Kota Srinivasa Rao (born 10 July 1942) is an Indian
character actor known for his work primarily in
Telugu cinema
Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based in Film Nagar, Hy ...
and
Telugu theatre. He has also starred in a few films in
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
,
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
,
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
and
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
. As a former politician, Rao has served as the
MLA from
Vijayawada East in
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
from 1999 to 2004. He made his debut with the Telugu film ''
Pranam Khareedu
''Pranam Khareedu'' () is a 1978 Indian Telugu-language film. It starred Jayasudha, Rao Gopal Rao, Chandra Mohan, Chiranjeevi, Reshma Roy, and Madhavi in a guest appearance. The film released on 22 September 1978. The film is based on a pl ...
'' in 1978.
He starred in over 750 feature films. He has received nine state
Nandi Awards
The Nandi Awards are the awards that recognise the excellence in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre and Telugu television, and Lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. Presented annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the award is named after ...
in various categories of villain, character actor, and supporting actor. In 2012, he has garnered the
SIIMA Award
South Indian International Movie Awards, also known as the SIIMA Awards, rewards the artistic and technical achievements of the South Indian film industry. It was launched in 2012 by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Brinda Prasad Adusimilli to appreci ...
for his work in ''
Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum
''Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum'' () is a 2012 Indian Telugu-language action drama film directed by Krish and jointly produced by Saibabu Jagarlamudi and Rajeev Reddy on First Frame Entertainment. It has received universal acclaim for combining th ...
''. In 2015, he received India's fourth highest
civilian honour Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
for his contribution to
Indian cinema
The Cinema of India consists of motion pictures produced in India, which had a large effect on world cinema since the late 20th century. Major centers of film production across the country include Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, ...
.
He received wide critical acclaim for his diverse roles in films such as ''
S/O Satyamurthy
''S/O Satyamurthy'' (read as ''Son of Satyamurthy'') is a 2015 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Trivikram Srinivas and produced by S. Radha Krishna for Haarika & Haasine Creations. The film stars Allu Arjun, ...
'' (2015)'','' ''
Attarintiki Daredi
''Attarintiki Daredi'' () is a 2013 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film written and directed by Trivikram Srinivas. Produced by Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra and Reliance Entertainment, the film stars Pawan Kalyan, Samantha and Pranith ...
'' (2013), ''
Rakta Charitra
''Rakta Charitra'' () is a 2010 Indian political action thriller film based on the life of Paritala Ravindra. The film was directed by Ram Gopal Varma and written by Prashant Pandey. Shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi with the latter titl ...
'' (2010), ''
Leader
Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets vi ...
'' (2010), ''
Ready
Ready may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Ready'', a 2002 British short starring Imelda Staunton
* Ready (2008 film), ''Ready'' (2008 film), a Telugu film
* Ready (2011 film), ''Ready'' (2011 film), a Hindi remake of the Telugu film
* Ready ( ...
'' (2008), ''
Pellaina Kothalo
''Pellaina Kothalo'' () is a 2006 Indian Telugu-language romance film, produced and directed by Madan on Aa Naluguru Films banner. The film stars Jagapati Babu, Priyamani, and music composed by Agastya.
Plot
The film begins with two software ...
'' (2006), ''
Sarkar'' (2006), ''
Bommarillu
''Bommarillu'' () () is a 2006 Indian Telugu-language romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Bhaskar in his directorial debut, and produced by Dil Raju. The film stars Siddharth, Genelia, Prakash Raj and Jayasudha. The film primarily ...
'' (2006), ''
Chatrapathi'' (2005), ''
Athadu
''Athadu'' ( or ) is a 2005 Indian Telugu-language action thriller film written and directed by Trivikram Srinivas. The film stars Mahesh Babu, Trisha, and Sonu Sood while Sayaji Shinde, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Prakash Raj, Nassar, and Brahmananda ...
'' (2005), ''
Aa Naluguru
''Aa Naluguru'' () is a 2004 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by Chandra Siddhartha. The film stars Rajendra Prasad and Aamani with music composed by R. P. Patnaik. It is produced by Sarita Patra, and P. Prem Kumar. The film won th ...
