Adurthi Subba Rao

Adurthi Subba Rao
Born(1912-12-16)16 December 1912
Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India
Died1 October 1975(1975-10-01) (aged 62)
Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Alma materSt. Xavier's College, Mumbai
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • producer
  • editor
SpouseKameswari Bala
AwardsSeven National Film Awards
Nandi Awards
Filmfare Awards South

Adurthi Subba Rao (16 December 1912 – 1 October 1975) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, and editor, primarily recognized for his contributions to Telugu cinema, with a few works in Hindi and Tamil cinema. In an era dominated by mythological and fantasy genres, Subba Rao was a trailblazer in introducing social dramas and contemporary narratives to Telugu cinema. Over his career, he won seven National Film Awards and three Nandi Awards.[1]

Subba Rao began his cinematic career as an associate to Uday Shankar in the 1948 Hindi film Kalpana.[2] He made his directorial debut with Amara Sandesam (1954), a film that, although critically acclaimed, did not achieve commercial success.[3] His next film Thodi Kodallu (1957), which starred Akkineni Nageswara Rao, was a major hit. It led to a long and successful collaboration between the two, resulting in 16 more films together.[4] Following this success, Subba Rao directed several acclaimed films, including Mangalya Balam (1959), and Nammina Bantu (1960), the latter of which was screened at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.[5]

Other notable films, such as Velugu Needalu (1961), Manchi Manasulu (1962), and Doctor Chakravarthy (1964) further solidified his reputation as a leading filmmaker.[4] In 1964, he directed Mooga Mansulu, one of the earliest Telugu films to explore the theme of reincarnation. The film was a significant success and was screened at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.[6] His 1965 film Thene Manasulu, made with a cast of newcomers, became a runaway success, marking Krishna's first lead role and introducing Ram Mohan to Telugu cinema.[3] In 1968, he ventured into courtroom drama with Sudigundalu, a film noted for its "film with a key" narrative, which received special mentions at the Tashkent and Moscow Film Festivals.[7][8]

Several of Subba Rao's films, including Thodi Kodallu (1957), Mangalya Balam (1959), Nammina Bantu (1960), Mooga Manasulu (1964), Doctor Chakravarthy (1964), and Sudigundalu (1968), won the National Film Award for Best Telugu Feature Film. Additionally, his Tamil film Kumudham (1961) won the National Film Award for Best Tamil Feature Film. K. Viswanath, who would later become a celebrated filmmaker, worked as an associate director under Subba Rao before making his own directorial debut. In recognition of Subba Rao's contributions to cinema, the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce instituted the Adurthi Subba Rao Award in his honour.[9]

  1. ^ Guy, Randor (30 November 2013). "Master movie maker". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  2. ^ "NFAI brings its treasures to IFFI-Goa". Ministry of Information and Broadcasting PIB. 25 November 2008.
  3. ^ a b "Star Profiles : Adurti Subbarao: A Tribute". Telugucinema.com. 16 December 2005. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013.
  4. ^ a b Nadadhur, Srivathsan (16 December 2021). "Remembering Adurthi Subba Rao: A storyteller who brought class and dignity to mainstream Telugu cinema". OTTPlay. HT Media. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Profile of Gummadi — Telugu film actor". Idlebrain.com. 9 July 2006. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  6. ^ "11th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  7. ^ "Film producer passes away". The Hindu. 27 March 2006.
  8. ^ Collections. Update Video Publication. 1991. p. 387.
  9. ^ "Adurthi Subbarao Awards Presented". IndiaGlitz.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2022.