Vijaya Bapineedu | |
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Born | Gutta Bapineedu Chowdary 22 September 1936 |
Died | 11 February 2019[1] | (aged 82)
Occupations |
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Years active | 1970s–1990s |
Gutta Bapineedu Chowdary (22 September 1936 – 11 February 2019), popularly known as Vijaya Bapineedu, was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, publisher, and novelist known for his works in Telugu cinema.[2]
Bapineedu began his career by writing detective stories and later launched the popular magazine Vijaya, which was noted for its unique format and extensive content. This success earned him the nickname 'Vijaya' Bapineedu. He further expanded his publishing career with several successful ventures, including the children's magazine Bommarillu, and authored several novels.[3]
His success as a writer led him to the film industry, where some of his novels were adapted into movies. Transitioning to cinema, Bapineedu co-founded the production company Syam Prasad Arts in partnership with Maganti Ravindranath Chowdary. He went on to produce or present notable films such as Yavvanam Kaatesindi (1976), Bommarillu (1978), Bottu-Kaatuka (1979), and Patnam Vachina Pativrathalu (1982).[4]
Bapineedu's involvement in film production eventually led him to direction, where he helmed around 25 films. He is especially celebrated for his successful collaborations with Chiranjeevi, directing successful films like Maga Maharaju (1983), Hero (1984), Khaidi No. 786 (1988) and Gang Leader (1991). His other notable directorial works include Bharyamani (1984), Maharaju (1985), Krishna Garadi (1986), Nakoo Pellam Kavali (1987), Donga Kollu (1988), and Valu Jada Tholu Beltu (1992). Beyond his directorial achievements, Bapineedu also introduced new talent to the industry, including lyricist Bhuvana Chandra and writer Y. Kasi Viswanath.[4]