AKKINENI NAGESWARA RAO

Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) was one of the most prominent and respected actors in the Telugu film industry, known for his versatile roles and contributions to Indian cinema. He was one of the founding pillars of Telugu cinema and a cultural icon, admired for his performances and charismatic presence on screen. Below are the full details of his life and career:

1. Early Life:

  • Full Name: Akkineni Nageswara Rao
  • Date of Birth: September 20, 1924
  • Place of Birth: Venkatraghavapuram (present-day Gudivada), Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India
  • Parents: Akkineni Sanjeeva Rao (father) and Akkinen Rukminamma (mother)
  • Family Background: ANR came from a family with no connection to the film industry. His early life was spent in the village of Gudivada, where he received his schooling before moving to Chennai to pursue acting.

2. Early Career and Entry into Films:

  • Debut Film: Dharmapatni (1941) – ANR made his debut as an actor in this film at the age of 17, which marked the beginning of a successful and illustrious career.
  • First Major Role: He played the lead role in Balanagamma (1942), which was his first major success, leading to his recognition as an actor in the Telugu film industry.

 Personal Life:

  • Family:
    • Wife: Akkineni Nageswara Rao married Annapurna in 1949. They had a strong, supportive relationship.
    • Children: ANR had two children. His son, Akkineni Nagarjuna, became one of the leading actors in Telugu cinema. His daughter, Savitri, is married and settled in the United States.
  • Philanthropy: Apart from his acting career, ANR was involved in various social causes, particularly in the field of education and healthcare, and contributed significantly to the welfare of the Telugu people.

