Singeetam Srinivasa Rao | |
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| Born | (1931-09-21)21 September 1931 (age 94) |
| Alma mater | University of Madras |
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| Notable work | Full list |
| Awards | National Film Awards Nandi Awards Filmfare Awards South Karnataka State Film Awards |
Singeetam Srinivasa Rao (born 21 September 1931)[1] is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, composer, and actor. He is widely regarded as one of India's most versatile and innovative filmmakers.[2][3] He has directed around sixty films across multiple genres and languages, includingTelugu,Kannada,Tamil,Hindi, andEnglish and is credited with revolutionizingSouth Indian cinema through hisexperimental approach. He has garnered numerous accolades throughout his career, including twoNational Film Awards, fiveNandi Awards, threeKarnataka State Film Awards, and threeFilmfare Awards South. In 2011, he was honoured with the Life Achievement Award by theFilm Federation of India.
Srinivasa Rao began his career as an assistant to the esteemed directorK. V. Reddy, working on iconic films such asMayabazar (1957) andJagadeka Veeruni Katha (1961). He made his directorial debut with the Telugu filmNeethi Nijayithi (1972), and subsequently directed critically acclaimedsocial problem films likeDikkatra Parvathi (1974), which won theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil, andTharam Marindi (1977), which wonNandi Award for Best Feature Film.
He went on to direct notable films likePanthulamma (1978),Mayuri (1985),Anand (1986),Pushpaka Vimana (1987),Aditya 369 (1991),Brundavanam (1992),Magalir Mattum (1994),Bhairava Dweepam (1994),Madam (1994), andSon of Aladdin (2003).Mayuri won a record 14Nandi Awards, whilePushpaka Vimana, a dialogue-less film, earned theNational Film Award for Best Popular Film.Aditya 369 andBhairava Dweepam are considered landmark films in thescience fiction andfantasy genres, respectively, withinTelugu cinema.
Srinivasa Rao is also known for his collaborations with actorsRajkumar andKamal Haasan, which resulted in several commercially successful and critically acclaimed films. With Kamal Haasan, he worked on films such asSommokadidhi Sokokadidihi (1979),Raja Paarvai /Amavasya Chandrudu (1981),Pushpaka Vimana (1987),Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989) andMichael Madana Kama Rajan (1990). His collaboration with Rajkumar produced films likeHaalu Jenu (1982),Chalisuva Modagalu (1982),Eradu Nakshatragalu (1983), andBhagyada Lakshmi Baramma (1986).
In February 2026, veteran filmmaker Singeetam Srinivasa Rao announced his return to directing with a new project, provisionally titledSSR61, marking his first film in ten years.[4]
Singeetam Srinivasa Rao was born on 21 September 1931 in aTelugu family inGudur of thenNellore district,Andhra Pradesh. His father, Ramachandra Rao, was a headmaster and his mother, Sakunthala Bai, was a violinist.[5] As a school student, he showed glimpses of talent both inplays and music. He graduated with a Physics Degree fromPresidency College, Chennai.[6][7] In college, he honed his skills in plays such asWindows underHarindranath Chattopadhyay.[5]
After graduation his ambition was to get into films. As his attempts to meet the directorK. V. Reddy failed, he took up the job of a teacher inSullurupeta.[5] But he continued writing and wrote two experimental award-winning playsBhrama andAnthyaghattam. He also wroteChitrarjuna, a musical play adopted from Tagore'sChitra - Prince of the Dark Chamber. It was translated into English by Scottish dramatist Tom Buchan for an American television channel. He also worked as a journalist at the time writing forTelugu Swatantra.[5][7]
He continued his efforts to meet his favourite director K. V. Reddy and in 1954 he was finally able to meet him. K. V. Reddy gave him a copy ofThe Monkey's Paw and asked him to write a script based on it. Srinivasa Rao wrote the script along with dialogues in three months. K. V. Reddy was impressed and took him as anapprentice.[5] He later graduated as an associate director under K. V. Reddy and worked with him for all his films fromDonga Ramudu (1955) untilUma Chandi Gowri Sankarula Katha (1968) includingMayabazar (1957),Jagadeka Veeruni Katha (1961),Sri Krishnarjuna Yuddham (1963).[8]
In 1972, Srinivasa Rao ventured into film direction withNeethi Nijayithi, an offbeat Telugu film. The film won critical acclaim but was not commercially successful.[5] He then directed thesocial problem filmTharam Marindi (1977) which won theNandi Award for Best Feature Film.[9]
He made other successful Telugu films likeZamindaru gari Ammayi (1975),America Ammayi (1976),Panthulamma (1978),Sommokadidhi Sokokadidhi (1979),Mayuri (1985),America Abbayi (1987),Aditya 369 (1991),Brundavanam (1992),Bhairava Dweepam (1994),Madam (1994).Mayuri won a record 14Nandi Awards including theNandi Award for Best Feature Film.[10][11] Srinivasa Rao won theNandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer forBrundavanam and theNandi Award for Best Director forBhairava Dweepam.Aditya 369 andBhairava Dweepam are considered classic films inscience fiction andfantasy genres respectively inTelugu cinema.[12][13][14][15]
