Gummadi (actor)

Gummadi
Born
Gummadi Venkateswara Rao

(1926-07-09)9 July 1926
Ravikampadu, Madras Presidency, British India
Died26 January 2010(2010-01-26) (aged 83)
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
OccupationActor
Years active1950–2010
Awards

Gummadi Venkateswara Rao (born 9 July 1926 – 26 January 2010), known mononymously by his surname Gummadi, was an Indian actor and producer, who worked predominantly in Telugu cinema and a few Tamil films. Known as one of the finest supporting/character actors in Telugu cinema, Gummadi acted in around five hundred feature films. He received critical recognition for his work in Thodu Dongalu (1954) and Mahamantri Timmarusu (1962), for which he received the erstwhile Rashtrapati Award.[1][2] Gummadi was an official member of the Indian delegation from South India to the Tashkent Film Festival in 1978 and 1982.[3]

Gummadi served as a jury member thrice for the 28th, 33rd and 39th National Film Awards.[4][5][6] He served twice on the state Nandi Awards Committee.[7]

In 1977, he was awarded India's fourth-highest civilian honor Padma Shri for his contribution to Indian cinema.[8][9] He is widely known for his roles in films such as Mayabazar (1957), Maa Inti Mahalakshmi (1959), Kula Daivam (1960), Kula Gothralu (1962), Jyothi (1976), Nelavanka (1981), Maro Malupu (1982), Ekalavya (1982), Ee Charitra Ye Siraatho? (1982), Gaaju Bommalu (1983) and Pelli Pustakam (1991).

In 2008, he starred in Jagadguru Sree Kasinayana Charitra, which would be his last film.[10]

  1. ^ Ramachandran, T.M. (1973). Film world. Vol. 9.
  2. ^ The Times of India directory and year book including who's who. Times of India Press. 1984.
  3. ^ "Profile of Gummadi - Telugu film actor".
  4. ^ "28th National Film Awards (PDF)" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  5. ^ "33rd National Film Awards (PDF)" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  6. ^ "39th National Film Awards (PDF)" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  7. ^ "Actor Gummadi passes away". The Hindu. 27 January 2010.
  8. ^ "Gummadi never forgot his mentor". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 10 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Gummadi Awards". 9 May 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Stars : Star Profiles : Gummadi passed away: A tribute". Archived from the original on 31 January 2010. Retrieved 28 January 2010.