Penupatruni Adinarayana Rao (21 August 1915 – 19 August 1991) was an Indian music director, film producer, lyricist and play writer. He co-founded "Aswini Pictures" with

Akkineni Nageswara Rao Akkineni Nageswara Rao (20 September 1923 – 22 January 2014), widely known as ANR, was an Indian actor and producer, known for his works majorly in Telugu cinema. He starred in many landmark films in his seventy five-year career, and became on ...

and produced some movies in Telugu and

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 ...

. Later, he produced several blockbuster Telugu films under his own production house, Anjali Pictures, named after his actress wife, Anjali Devi. He also composed and produced music for several Tamil and Hindi films. According to the music critic V. A. K. Rangarao, :"Adinarayana Rao is credited for introducing Hindustani music in contemporary flavour and simplified orchestration, and thereby impressing both laymen audience as well cognoscenti. It is this music that survives him enthralling all the music lovers". : Memorable music compositions from Rao are: "Rajasekhara Neepai Moju Theera Leduraa" in the film ''Anarkali'' released in 1955, "Piluvakuraa Alugakuraa" in the film ''

Suvarna Sundari ''Suvarna Sundari'' () is a 1957 Indian Telugu-language swashbuckler film directed by Vedantam Raghavayya. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Anjali Devi with music composed by P. Adinarayana Rao. The film was produced by Adinarayana Rao under ...

'' released in 1957, "Telugu Veera Levaraa Deeksha Booni Sagara" and "Vastaadu Naraju" in the film ''Alluri Seetarama Raju'' released in 1974 and all songs including "Ghana Ghana Sundara" in ''

Bhakta Tukaram ''Bhakta Tukaram'' is a 1973 Indian Telugu-language biographical film based on the life of the saint-poet Tukaram, produced by P. Adinarayana Rao under the Anjali Pictures banner and directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara R ...

'', released in 1973. One of his most popular compositions in Hayi hayiga Amani Saage (Telugu), Kuhu Kuhu bole Koyaliya(Hindi), Thesulavuthe (Tamil). Music directors such as Satyam,

T. V. Raju Thotakura Venkata Raju (Telugu: తోటకూర వెంకట రాజు), better known as T. V. Raju (1921 - 20 February 1973), was an Indian music composer who primarily worked in Telugu cinema. He worked as an assistant composer to ...

, M. Ranga Rao,"JosephKrishna" and

Laxmikant–Pyarelal Laxmikant–Pyarelal were an Indian composer duo, consisting of Laxmikant Shantaram Patil Kudalkar (1937–1998) and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma (born 1940). He is known by the nickname “Pyromaniac” due to his flaming style of music. Laxmikan ...

worked under him as assistant directors.

Life

Adinarayana Rao was born in 1915 in

Kakinada Kakinada (List of renamed places in India, formerly called Kakinandiwada, Coringa, and Cocanada; ) is the List of cities in Andhra Pradesh by population, sixth largest city of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Andhra P ...

East Godavari district East Godavari is a district in the Coastal Andhra region of Andhra Pradesh, India. Its district headquarters is at Rajahmundry. As of census 2011, it became the most populous district of the state with a population of 5,151,549. In the Madras Pre ...

in Andhra Pradesh to Penupatruni Krishnayya Gowd and Penupatruni Anasuya. He completed his matriculation in Kakinada. He started his film career as a child artiste at the age of six, under Rajarajeswari Naatya Mandali's baton playing the roles of mythological characters such as "Narada" and "Savitri". Later, he studied classical music under Patrayani Sitaramsastry in

Salur Salur or Saluru is a municipal town and mandal headquarters in Parvathipuram Manyam district, of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Geography Salur is on the banks of River Vegavathi at . It has an average elevation of 118 metres (387&nb ...

u. By age of 12, he played many musical instruments and had shown his talent in both music as a composer, and on stage as a playwright.

Theatre

He was well known in Kakinada theatre circle, with plays like ''Black Market'', ''Vasanta Sena'' and ''Veedhi Gaayakulu'', with which he still continued after entering the film industry and was affectionately given a nickname "Abbayi Garu". The play ''Street Singers'' written by him was admired, and his wife Anjali Devi received a gold medal and a citation from Sir Arthur Hope, then governor of the Madras Presidency in 1943. He fine-tuned his skills to become a well known artiste while working under the 'Burmah Shell Amateurs Troupe', through the famous 'Young Mens Happy Club', which produced stalwarts from the Telugu film industry like Relangi, S. V. Ranga Rao, Gandikota Jagannatham and Anjali Devi. Here he met his future wife Anjali Devi.

