Today is the birth anniversary of one of my most favourite cultural personalities of all time, the iconic stage and screen actor 'Vishwa Nata Chakravarthy' Samerla Venkata Ranga Rao!

A short thread!

SVR was born in 1918 in Nujiveedu in Andhra. His family migrated to Madras after his birth. He finished his SSLC in Triplicane Hindu High School. After his schooling his family migrated to Waltair (Vizag) where he completed his intermediate at AVS college.

It was while in his intermediate that SVR got interested in local Telugu drama companies, much against the wishes of his family. They sent him off to Kakinada to study further. He completed his graduation and acquired a http://B.Sc  from P R college in Kakinada.

The family couldn't have been more wrong! Kakinada was another hub of Telugu theatre. The 'Young Mens Happy Club' (YMHC) was an active drama company. SVR joined them after college. At the age of 21 he even portrayed a role of a 60 yr old in a play and won everyone's appreciation.

In YMHC, SVR met several actors who were to become his lifelong friends and colleagues! Some of the eminent names include actress Anjali Devi, comedians Relangi and Suryakantham. They deserve a separate thread and so more about them later.

SVR began an active performance career

Even at an early age, SVR was better in portraying negative roles. As Malik Kafur in 'Khili Rajyapathanam', Durvasa in 'Urvashi' and Karna in 'Veera Abhimanyu', SVR was exemplary! He even acted as Antony and Shylock in Shakespeare plays!

But doing theatre didn't pay anything!

The family had given up! So, to support himself, SVR took up a small job in a fire station! The station's manager was already aware of his acting skills and was a fan. He allowed him to borrow his bike to work and do drama in the evenings.

This is an image from those days!

In 1945, BV Ramanand produced 'Varudhini' where SVR played the lead role. The film flopped badly! SVR got into a depression and left Andhra. Took up a job in far away Jamshedpur! But he couldn't stay long from his love for acting.

So he returned to Madras, the hub of cinema!

He got an opportunity to portray the role of an old man in the film 'Palleturi Pilla' produced by BA Subba Rao. This got him the needed publicity! Soon he had offers coming his was from big banners like Vijaya Films. He played seminal roles in some of their biggest hits.

What more! Most of his old actor colleagues were doing films in Madras! It was a wonderful reunion of sorts! Check this lovely image with NTR, ANR, Savitri, Jamuna and Suryakantham.

Vijaya Films produced some excellent movies! Shavukaru, Patala Bhairavi, Chandrahaaram, Pelli Chesi Choodu, Bangaru Papa and so forth!

SVR's role as a mantrika in Patala Bhairavi was epic!

And the biggest role he is still remembered came from Vijaya Films's iconic 'Maya Bazaar'.

Here SVR portrayed the role of Ghatotkacha! The film was a blockbuster hit! It continues to be a hit!

Maya Bazaar was a huge success! Crossed 100 days! Check this poster, exactly from 4th July 1957! More than anyone else in that movie, it was SVR who stole the show with his acting!

One could write a whole book about this film itself!

SVR was hailed as a superstar! Big brands came to him for endorsements and advertising!

Check him out endorsing Wills Berkeley cigarettes!

In 1961, SVR's role as Keechaka in the movie 'Nartanasala' earned him the best actor award at the Afro-Asian Film Festival held in Jakarta!

Here are a couple of stills from that film. The subtitles here are LOL!

'Nartanasala' also earned SVR the coveted President of India award that year.

In 1965, Kamalakar Kameshwar Rao produced 'Pandava Vanavasamu' where SVR played the role of Duryodhana. Yet another phenomenal success!

Listen to another wonderful Telugu actor, comedian Brahmanandam garu recite an SVR dialogue from Pandava Vanavasamu.

This is Duryodhana looking at his reflection in a mirror and talking. Truly epic!

Despite all the fame and success, SVR didn't forget his humble beginnings as a struggling theatre actor. He was always indebted to the stage for honing him as an actor as he would announce in his numerous speeches later.

Check this image from an older gathering of the YMHC.

He was one of the three original Raos who ruled the Telugu cinema along with NTR and ANR. The others like Gummadi and Kantha Rao joined in later.

SVR wasn't limited to Telugu cinema alone, that is where he gave his best. He even got into Tamil movies.

Check this lovely song 'Muthuku Muthaga'

In 1968, SVR produced and directed two movies. One was 'Chadarangam'. The other movie 'Bandhavyalu' from where this image is. Both movies won the Andhra State awards.

After that he decided his main forte wasn't directing but acting! And he gave more brilliant performances!

One of my all time favourite movies is 'Bhakta Prahlada' from 1967. SVR played the demon king Hiranyakashipu, also acting were Anjali Devi, Rojaramani as Prahlada and Carnatic musician Dr Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna as Narada.

This climax scene from 'Bhakta Prahlada' is epic!

In 1972, the legendary cartoonist and illustrator Bapu Garu directed 'Sampoorna Ramayanam' starring Shoban Babu as Lord Rama and SVR as Ravana.

Yet another epic film!

SVR's role as Ravana was outstanding! The film can be watched even now!

I love this scene that introduces SVR as Ravana! Here Ravana is worshipping Lord Shiva with the famous Shiva Tandava Stotram.

SVR with another Telugu icon! The greatest playback singer in the history of Telugu cinema, Ghantasala Venkateshwara Rao! Who sang for a number of movies SVR acted in.

I have SO MUCH information on SVR, I could write a whole book! But that is for another time!

Will end this thread with how SVR continues to be remembered today. Several statues of his have been installed in his memory. This is on the Godavari Gattu Road in Rajamundry.

This is SVR immortalized in one of his famous roles in Eluru!

This is in Vijayawada!

Don't know which other actor is remembered this fondly everywhere in Andhra!

This is illustrator and director Bapu Garu's wonderful poem dedicated to SVR.

You'll enjoy it better if you can read Telugu.

In 2013, the department of posts released a special 5 rupee stamp in honour of SVR.

He acted in over 300 Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam movies. Over a thousand different dramas! Numerous film awards came his way. He easily deserved the Padma Awards but that didn't happen.

After a glorious life dedicated to arts, he passed away on 18th July 1974 in Madras.

SVR has also inspired several other things including the traditional Navaratri Bommala Koluvu or Golu both in Andhra and Tamil Nadu.

Check these images from different places!

The second one, I think, is from @krupage's collection.

Long live SVR!