouragement from the Raja of Mirzapuram, the studio's owner, he transitioned into film production and direction. This marked the beginning of his career as a filmmaker.


Debut as director and producer

Subba Rao made his debut as a director and producer with '' Palletoori Pilla'' (1950), a joint venture between Sobhanachala Studios and his production company. This film marked
N. T. Rama Rao Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996), often referred to by his initials NTR, was an Indian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, film editor, philanthropist, and politician who served as the Chief Minister o ...
’s first lead role, where he played Jayanth, a dacoit who reforms. Although Rama Rao had previously acted in minor roles, this film launched his successful career in Telugu cinema. Subba Rao adapted the English play ''Pizarro'' to suit local tastes, and the film, also starring
Akkineni Nageswara Rao Akkineni Nageswara Rao (20 September 1924 – 22 January 2014), known as ANR, was an Indian actor and film producer in Telugu cinema. Over his seven decade career, he became a prominent figures in the industry, and is among most influential ac ...
and Anjali Devi, became a box office hit. The success was further enhanced by strong dialogues and music, thanks to collaborations with writers like Tapi Dharma Rao and composer P. Adinarayana Rao. ''Palletoori Pilla'' was later remade in Hindi as ''Insaniyat'' (1955) by Gemini Pictures, featuring
Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar (born Muhammad Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor and film producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated Hindi cinema from the 1950s throughout t ...
and
Dev Anand Dev Anand (; born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand; 26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011) was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Indian cinema, Hindi cinema. He is considered as one of the greatest and most succes ...
.


Later career

Following the success of ''Palletoori Pilla'', Subba Rao founded BAS Productions and also directed other notable films. Among his most successful works were '' Raju Peda'' (1954), ''Chenchu Lakshmi'' (1958), and ''Bhishma'' (1962 film). His ability to adapt popular plays and collaborate with talented writers and composers helped solidify his reputation in the Telugu film industry. In addition to his work as a producer and director, Subba Rao also appeared in a few films as an actor, showcasing his versatility. Notable acting credits include ''Kacha Devayani'' (1938), ''Bhale Tammudu'' (1969), and ''Sabhash Papanna'' (1972). Later in life, Subba Rao faced financial difficulties, but his legacy remained intact due to the lasting impact of his films.


Legacy

Subba Rao made significant contributions to Telugu cinema, earning him recognition as a leading figure in the industry. Subba Rao launched
N. T. Rama Rao Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996), often referred to by his initials NTR, was an Indian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, film editor, philanthropist, and politician who served as the Chief Minister o ...
in his first lead role, playing a key role in shaping his career and establishing him as a major figure in Telugu cinema. Additionally, he introduced prominent actors like
Vanisri Vanisri (born Rathna Kumari) is an Indian actress known for her works predominantly in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada films. In a film career spanning 40 years, she has received three Filmfare Awards South, the Nandi Awards and the Tamil Nadu St ...
and
Dhulipala Dhulipala Sitarama Sastry (24 September 1921 – 13 April 2007), known mononymously by the surname Dhulipala, was an Indian actor and thespian, known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He was noted for playing mythological roles, p ...
in ''Bhishma'' (1962) and provided early opportunities to S. V. Ranga Rao and
Nandamuri Balakrishna Nandamuri Balakrishna (born 10 June 1960), also known as Balayya or NBK, is an Indian actor, film producer, politician and philanthropist known for his works in Telugu cinema. Balakrishna is an elected member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative A ...
. In 1982, Subba Rao was honoured with the prestigious
Raghupathi Venkaiah Award The Raghupathi Venkaiah Award is an award issued by the Indian state government of Andhra Pradesh to recognise lifetime achievements in Telugu cinema. The award was introduced in 1981 in honour of Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu, one of India's film p ...
for his contributions to the Telugu film industry. When N. T. Rama Rao became the
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh is the chief executive of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. In accordance with the Constitution of India, the governor is a state's ''de jure'' head, but '' de facto'' executive authority rests with the ch ...
, he recognized Subba Rao's influence by appointing him as Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Film Development Corporation.


Filmography


See also

*
Raghupathi Venkaiah Award The Raghupathi Venkaiah Award is an award issued by the Indian state government of Andhra Pradesh to recognise lifetime achievements in Telugu cinema. The award was introduced in 1981 in honour of Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu, one of India's film p ...


References


External links


B. A. Subba Rao at IMDb.

Photograph of B. A. Subba Rao at Legends in Telugu Film Industry.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, B. A. Subba Telugu film directors 1987 deaths Telugu film producers 20th-century Indian people 1915 births People from Kakinada Film people from East Godavari district