He made over half of his films in Telugu. He directed nearly 30 Telugu films across genres. His most recent film wasWelcome Obama (2013). The story deals withcommercial surrogacy in India where women are used as surrogates by foreigners and tells the story of one such surrogate mother who bears a foreigner's child.[1]
He is also roped in as a mentor for the upcoming Telugu science fiction filmProject K. Made at an estimated budget of ₹600crore, it is one of themost expensive Indian films ever made. Srinivasa Rao gave his inputs and opinion on the film's script as a part of the mentorship.[16]
Srinivasa Rao was the executive director of the 1970 Kannada movieSamskara directed byPattabhirama Reddy. It won the President's gold medal forNational Film Award for Best Feature Film.[2] Singeetam made his Kannada directorial debut with the 1982 blockbusterHaalu Jenu starringRajkumar. He went on to direct six more Kannada blockbusters with Rajkumar -Chalisuva Modagalu (1982),Eradu Nakshatragalu (1983),Shravana Banthu (1984),Jwaalamukhi (1985),Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma (1986) andDevatha Manushya (1988). Two of these were based on novels. He was selected to direct the historicalAmoghavarsha Nrupathunga which was supposed to be Rajkumar's 200th movie but eventually dropped.[17] However, he subsequently went on to directDevatha Manushya (1988) which happened to be Rajkumar's 200th film.
His other popular Kannada directorial films includeAnand (1986) andChiranjeevi Sudhakara (1988) apart fromKsheera Sagara (1992),Tuvvi Tuvvi Tuvvi (1999) andMakeup (2002) in the latter part of his career. He co-wrote the screenplay for two Kannada movies produced by Rajkumar's banner that were not directed by him -Shruthi Seridaaga (1987) andSamyuktha (1988). He was also the script-writer ofBelliyappa Bangarappa (1992). A disciple of legendary composerS. Rajeswara Rao, he has composed music for two Kannada films -Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma andSamyuktha.[18]
Most of the films he directed in Kannada were produced byParvathamma Rajkumar and all were critically and commercially successful. Of the seven films Srinivasa Rao directed with Rajkumar in lead roles, four movies were remade in Telugu. Singeetam's association with Rajkumar was a rare one where he not only directed cult classics and landmark movies but also co-wrote screenplay and composed music for movies produced by the actor even though they were not directed by him. This stands as a testimony for the faith Rajkumar had in the abilities of Rao and the admiration Srinivasa had for Rajkumar.[19]In 1988, when Rajkumar announced his desire to temporarily retire from acting, Singeetam decided to concentrate on Tamil movies where he mostly hadKamal Haasan in the lead roles.[20]
TheKannada Film Journalists Association has honoured Srinivasa Rao with a Special Biography. Srinivasa Rao received three Karnataka State Film Awards — two for Best Screenplay and one for Best movie.[2]
He composed lyrics for films likeBhairava Dweepam (1994) and soundtracks for a few Kannada films. He edited many magazines in Telugu such asBharati, and scripted plays likeBrahma,Antya Ghattam, andChitrārjuna.Chitrārjuna was also translated into English, and was telecasted in American Television.[21] A disciple of legendary composerS. Rajeswara Rao, he has also composed music for two Kannada movies of matinee idolRajkumar's banner -Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma (which was directed by him) andSamyuktha - (which was not directed by him).[22]
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The 1984 Telugubiographicaldance film,Mayuri, which won theNational Film Award – Special Mention (Feature Film), was premiered at the 1985 International Film Festival of India, has also received several state Awards, including the State Nandi Award for Best Feature Film, and Filmfare Award South for Best Direction.[23] The film was later remade into Hindi asNaache Mayuri.
In 1988, he co-produced, scripted and directed the first Indian dialogue-less film,Pushpaka Vimana which received special mention atShanghai Film Festival.[24][25] When he was working with Rajkumar, Srinivasa Rao was introduced to Rajkumar's relative, actorShringar Nagaraj who decided to co-producePushpaka Vimana.[26] The film was listed amongCNN-IBN's 'Hundred greatest Indian films of all time'.[27]
Thecomedy-drama blockbusterApoorva Sagodharargal (1989) was one of the enduring works ondwarfism in popular media.[28][29] The film won theFilmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil, and was premiered at theInternational Film Festival of India. The Telugu crossover films likeAmerica Ammayi (1976), andAmerica Abbayi (1987) were box office hits. The 1990action comedy,Michael Madana Kama Rajan - a movie about quadruplets[30] - became an instant hit at the box office.
The Teluguscience fiction filmAditya 369 was one of the highest grossing Telugu films of 1991, grossing₹9crore at the box office.[31] A sequel, entitledAditya 999, was delayed indefinitely in July 2016.[32] Another science fiction in Tamil,Chinna Vathiyar was also an instant hit. The 1994, folkloreBhairava Dweepam garnered the stateNandi Award for Best Direction.
