Tadepalli Lakshmi Kantha Rao (16 November 1923 – 22 March 2009) was an Indian actor and producer known for his works predominantly 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 ...

. Regarded as one of the finest method actors, Rao appeared in more than 400 feature films, starring in many, in a variety of genres including mythological, social and folklore. After a success string in folklore and swashbuckling films, he became popularly referred to as ''Kattula Kantha Rao''. He has also acted in a few

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

, Tamil, and

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

movies. He has produced about five films under the Hyma Films banner. In the 1960s, he was one of the primary actors in Telugu cinema, along with N. T. Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Kantha Rao was known for portraying the roles of

Narada Narada (, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage-divinity, famous in Hinduism, Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of the Manasputra, mind-created children of Brahma, the creator ...

, Lord Krishna and Arjuna in mythological films. He played Lakshmana in the blockbuster film '' Lava Kusa'', for which he received ''Vishehsa Puraskaram'' in 1963.

Early life

Rao was born into a Telugu Brahmin family to Kesavarao and Seetaramamma at Kodad of Suryapet district in present-day

Telangana Telangana is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated in the Southern India, south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ele ...

on 16 November 1923. According to the Hindu calendar, it corresponds to Rudhirodgari Samvatsara Kartika Sudha Ashtami day. He lost his father the next year. His primary education was done in Gudibanda and

Khammam Khammam is the city in Khammam district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is the fourth largest city in the state. It is the headquarters of the Khammam district and Khammam Tehsil, mandal also. It is located about east of the state capital ...

. He was exposed to puranas and Hindu epic stories from his grandmother.

Career

Surabhi Drama troupe has visited their village. Impressed by their professional performances, he established "Balamitra Natya Mandali" and used to play '' Gayopakhyanam'' and ''Madhuseva'' plays with his friends. He played the character Brahma in ''Sri Krishna Leelalu'' in the group "Surabhi" and subsequently in the plays ''Madhuseva'', ''Kanakatara'' and ''Telugu Talli''. Rao was sent to Tenali to distract from the drama activities. Tenali used to be very active in drama activities with stalwarts like Pulipati Lakshminarayana. He used to stay in same street where Rentachintala Satyanarayana and Banda Kanakalingeswara Rao used to live. He then shifted 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 ...

in 1950 and used to stay with T. Krishnamachari, who used to work as assistant director for H. M. Reddy's Rohini Pictures. H. M. Reddy gave him a chance to play a small role in '' Nirdoshi'' in 1951 and as his hero for ''Pratigna'' in 1953. He has acted in 450 films and in about 100 films as hero, whereas in others as different character roles. They include some popular roles in films like '' Jayasimha'' (1955), '' Shri Krishna Pandaviyam'' (1966), ''Guruvunu Minchina Sishyudu'' (1963), '' Lava Kusha'' (1963), '' Nartanasala'' (1963), '' Pandava Vanavasam'' (1965) and '' Muthyala Muggu'' (1975). His last movie was '' Pandurangadu'', with Balakrishna, directed by K. Raghavendra Rao in 2008. He produced four films between 1969 and 1974, '' Saptaswaralu'', ''Gandara Gandadu'', ''Premajeevulu'' and ''Gundelu Theesina Monagadu'' and lost all his previous earnings. The last film he made was ''Swathi Chinukulu''. Subsequently, he moved to

Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...

Awards

;National honours * Visesha Puraskaram in Ramineni Foundation Awards in 2004. * Mahanati Savitri Award * C.H. Narayana Rao Award ; Nandi Awards * Raghupathi Venkaiah Award by the government of

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

in 2000, for lifetime achievement. * Nandi Award for Best Book, for ''Anaganaga Oka Raakumaarudu'' won for the year 2007.

Filmography

Telugu films

Other language films

Producer

* '' Saptaswaralu'' (1969) * '' Gandara Gandadu'' (1969) * '' Premajeevulu'' (1971) * '' Gundelu Teesina Monagaadu'' (1974) * '' Swaati Chinukulu'' (1989)

Personal life

Rao was married to Suseela and had a daughter in 1942. The daughter died of smallpox during infancy. They had a son in 1945 named after his father as Keshav. He married Hymavathi in 1950 and subsequently Suseela died of illness. His son also died of typhoid fever in his childhood. He has four sons and a daughter by Hymavathi, named Pratap, Keshav, Suseela, Raja and Satyam, in that order. His son Raja (Rajeswara Rao) has acted in '' Sudigundalu'', ''Prema Jeevulu'', ''Gandara Gandadu'', ''Gundelu Teesina Monagadu'', ''Swati Chinukulu'', ''Ukku Pidugu'', ''Rajasimha'', ''Evaru Monagadu'', ''Maro Prapancham'' and ''Manushulu Matti Bommalu''. His son Satyam also has acted in ''Saptaswaralu'', ''Prema Jeevulu'' and ''Gandara Gandadu''. His grandson Sai Eshwar also worked as child artist in Television industry.

Death

Rao died at Yashoda Hospital, Hyderabad on 22 March 2009 due to cancer complications.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Tadepalli Lakshmi Kanta 1923 births 2009 deaths Deaths from liver cancer in India Telugu male actors Male actors from Telangana Male actors in Telugu cinema Indian male film actors Male actors in Tamil cinema Male actors in Kannada cinema Male actors in Hindi cinema Male actors in Malayalam cinema Film producers from Telangana Nandi Award winners Recipients of the Rashtrapati Award People from Nalgonda 20th-century Indian male actors 21st-century Indian male actors