Year-wise Filmography

YearFilmRole
1941Dharma PatniStudent (one of ten school children in a song)
1944Sri Seeta Rama JananamLord Rama
1945MayalokamSarabandi Raju
1946Mugguru MaratiluFiroji
1947Palnati YuddhamBalachandrudu
1948RatnamalaChandrakanth
BalarajuBalaraju
1949Keelu GurramVikrama
Raksha RekhaSudhakar
Laila MajnuQais/Majnu
1950Sri Lakshmamma KathaVenkayya Naidu
Palletoori PillaVasanth
Paramanandayya SishyuluChandrasena
Swapna SundariPrabhu
SamsaramVenu
1951TilottamaDeva Duttudu
SoudaminiUdaysena
MayalamariRaghu
Mantra DandamSiva Prasad
Stree SahasamRaja Sekhara
1952PremaRaja
1953ParadesiChandram
Bratuku TeruvuMohan Rao
Kanna TalliRamu
Vayyari BhamaChadrayya
DevadasuDevadas
1954NirupedaluNarayana
ChakrapaniVenkatachalam
ParivartanaSatyam
Vipra NarayanaVipranarayana
AnnadataBangarayya
1955MissammaA.K. Raju
ArdhangiRaghavendra Rao
Rojulu MarayiVenu
AnarkaliSaleem
SantaanamRamu
VadinaRaghu
Donga RamuduRamu
1956Tenali RamakrishnaTenali Ramakrishna
Bhale RamuduRamakrishna
IlavelpuShekar
Charana DaasiVenu
1957Thodi KodalluSatyam
Sati SavitriSatyavanthudu
MayabazarAbhimanyu
Allavuddin AdbhutadeepamAllavuddin
Suvarna SundariJayanth
Dongallo DoraAnand
1958BhookailasNarada
Chenchu LakshmiVishnu
Sri Krishna MayaNarada
Aada PettanamKrishna
Pellinaati PramanaluKrishna Rao
1959Mangalya BalamChandra Shekar
Pelli SandadiMr. Nath / Vasu
JayabheriKasinath Sastry
IllarikamVenu
1960Nammina BantuPrasad
Santhi NivasamGopi
Mahakavi KalidasuKalidasu
Pelli KanukaBhaskar
AbhimanamVenu
RunanubandhamSuryam
Maa BabuDr. Anand
1961Velugu NeedaluChandra Shekar
Bharya BhartaluAnand
Bhakta JayadevaJayadeva
BatasariSurendra
VagdanamDr. Suryam
Sabhash RajaRaja
Iddaru MitruluAjay & Vijay (dual role)
1962AradhanaDr. Krishna
Manchi ManasuluVenu
Gundamma KathaRaja
KalimilemuluRaju
Kula GotraluRavi
Siri SampadaluPrasad
1963Sri Krishnarjuna YuddhamuArjuna
Chaduvukunna AmmayiluShekar
PunarjanmaGopi
1964Pooja PhalamMadhu
Bhakta RamadasuLord Vishnu
Aathma BalamAnand
Mooga ManasuluGopi
Murali KrishnaDr. Krishna
Amara Silpi JakkannaJakkanna
Doctor ChakravartyDr. Chakravarti
1965SumangaliViswam
AntastuluRaghu
Preminchi ChooduRanga Rao
Manushulu MamathaluVenu
1966ZamindarSeshagiri Rao / Seshu
Aatma GowravamSrinivasa Rao
NavaratriMultiple Roles (Nine roles)
Manase MandiramDr. Raghu
YearFilmRole
1967GruhalakshmiChitti Babu
Prana MithruluChinna
Sati SumathiLord Vishnu
Vasantha SenaChaarudattudu
RahasyamMandakudu
Poola RangaduRanga Rao
1968BrahmachariRamakrishna
Manchi KutumbamVenu Gopal Rao
Govula GopannaGopi & Shekar (dual role)
SudigundaluJustice Chandra Shekar
Bangaru GaajuluRamu / Ravi
1969AdrushtavanthuluRaghu
Mooga NomuVenu
Bandipotu DongaluKrishna / Kanna
Aadarsa KutumbamPrasad
AatmiyuluSuryam
Bhale RangaduRanga
BuddhimantuduMadhavachary & Gopi (dual role)
Sipayi ChinnayyaChinnayya & Bhaskar (dual role)
1970Akka ChelleluJustice Ramchandra Rao Raju (dual role)
Jai JawanCaptain Ravindranath
Maro PrapanchamRavindranath
Dharma DaataRaja Raghupathi Rao Sekhar (dual role)
Iddaru AmmayiluMadhusudhana Rao
1971Dasara BulloduGopi
Manasu MangalyamRavindra Babu
Pavitra BandhamAshok / Raja
Rangeli RajaRaja
SuputhruduGopi
AmaayakuraaluShekar
SrimanthuduRaja
Prema NagarKalyan
1972Bharya BiddaluMohan
Raitu KutumbamRamu
Beedala PatluKotayya / Dayanidhi / K. V. Purushotham
Manchi Rojulu VachchaayiGopalam
Datta PutruduRamanna
Vichitra BandhamMadhav
Koduku KodaluRaja Shekar
1973Bangaru BabuBuchi Babu
Kanna KodukuKrishna
Bhakta TukaramTukaram
Palletoori BavaYedukondalu
Andala RamuduSeetarama Rao
Marapurani ManishiAbbi
ManchivaduAnand & Satyam (dual role)
1974Premalu PellilluDr. Madhu
Bangaaru KalaluRavi
DorababuChandram
1976Mahakavi KshetrayyaVaradayya / Kshetrayya
SecretaryRaja Shekar
MahatmuduVenu Gopal
1977ChakradhariGora Kumbhar
Aalu MagaluDr. Gopi Krishna
Bangaru BommaluGopi
Raja RameshRaja Ramesh
Chanakya ChandraguptaChanakya
AatmiyuduRanga
1978Chilipi KrishnuduDr. Krishna
Devadasu Malli PuttaduDevadas / Sridhar Raja
Vichitra JeevithamChandra Shekar
Rama KrishnuluKrishna
Sri Rama RakshaRamu & Gopi (dual role)
Ravanude Ramudayithe?Nagaraju
1979Hema HemeeluRed Lion Raghuveer Ramachandra (dual role)
Muddula KodukuGopi
Andaman AmmayiShekar
1980Yedanthasthula MedaRanga Rao & Venu (dual role)
Nayakudu VinayakuduChiranjeevi
Buchi BabuBuchi Babu
Pilla ZamindarMadhu & Balaaraju (dual role)
1981Srivari MuchatluGopi
PremabhishekamRajesh
Guru SishyuluKalyan
Satyam ShivamSatyam
Prema KanukaRaja Shekar
Prema MandiramPedababu Sarva Rayudu Chinnababu (dual role)
1982Raaga DeepamChakravarthy
Bangaru KanukaRamesh
Gopala KrishnuduGopala Krishna Dr.Murthy (dual role)
MeghasandesamRavindra Babu
YuvarajuRajesh
1983Muddula MoguduPrasad
Oorantha SankranthiVenu
Ramudu Kadu KrishnuduRamu & Krishna (dual role)
Bahudoorapu BatasariPrasad
AmarajeeviDr. Murali
Sri Ranga NeethuluRajesh