'' (2004), ''
Malliswari'' (2004), ''
Idiot
An idiot, in modern use, is a stupid or foolish person.
'Idiot' was formerly a technical term in legal and psychiatric contexts for some kinds of profound intellectual disability where the mental age is two years or less, and the person cannot ...
'' (2002), ''Prudhvi Narayana'' (2002), ''Chinna'' (2000), ''
Ganesh
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...
'' (1998), ''
Anaganaga Oka Roju
''Anaganaga Oka Roju'' () is a 1997 Indian Telugu-language comedy film written and directed by Ram Gopal Varma. The film stars J. D. Chakravarthy and Urmila Matondkar in lead roles. Raghuvaran, Brahmanandam and Kota Srinivasa Rao play other p ...
'' (1997), ''
Little Soldiers
''Little Soldiers'' is a 1996 Telugu-language children's film written, directed, and produced by Gunnam Gangaraju. The film stars Kavya, Baladitya, Kota Srinivasa Rao, and Brahmanandam, with a soundtrack composed by Sri.
Upon release, the film ...
'' (1996), ''Aame'' (1994), ''
Hello Brother'' (1994), ''Teerpu'' (1994), ''
Govindha Govindha'' (1993), ''
Gaayam
''Gaayam'' () is a 1993 Indian Telugu-language political thriller film, based on the 1980s Vijayawada Gang Warfare. Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, and story co-written by himself and Mani Ratnam, it stars Jagapathi Babu, Revathi, Urmila Matondka ...
'' (1993), ''
Money
Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are as ...
'' (1993), ''
Sathruvu
''Sathruvu'' () is a 1991 Indian Telugu-language crime thriller film directed by Kodi Ramakrishna and produced by M. S. Raju under Sumanth Art Productions. It stars Venkatesh, Vijayashanti, and Kota Srinivasa Rao with music composed by Raj ...
'' (1990), ''
Siva'' (1989), ''
Aha Naa Pellanta'' (1987), ''
Pratighatana
''Pratighatana'' () is a 1985 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by T. Krishna. The film is produced by Ramoji Rao under Ushakiran Movies. The plot follows a woman's fight against corruption and criminalization of poli ...
'' (1986), and ''
Repati Pourulu
''Repati Pourulu'' () is a 1986 Indian Telugu-language action film written and directed by T. Krishna. The film stars Vijayashanti and Rajasekhar while Anuradha and Y. Vijaya play supporting roles. It has music composed by K. Chakravarthy. T ...
'' (1986). In 2003, he made his debut in the Tamil industry with ''
Saamy
''Saamy'' ( God) is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language action masala film written and directed by Hari. The film was presented by K. Balachander and produced by Pushpa Kandasamy under banner Kavithalayaa Productions. The film stars Vikram and Tris ...
'' as a suave villain.
Personal life
Kota Srinivasa Rao was born on 10 July 1942 in the village of
Kankipadu
Kankipadu is a suburb of Vijayawada and a in Krishna District of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is also the mandal headquarters of Kankipadu mandal in Vijayawada revenue division, Vuyyuru revenue division.
Geography
It is located 55 km ...
in present-day
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
. His father Seetha Rama Anjaneyulu was a doctor. Srinivasa initially aimed to become a doctor but eventually couldn't make it because of his love towards acting. He started his career on stage in plays during college. He has a Bachelor of Science degree and worked as a State Bank employee before entering the film industry.
He is married to Rukmini and has three children (2 daughters and a son). He lost his son Kota Venkata Anjaneya Prasad on 20 June 2010 in a road accident in
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
. Prasad acted in
J. D. Chakravarthy's flick ''
Siddham'' and alongside his father in ''
Gaayam 2
''Gaayam 2'' () is a 2010 Telugu-language crime film, produced by Dr. C. Dharmakartha on Kartha Creations, presented by Ram Gopal Varma and directed by Praveen Sri. Jagapathi Babu, Vimala Raman and the music is composed by Ilayaraja. It is a ...
'' (2010). His acting was critically acclaimed.
Srinivasa's younger brother Kota Sankara Rao is also an actor. He works in a nationalised bank and acts in
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
s.
