Bellary Raghava (Telugu: బళ్ళారి రాఘవ; born ''Tadipatri Raghavacharyulu''; 2 August 1880 – 16 April 1946) was an Indian

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

and actor, known for his works predominantly in

Telugu theatre Telugu theatre is Indian theatre in the Telugu language, based in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Gurajada Apparao wrote the play, ''Kanyasulkam'' in 1892, which is often considered the greatest play in the Telugu language.20th Cent ...

and

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking ...

.M.L. Narasimharao (2002) ''Nooruguru Telugu Pramukhulu''. Vepachedu Educational Foundation Inc. His uncle

Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu (1853 – 30 November 1912) was a Telugu dramatist and playwright from Bellary. He was known as "Andhra Nataka Pithamaha" and wrote more than 30 original plays. Early life He was born in Dharmavaram town ...

was a pioneering dramatist in Telugu, and initiated him on the stage. Raghava was also associated with another dramatist from

Bellary Bellary, officially Ballari, in the eponymous Bellary district, is a city in the state of Karnataka, India. History Bellary was a part of Rayalaseema (Ceded Districts) which was part of Madras Presidency till 1 November 1956. The Ball ...

Kolachalam Srinivasa Rao Kolachalam Srinivasa Rao ( Telugu: కోలాచలం శ్రీనివాసరావు) (13 March 1854 – 23 June 1919) was a dramatist from Bellary, India. A pleader and a non-professional theatre practitioner from Bellary, Srinivas ...

. His students include female artists like ''Sarojini Kopparapu'', ''Padmavati Kommuri'', ''Annapurna Kakinada'', and male artists like ''Vasudevarao K.S.'', ''Apparao Basavaraju'' and ''

Banda Kanakalingeshwara Rao Banda Kanakalingeswara Rao (20 January 1907 – 3 December 1968) was an Indian actor known for his works in Telugu theatre, and Telugu cinema. He was the member of Kendriya Sangeet Natak Akademi since 1952 and Andhra Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akade ...

''.

Early life

Raghava studied at Bellary High School and at Christian College, Madras. He then practiced law after graduating from Madras Law College in 1905. Aged 12, he founded Shakespeare Club in Bellary and played in Shakespeare dramas. Raghava also portrayed main characters in various dramas in the Sreenivasarao Kolachalam's group "Sumanohara" in Bangalore. In 1909 he founded the ''Amateur Dramatic Association of Bangalore''.

Notable theatre works

''Harischandra'', ''Padukapattabhishekamu'', ''Savitri'', ''Brihannala'', ''Ramaraju charitra'', ''Ramadasu'', ''Tappevaridi'', ''Saripadani sangatulu'', etc. were his noted dramas. He visited various countries like Sri Lanka, England, France, Germany and Switzerland and gave seminars and lectures on Indian drama art. He advocated and developed the naturalistic style in acting. He was very particular that women should always play female roles on the stage. In 1927 he went to England and took part in English dramas with

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...

and

Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future w ...

. His presentation of ''Tappevaridi'' by Rajamannar in 1930 in Madras, has received critical reception as a momentous event heralding a new era in Telugu theatre.

Cinema

In 1936, Raghava played ''Duryodhana'' in

H. M. Reddy Hanumappa Muniappa Reddy (12 June 1892 – 14 January 1960), known as H. M. Reddy, was an Indian film director and producer, known for his works in Telugu cinema. He directed the first Indian multilingual sound film ''Kalidas'' (1931), shot in ...

's ''Draupadi Maanasamrakshanam''. He then acted in ''

Raithu Bidda ''Raithu Bidda'' (''English:'' Farmer of Common Origins) ( ''Telugu'': రైతు బిడ్డ, lit. Farmer-Son of the Soil) is a 1939 Telugu social problem film directed by Gudavalli Ramabrahmam. It is a social reformist film during the p ...

'' (1939) and ''Chandika'' (1940), and has garnered critical acclaim.

Death

Raghava died on 16 April 1946. The ''Ballari Raghava Puraskaram'' award was instituted in his memory. It is presented to talented artists who contributed to drama and cinema. In 1981, a postal stamp was released in his memory.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raghava, Bellary 1880 births 1946 deaths People from Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh Telugu-language writers Indian arts administrators Indian theatre directors 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Indian male dramatists and playwrights Telugu-language dramatists and playwrights University of Madras alumni People from Anantapur district 20th-century Indian male actors Indian male film actors Dramatists and playwrights from Andhra Pradesh Male actors in Telugu cinema 19th-century Indian male actors Male actors in Telugu theatre Indian male stage actors 19th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Male actors from Andhra Pradesh 20th-century Indian male writers Male actors in British India Dramatists and playwrights in British India