YearFilmRole
1984KoteeswaruduKrishna
Tandava KrishnuduChakravarthy
AnubandhamRajesh
AdarshavanthuduSridhar
Vasantha GeetamKumar
S. P. BhayankarFather James / S.P. John Yugandhar (dual role)
Justice ChakravarthyJustice Chakravarthy / Kalyan (dual role)
Sangeeta SamratKalyan
Bharyabhartala BandhamSanjeevi
1985DampatyamDr. Satya Murthy
Illale DevataGopi Krishna
1986Aadi DampatuluShankar Rao
Brahma RudruluJagadish Chandra Prasad
Guru BrahmaNot Available
1987Collector Gari AbbaiCollector Ramakantha Rao
Agni PutruduHari Hara Bhardwaja
Aatma BandhuvuluAnand Rao
1988Rao Gari IlluAnand Rao
1989Rajakeeya ChadarangamCM Satya Murthy
Bhale DampathuluAnand Rao
SutradharuluHanumathdasu
1990Rao Gari Intlo RowdyAnand Rao
Iddaru IddareJustice Madhusudhan Rao
Dagudumuthala DampathyamRaja Sekharam
1991Seetharamayya Gari ManavaraluSitaramayya
1992PranadaataDr. Chakravarthy
Raguluthunna BharathamRaghupathi
Madhavayya Gari ManavaduMadhavayya
College BulloduGopala Krishna
1993Rajeswari KalyanamMaster
Ratha SaradhiCollector Raja Shekaram
Mechanic AlluduJagannatham
1994Bangaru KutumbamSrinivasa Rao
GandeevamChakravarthy
TheerpuJustice Ram Mohan Rao
1995God FatherRaja Shekaram
Maya BazaarKrishna Rao
1996Rayudugaru NayudugaruRayudu / Gudavalli Sarva Rayudu
1998PandagaSuryadevara Lakshmi Raghava Varaprasad
Sri Sita Ramula Kalyanam Chootamu RaarandiRamachandra Raju
Daddy DaddyAnand Rao
2000Pelli SambandhamSitaramayya / Kaasi
2001Sakutumba Saparivaara SametamJanaki Ramayya
2006Chukkallo ChandruduKrishna Rao
Sri RamadasuKabir Das
2011Sri Rama RajyamValmiki
2014ManamChaitanya
2022PratibimbaluNot Available

Awards & Honors

YearAward / HonorPresented By / For
1963Padma ShriGovernment of India
1976Padma BhushanGovernment of India
1980Raghupathi Venkaiah AwardLifetime achievement in Telugu cinema
1988Dadasaheb Phalke AwardLifetime contribution to Indian cinema
1991NTR National AwardGovernment of Andhra Pradesh
1996KalaimamaniGovernment of Tamil Nadu
2001Nandi Award – Best ActorFor Seetharamayya Gari Manavaralu
2011Padma VibhushanGovernment of India
2014ANR National Award (posthumous tribute)Instituted in his name (ongoing annual honor)
VariousFilmfare Awards SouthMultiple wins for Best Actor (Telugu)

 Death:

  • Date of Death: January 22, 2014
  • Cause of Death: Akkineni Nageswara Rao passed away at the age of 89 due to cancer, which he had been battling for some time. His death marked the end of an era in Telugu cinema, leaving behind a huge void in the industry.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS : Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AClgV5AjKo0&pp=ygUXYW5yIGludGVydmlldyBpbiB0ZWx1Z3U%3D