Jaggayya

Jaggayya
Portrait of Jaggayya
Born
Kongara Jaggayya

(1928-12-31)31 December 1928[1][2][a]
Tenali, Madras Presidency, British India
Died5 March 2004(2004-03-05) (aged 75)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Other names
  • Kalavachaspati
  • Kanchu Kantam
Alma materAndhra Christian College
Occupations
  • Actor
  • littérateur
  • journalist
  • lyricist
  • dubbing artist
  • politician
Years active1952-1994
Political partyIndian National Congress
AwardsPadma Bhushan (1992)
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
1967–1970
Preceded byMadala Narayanaswamy
Succeeded byPuli Venkata Reddy
ConstituencyOngole

Kongara Jaggayya (31 December 1928 – 5 March 2004[1][2][a]) was an Indian actor, littérateur, journalist, lyricist, dubbing artist and politician known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre. He was known as Kanchu Kantam Jaggayya (Telugu) for his booming voice. In a film career spanning forty years as a matinee idol, he starred in eighty films, as a lead actor, and lead antagonist in a variety of genres.[1] In 1967, he was elected as a member of the fourth Lok Sabha, from the constituency of Ongole, becoming the first Indian film actor to be elected as a member of the Parliament.

During his early career he portrayed breakthrough characters in works such as Donga Ramudu (1955), which was archived by the Film and Television Institute of India, He starred in award-winning works such as Bangaru Papa (1954), Ardhangi (1955), Edi Nijam (1956), Todi Kodallu (1957), Dr. Chakravarti (1964), Antastulu (1965), the Cannes Film Festival featured Meghasandesam (1982), and Seethakoka Chiluka (1981); all of which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Films in Telugu. In 1962, he co-produced and starred in the political drama film Padandi Munduku based on Salt March, the film was screened at the International Film Festival of India, the Tashkent Film Festival, and got a special mention at the 5th Moscow International Film Festival.[3]

As a character actor he received critical appreciation for his performance in notable works such as Velugu Needalu (1961), Chitti Tammudu (1962), Aaradhana (1962), Aatma Balam (1964), Sumangali (1965), Gudi Gantalu (1965), Nava ratri (1966), Aame Evaru? (1966), Aastiparulu (1966), Jarigina Katha (1969), Bala Mitrula Katha (1972), Badi Pantulu (1972), Bharya Biddalu (1972), Devudu Chesina Manushulu (1973). He portrayed British official Rutherford in the biographical film Alluri Sita Rama Raju (1974), and essayed Pontius Pilate in the hagiographical film Karunamayudu (1978). He then appeared in works such as Veta (1986), Chantabbai (1986), Pasivadi Pranam (1987), Dharma Kshetram (1992) and Bobbili Simham (1994). He won the Andhra Pradesh state Nandi Award for Best Character Actor for his works in some of these films. A recipient of the Tamil Nadu state's Kalaimamani, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan in 1992 for his contributions towards Indian cinema.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d "Jaggayya passes away". The Hindu. 6 March 2004. Archived from the original on 13 April 2004.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference telugucinema was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Profile of Gummadi - Telugu film actor". Idlebrain.com. 9 July 2006 [20 March 2000]. Archived from the original on 18 July 2006.


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