B. Narsing Rao | |
|---|---|
 Rao in 2015 | |
| Born | Bongu Narsing Rao (1946-12-26)26 December 1946 (age 78) |
| Alma mater | Osmania University |
| Occupation(s) | Director, actor, producer, screenwriter |
| Awards | International honors National Film Awards Nandi Awards |
Bongu Narsing Rao (born 1946) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, littérateur, composer, poet, producer, actor and painter known for his works inTelugu cinema, andTelugu theatre.[1][2] Rao has garnered fiveNational Film Awards,[3] threeNandi Awards, various international honors, and has served as a jury in various Asian film festivals.[4][5][6] He directed,Daasi "(Bonded Woman)" andMatti Manushulu "(Mud People)" which won the Diploma of Merit awards at the16th and17thMoscow International Film Festivals in 1989 and 1991 respectively.[7]
Internationally, Daasi was screened at the 1989Filmfest München, 1990Karlovy Vary International Film Festival,Three Continents Festival,Cairo International Film Festival,Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 1991Museum of Modern Art; 1994,Bergamo Film Meeting; 1994Dublin International Film Festival; 1997National Centre for the Performing Arts (India); andFilmotsav 90' Kolkata.[8][9]
1987 filmMaa Ooru ("Our Village") directed by him won the "Main Prize - Media Wave Award" at the Hungary International festival of visual arts, as well as theNational Film Award for Best Anthropological/Ethnographic Film.[10][11]Maa Ooru was premiered at theKala Ghoda Arts Festival -Mumbai in 1999. The Ekotopfilm - International Festival of Sustainable Development Films in 1995,Slovak Republic. The Brastislavia Mostra internazionale d'arte cinematografica in 1993,Viterbo, Italy. The firstMumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films in 1990 where the film won the Best Cinematography award.[12][13] The International premier at Filmfest München in 1989, Germany. The Indian panorama section of theIFFI.[12][14][15]
He was born in Pragnapur,Medak in the erstwhile princely state ofHyderabad state in a well to do agricultural family.[16] Rao is married and has three sons and one daughter and seven grandchildren.[17]
In 1979, he scripted, and producedMaa Bhoomi, which was India's official entry in the "Opera Primo" section at theKarlovy Vary International Film Festival of June–July 1980, and theCork Film Festival, October 1980,[18] the Cairo and Sidney Film Festivals 1980.[19][20] The film was showcased at the Indian Panorama of the 1980International Film Festival of India.[21] Maa Bhoomi won the stateNandi Award for Best Feature Film, and theFilmfare Best Film Award (Telugu). It is featured amongCNN-IBN's list of hundred greatest Indian films of all time.[22] In 1984, he directedRangula Kala, ("Colourful Dream") which had special mention atInternational Film Festival of India and panorama section.[23]
His documentaries in TeluguThe Carnival (1984),The City (1985),Akruti- Rock formations (1989) have received special mention awards at theInternational Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, and were screened at theRice University. Akruti received theNational Film Award – Special Jury Award (non-feature film) "For experimentation with forms of boulders of various shapes and textures, brilliantly visualized byApurba Kishore Bir with the evocative music of PanditHari Prasad Chaurasia." as cited by the jury.[24] In 2003, he directedHari Villu screened at the56th Cannes.[14][15]
In 2015, he received the Life Time Achievement Award fromPotti Sreeramulu Telugu University.[25] In 2016, he receivedStanding Ovation Award for lifetime achievement at theAll Lights India International Film Festival.[16][17]
| Year | Film | Director | Producer | Screenwriter | Awards and Honors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Maa Bhoomi | Yes | Yes | India's official entry at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer Nandi Award for Second Best Feature Film Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu | |
| 1983 | Rangula Kala | Yes | Yes | Also actor National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu | |
| 1988 | Daasi | Yes | Yes | Yes | National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu Diploma of Merit award at Moscow Film Festival |
| 1990 | Matti Manushulu | Yes | Yes | National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu Diploma of Merit award at Moscow Film Festival | |
| 2003 | Harivillu | Yes | Yes | Also editor 2003 Cannes Visva-Bharati University Nandi Award for Best Children's Film Director[26] |
| Year | Film | Director | Producer | Screenwriter | Awards and Honors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | The Carnival | Yes | Yes | Yes | International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam |
| 1985 | The City | Yes | Yes | Yes | International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam |
| 1987 | Maa Ooru | Yes | Yes | National Film Award for Best Anthropological/Ethnographic Film "Main Prize - Media Wave Award" at theHungary International festival of visual arts Best Film International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam | |
| 1989 | Aakruti | Yes | Yes | Yes | International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam National Film Award – Special Jury Award (non-feature film) |
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