The 2003animation film,Son of Aladdin, had 1100 shots and 125 characters.[33] The film wonSpecial Mention in the Competition section at the 2003International Children's Film Festival Hyderabad,[34][35][36] and subsequently premiered at the 37thInternational Film Festival of India.[37] The 2008 animation filmGhatothkach received special mention at theGrand Finale - Children's Film Festival 2014 of the 44thInternational Film Festival of India.[38]
Srinivasa Rao plans to make a sequel toAditya 369 in the future.[12] He also expressed his wish to direct a pre-recorded experimental film — a musical in which he wants to use pre-recorded sequences and dialogues while shooting. He also wants to make a documentary on the making ofApoorva Sagodhararkal. He also wants to write a book on the making ofPushpaka Vimana, and hisautobiography in the form of a screenplay.[39]
Srinivasa Rao is particularly noted for his collaboration with two actors -Dr. Rajkumar andKamal Haasan - which resulted in commercially successful and critically acclaimed movies. With Kamal Haasan he made films such asPushpaka Vimana (1987),Apoorva Sagodharargal (1990) andMichael Madana Kama Rajan (1991) among others,[40] He also directed Kamal Haasan in his 100th filmRaja Paarvai /Amavasya Chandrudu (1981).[41]
He directed Rajkumar in seven Kannada films in the 1980s.[42] Notable among them areHaalu Jenu (1982),[43]Chalisuva Modagalu (1982),Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma (1986),[44] and Rajkumar's 200th filmDevatha Manushya (1988). He was also the first person to directDr. Rajkumar and all his three sons.[45] He directedShiva Rajkumar andRaghavendra Rajkumar in their debut movies,Anand (1986) andChiranjeevi Sudhakara (1988) respectively.[42][46] He had also directedPuneeth Rajkumar as a child artiste inEradu Nakshatragalu in which he played dual role.[47] Most of his Kannada films were produced byParvathamma Rajkumar whose ability to judge what would work with the audience and whose story-picking knack he believed in.[48] He was the only director to have worked with her on at least one film in each of the seven years during 1982 to 1988.[49]
Srinivasa Rao also collaborated withBalakrishna in three films — the science fiction filmAditya 369 (1991), fantasy filmBhairava Dweepam (1994), and the mythological filmSri Krishnarjuna Vijayam (1996).[50][51]Aditya 369 andBhairava Dweepam are considered landmark films inscience fiction andfantasy genres respectively inTelugu cinema.[12][13][14][15] He directedRajendra Prasad in two films —Brundavanam (1992) andMadam (1994). Both were commercially successful.
Kannada actorShivaram has been a part of all seven movies of Srinivasa Rao starring Rajkumar.B. C. Gowrishankar, a regular cameraman for Rajkumar movies, was selected as the cinematographer for Srinivasa Rao's later movies -Pushpaka Vimana[52] andMichael Madana Kama Rajan.[53] Another regular technician of Rajkumar movies - art director Peketi Ranga - was also selected as the art director for Srinivasa Rao'sMichael Madana Kama Rajan.[54]
His favourite litterateurs areVemana,Mark Twain, andP. G. Wodehouse.[55] He feels no one has expressed the truths of everyday life better than Vemana. He was introduced to Mark Twain by an American missionary when he was eight. He considersRobin Hood to be his favourite hero of fiction.[55]
Singeetam Srinivasa Rao is widely regarded as one of India's most versatile and innovative filmmakers.[2][3] He is acclaimed for revolutionizingSouth Indian cinema through hisexperimental approach. Notable for his contributions to thescience fiction andfantasy genres,Aditya 369 andBhairava Dweepam are celebrated as landmark films within Telugu cinema.[12][13][14][15]
Prasanth Varma has cited Singeetam as his primary inspiration, particularly admiring his ability to create a diverse body of work without repeating himself.[56] Similarly,Nag Ashwin has expressed admiration forBhairava Dweepam andAditya 369, considering them among his favourite films.[57][58]
In 2010, Srinivasa Rao headed the Jury of the Indian Panorama at the 8th Chennai International Film Festival.[59] In 2011, Srinivasa Rao received the Life Achievement Award from theFilm Federation of India at the 4thGlobal Film Festival.[60] Srinivasa Rao was also the Guest of honor alongsideBarrie Osbourne at theMedia and Entertainment Business Conclave 2012 hosted byFICCI and FFI.[61][62] In 2012, Srinivasa Rao served as one of the selection committee members for theSundance Institute's screenwriters lab.[63]
With an amazing display of mastery over a wide range of subjects from comedies to experimental socials to folklore to mythological to 3D animation films that no other contemporary filmmaker has attempted, Singeetham Srinivasa Rao completes half a century of film career this year.
There's no stopping the drive and ambition of the veteran film-maker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao who has made film after successful film in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi in as many genres as he could, from mythology to laugh-aloud comedies.
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