Akkineni Nageswara Rao
Born: 1923-09-20 in Ramapuram, Madras Presidency, British India
Died: 2014-01-22
Known For: Acting
Biography
Akkineni Nageswara Rao (September 20, 1923 – January 22, 2014), known by the initialism ANR, was an Indian actor and film producer who worked predominantly in Telugu cinema alongside appearances in Tamil films. After starting in theatre and making his screen debut in *Dharmapatni* (1941), he achieved his breakthrough as a leading man in the folklore fantasy *Balaraju* (1948) and the romance *Keelu Gurram* (1949). Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he established himself as a central figure in South Indian cinema, headlining the tragic romance *Devadasu* (1953), the social comedies *Missamma* (1955) and *Gundamma Katha* (1962), the mythological drama *Mayabazar* (1957), and the drama *Doctor Chakravarthy* (1964). In the 1970s and 1980s, Rao continued as a commercial lead in the romantic drama *Prema Nagar* (1971), the musical drama *Meghasandesam* (1982), and the romance *Premabhishekam* (1981). Beginning in the 1990s, he transitioned into senior character roles, starring in the family drama *Seetharamaiah Gari Manavaralu* (1991), *Bangaru Kutumbam* (1994), and the devotional features *Sri Ramadasu* (2006) and *Sri Rama Rajyam* (2011). His final screen appearance was in the fantasy drama *Manam* (2014), which he also co-produced. Beyond acting, he established Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad. For his contributions to cinema, he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1990, followed by the Padma Vibhushan in 2011.
Filmography
2022
2014
- Manam as Chaitanya
2011
- Sri Rama Rajyam as Valmiki
2009
- Jayeebhava as Ram's Grandfather
2006
- Chukkallo Chandrudu
- Sri Ramadasu as Kabirdas
2000
- Sakutumba Saparivara Sametam as Janakiramayya
1998
- Pandaga as Suryadevara Lakshmi Raghava Vara Prasad
- Sri Sitaramula Kalyanam Chutamu Rarandi
1994
- Gandeevam as Chakravarthy
- Bangaru Kutumbam as Srinivasa Rao
1993
- Mechanic Alludu as Jagannatham
- Rajeswari Kalyanam
1992
- Pranadaata as Dr. Chakravarthy
1991
- Seetharamaiah Gari Manavaralu as Seetharamaiah
1990
- Dagudumuthala Dampathyam as Raja Shekaram
- Iddaru Iddare
1989
1988
- Rao Gari Illu as Anand Rao
- Rajakiya Chadurangam as Chief Minister Satya Murthy
1987
- Collector Gari Abbai as Collector Rama Kantha Rao
- Agni Putrudu
1986
1985
- Illale Devatha as Gopi Krishna
- Bharyabhartala Bandham as Sanjeevi
1984
- Justice Chakravarthy as Justice Chakravarthy / Kalyan
- Tandava Krishnudu as Chakravarthy
1983
- Oorantha Sankranthi as Venu
- Sriranga Neethulu as Rajesh
- Bahudoorapu Batasari as Prasad
- Muddula Mogudu as Prasad
1982
- Yuvaraju
- Bangaru Kanuka
- Meghasandesam as Ravindra Babu
1981
- Prema Kanuka as Raja Shekaram
- Prema Mandiram as Pedababu Sarvarayudu / Chinnababu
- Guru Sishyulu as Kalyan
- Premabhishekam as Rajesh
1980
- Nayakudu Vinayakudu as Chiranjeevi
- Pilla Zamindar
- Yedanthasthula Meda as Ranga Rao & Venu (Dual role)
1979
- Ravanude Ramudaithe
- Hema Hemeelu as Red Lion Raghuveer & Rama Chandra
1978
- Chilipi Krishnudu as Krishna
- Vichitra Jeevitham as Chandra Shekar
1977
- Chanakya Chandragupta as Chanakya
1976
- Mahakavi Ashethrayya as Varadhayya
1973
- Andala Ramudu as Ramudu
- Bhakta Tukaram as Tukaram
- Bangaru Babu as Buchi Babu
- Bharatha Vilas as Telugu actor
1972
- Koduku Kodalu as Raja Shekar
1971
- Dasara Bullodu
- Prema Nagar
- Srimanthudu as Raja
1970
- Dharma Daata as Raja Raghupathi Rao & Sekhar
- Akka Chellelu as Justice Ramachandra Rao / Raju
- Maro Prapancham as Special CBI Officer Ravindra Nath
1969
- Aadarsa Kutumbam as Prasad
- Mooga Nomu as Venu
- Aathmeeyulu as Suryam
- Adrushtavanthulu as Raghu
1968
- Manchi Kutumbam as Venu Gopal Rao
- Sudigundalu as Gumasta
1967
- Rahasyam as Mandakudu
- Vasantha Sena as Chaaru Datta
1966
- Zamindar
- Navaratri
- Manase Mandiram as Dr. Raghu
- Aastiparulu as Krishna / Seenu
1965
- Antastulu as Raghu
- Aatma Gowravam
1964
- Pooja Phalamu
- Doctor Chakravarthy as Dr. Chakravarthy
- Mooga Manasulu
- Aatma Balam as Anand
1963
- Sri Krishnarjuna Yuddhamu as Arjuna
- Chaduvukunna Ammayilu as Sekhar
- Punarjanma
1962
- Manchi Manasulu as Venu
- Kula Gotralu as Ravi
- Gundamma Katha as Raja
- Aradhana as Dr. Murali Krishna
1961
- Velugu Needalu as Chandram
- Bhaktha Jayadeva as Jayadeva
- Bharya Bharthalu as Anand
- Batasari as Surendranath / Suren
- Manithan Maravillai
1960
- Maa Babu
- Nammina Bantu
- Mahakavi Kalidasu as Kalidasa
- Pelli Kanuka as Bhaskar
1959
- Mangalya Balam as Chandrasekhar
- Illarikam
- Kalyana Parisu as Raghu
- Manjal Mahimai as Chandrasekhar
1958
- Women's Authority
- Pellinaati Pramanalu as Krishna Rao
- Bhookailas as Narada Maharshi
1957
- Mayabazar as Abhimanyu
- Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp
- Thodi Kodallu as Gopu
1956
- Bhale Ramudu as Rama Krishna
- Tenali Ramakrishna as Tenali Ramakrishna
- Charana Daasi as Venu
- Matharkula Manikkam as Ravi
1955
- Rojulu Maraayi as Venu
- Donga Ramudu as Ramudu
- Anarkali as Salim
- Ardhangi as Raghunatha Rao / Raghu
- Missamma as A. K. Raju
1954
- Chakrapani
- Vipra Narayana as Vipranarayana
- Parivartana as Satyam
1953
- Devadasu as Devadasu
- Poongothai as Chandram
1951
- Or Iravu as Dr. Sekhar
1950
- Swapna Sundari as Prabhu
- Samsaram as Venu
- Palletoori Pilla as Vasanth
1949
- Raksha Rekha as Sudhakar
- Keelu Gurram as Vikrama
- Laila Majnu as Qais
1948
- Balaraju as Balaraju
- Vindhya Rani
1947
- Palnati Yudham as Balachandrudu
1946
1945
- Mayalokam as Sarabandi Raju