Awards
;
Civilian Honours
*
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
(2015)
;
Nandi Awards
The Nandi Awards are the awards that recognise the excellence in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre and Telugu television, and Lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. Presented annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the award is named after ...
*
Special Jury Award – ''
Pratighatana
''Pratighatana'' () is a 1985 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by T. Krishna. The film is produced by Ramoji Rao under Ushakiran Movies. The plot follows a woman's fight against corruption and criminalization of poli ...
'' (1985)
*
Best Villain
Best or The Best may refer to:
People
* Best (surname), people with the surname Best
* Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer
Companies and organizations
* Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain
* Best Lock Corporation ...
– ''
Gaayam
''Gaayam'' () is a 1993 Indian Telugu-language political thriller film, based on the 1980s Vijayawada Gang Warfare. Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, and story co-written by himself and Mani Ratnam, it stars Jagapathi Babu, Revathi, Urmila Matondka ...
'' (1993)
*
Best Villain
Best or The Best may refer to:
People
* Best (surname), people with the surname Best
* Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer
Companies and organizations
* Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain
* Best Lock Corporation ...
– ''Teerpu'' (1994)
*
Best Character Actor – ''
Little Soldiers
''Little Soldiers'' is a 1996 Telugu-language children's film written, directed, and produced by Gunnam Gangaraju. The film stars Kavya, Baladitya, Kota Srinivasa Rao, and Brahmanandam, with a soundtrack composed by Sri.
Upon release, the film ...
'' (1996)
*
Best Villain
Best or The Best may refer to:
People
* Best (surname), people with the surname Best
* Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer
Companies and organizations
* Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain
* Best Lock Corporation ...
– ''
Ganesh
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...
'' (1998)
*
Best Villain
Best or The Best may refer to:
People
* Best (surname), people with the surname Best
* Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer
Companies and organizations
* Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain
* Best Lock Corporation ...
– ''Chinna'' (2000)
*
Best Supporting Actor – ''Prudhvi Narayana'' (2002)
*
Best Character Actor – ''
Aa Naluguru
''Aa Naluguru'' () is a 2004 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by Chandra Siddhartha. The film stars Rajendra Prasad and Aamani with music composed by R. P. Patnaik. It is produced by Sarita Patra, and P. Prem Kumar. The film won th ...
'' (2004)
*
Best Character Actor – ''
Pellaina Kothalo
''Pellaina Kothalo'' () is a 2006 Indian Telugu-language romance film, produced and directed by Madan on Aa Naluguru Films banner. The film stars Jagapati Babu, Priyamani, and music composed by Agastya.
Plot
The film begins with two software ...
'' (2006)
;
SIIMA Awards
South Indian International Movie Awards, also known as the SIIMA Awards, rewards the artistic and technical achievements of the South Indian film industry. It was launched in 2012 by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Brinda Prasad Adusimilli to appreci ...
*
South Indian International Movie Award –
Best Supporting Actor – ''
Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum
''Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum'' () is a 2012 Indian Telugu-language action drama film directed by Krish and jointly produced by Saibabu Jagarlamudi and Rajeev Reddy on First Frame Entertainment. It has received universal acclaim for combining th ...
'' (2012)
;Other honours
*
Allu Ramalingaiah
Allu Ramalingaiah (1 October 1922 – 31 July 2004) was an Indian character actor, comedian, and producer known for his works in Telugu cinema. In 1990, He was honoured with the Padma Shri for his contribution to Indian cinema. In 1998, he r ...
Puraskaram
Filmography
As Actor
Telugu
Tamil
Hindi
Malayalam
Kannada
Dakhini
As Singer
As dubbing artist
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Kota Srinivasa
Male actors from Andhra Pradesh
Living people
Telugu male actors
Indian male film actors
Indian male stage actors
Male actors in Tamil cinema
Male actors in Hindi cinema
Telugu comedians
Nandi Award winners
Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
People from Krishna district
Members of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Andhra Pradesh
Male actors in Telugu theatre
Indian actor-politicians
Male actors from Vijayawada
Indian male comedians
20th-century Indian male actors
21st-century Indian male actors
Politicians from Vijayawada
1947 births