Film

He and S. V. Ranga Rao made their debut into the film industry with the film ''Varudhini'' in 1946. Adinarayana Rao wrote lyrics and composed music for two songs in that film. He wrote lyrics and composed music for two more films. He got a break with the film '' Gollabhama'' (1947) directed by C. Pullaiah, in which his wife Anjali Devi made her debut. He was the music director for the film '' Palletoori Pilla'' in 1950. He married Anjali Devi in 1948, and they had two sons. His granddaughter Saila Rao is also an actress. He was so generous to promote his assistant Dholak Satyam as Co Music Director for film

Bhakta Kannappa ''Bhakta Kannappa'' () is a 1976 Indian Telugu-language film directed by Bapu. The film is a remake of 1954 Kannada movie '' Bedara Kannappa'' starring Rajkumar which was based on the life of Shaiva devotee, Kannappa Nayanar. Credits Cast * ...

. His authenticity,profound knowledge in conducting music for interludes & back ground score with numerous instruments based on pure

Hindustani classical music Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sita ...

ragas fetched him status of distinctive musician who achieved the feat of using most instruments in Telugu film Industry. During the 1980s, he mainly composed music and wrote lyrics under

Padmalaya Studios Padmalaya Studios is an Indian film production and distribution company established by actor Krishna and his brothers. Based in Hyderabad it mainly produces and distributes Telugu and Hindi films. The studio currently operates through its succe ...

for the actor

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

until the former's death in 1991.

Aswini Pictures

Adinarayana Rao founded "Aswini Pictures", together with Akkineni Nageswara Rao and makeup artist K. Gopala Rao, to produce movies like "Maayalamaari" in 1951 in Telugu, "Mayakkaari" in Tamil, and "Annadhata" in 1954, for which he wrote lyrics and composed music.

Anjali Pictures

He started a production house 'Anjali Pictures' in 1951, using the name of his wife after parting ways with Aswini Pictures. He produced some of the blockbusters in the film industry like ''Paradesi'' in 1952 in Telugu, which was directed by

L. V. Prasad Akkineni Laxmi Vara Prasada Rao (17 January 1907 – 22 June 1994), known professionally as L. V. Prasad, was an Indian film director, producer, actor, and businessman. He was one of the pioneers of Indian cinema and is the recipient of the Dad ...

, ''Poongottai'' in Tamil, ''Anarkali'' in 1955, ''

'' in 1957 and ''

'' in 1973. In all these movies, his wife Anjali Devi acted as the lead heroine. Most of the movies he produced had Akkineni Nageswara Rao as a lead actor. He also produced movies in Hindi such as ''Phoolon Ki Sej'' in 1964 and ''Suvarna Sundari'', for which he wrote the script (1957).

Filmography

Producer

Music director

* Gollabhama in 1947 * Palletoori Pilla in 1950. * Maayalamaari in 1951. * Mayakkari in 1951. * Pardesi in 1953. * Poongothai in 1953. * Annadata in 1954. * Anarkali in 1955. *

in 1957. * Manaalane Mangaiyin Baakkiyam in 1957. *

Adutha Veettu Penn ''Adutha Veettu Penn'' () is a 1960 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film directed by Vedantam Raghavayya and written by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass. The film stars Anjali Devi (who co-produced the film with her husband, composer P. Adinara ...

in 1960. * Runanubandham in 1960. * Swarnamanjari in 1962. * Mangaiyar Ullam Mangatha Selvam in 1962. * Phoolon Ki Sej in 1964. * Sati Sakkubai in 1965. * Ammakosam in 1970 * Agni Pareeksha in 1970. * Mosagallaku Mosagadu in 1971 * Pedda Koduku in 1972. *

in 1973. * Alluri Seetharama Raju in 1974. *

Mahakavi Kshetrayya ''Mahakavi Kshetrayya'' is a 1976 Telugu-language biographical film, based on the life of Kshetrayya, produced by P. Adinarayana Rao under the Anjali Pictures banner and directed by Adurthi Subba Rao & C. S. Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswar ...

in 1976. *

in 1976 * Kannavari Illu in 1978. * Chandipriya in 1980.

Writer

in 1957.

Awards

*He won Nandi Award for Second Best Feature Film - Silver -

(1976) * Bombay Journalist Association Nationwide Best Music Director Award for film

Adinarayana Rao Award

Anjali Devi launched the Adinarayana Rao Award (using her husband's name) beginning in 2011. Noted playback singer

P. Susheela Pulapaka Susheela (born 13 November 1935), popularly known as P. Susheela, is an Indian playback singer associated with the South Indian cinema primarily from Andhra Pradesh for over six decades. She is one of the greatest and best-known playba ...

was the first recipient of the award.Anjali Devi, 84, announced an award in the name of her husband and late composer Adinarayana Rao, marking the 20th anniversary of his death
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References

External links

* http://www.chakpak.com/celebrity/adinarayana-rao-p./movies/17831 * https://www.imdb.com/company/co0116468/ * http://www.saigan.com/heritage/flmmusic/adinr.html * https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0654891/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Penupatruni Adinarayana 1915 births 1991 deaths Telugu film producers Indian male dramatists and playwrights Telugu-language lyricists Telugu film score composers Musicians from Andhra Pradesh Screenwriters from Andhra Pradesh People from Kakinada Film producers from Andhra Pradesh 20th-century Indian musicians 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Indian male writers 20th-century Indian screenwriters