Sri: Tell me about your background ?

K.S.R. Das: I am basically from the surrounds of Nellore, a village so small that it didn't even have a theater. I was born on January 05, 1936. I am 71 now (smiles) ...it's been quite a while, ah! When I was in high school, I used to go to the nearest touring talkies - in Vinukonda, 10 miles away - for the night show without informing my family, and thus used to come back in the night itself... In 1953, I joined as a booking clerk in a Krishna Mahal of Guntur district, and eventually as a film representative to Anjali Pictures, with whom I worked until 1956. While working with them, I got close to Jagannatha Naidu gaaru, a production manager at Vauhini back then.

He introduced me to S. Bhavanarayana gaaru, who had a company called Gowri Productions, and I joined in their company as an editor. In this position, I worked for about 40 films, before I finally got a break as a director, thanks to Bhavanarayana gaaru. Loguttu Perumallakeruka (1965-'66 period), with Sobhan Babu and Rajasri playing the leads, was my debut movie. The film did not taste success, however. Rajayogam (1968), Gandaragolam, etc. followed...

Sri: Wasn't it about that time when you started making a successful combination with Krishna?

K.S.R. Das: Yes, we did over 30 films together, starting with Takkari Donga-Chakkani Chukka which released on May 19, 1969, produced by Y.V. Rao, who is the brother-in-law of Bhavanarayana gaaru.

Sri: But your second film with Krishna was nearly after good two years!

K.S.R. Das: Oh, that was because we both were busy with other films and had previous commitments. What's notable is that the second film, Prema Jeevulu (released on March 5, 1971) was not a hit, but the next two films that hit the theaters the same year, Bangaru Kutumbam (August 13, 1971) and Mosagaallaku Mosagaadu (August 27, 1971), though they were released with a two-week gap, were both good hits! Mosagaallaku Mosagaadu became a trendsetter in Indian films and was also dubbed into many languages, including English!

Sri: The movie itself seems to be inspired by Hollywood's own Good, Bad, and Ugly?

K.S.R. Das: No, it's not! Arudra adapted the cowboy theme to suit Telugu nativity and we made it accordingly. Only one scene was taken from that film, Arudra said. In fact, I have not seen the English film in question even till date!

Sri: You started the trend of cowboy films and several others followed...

K.S.R. Das: Well, even before this cowboy-themed action film became a trendsetter in its own right, I did Rowdy Raani earlier as the first 100% action film on the Indian screen! The film was produced by Atluri Poornachandra Rao with Vijayachandar, Vijayalalitha, etc. The film was a runaway success and ran for more than 100 days, giving us a chance to think about Mosagaallaku Mosagaadu. After these two films, I was branded as an action-film director.

Sri: Nadia films were already there before Rowdy Raani!

K.S.R. Das: Agreed Nadia films were there, but they were only 'hunter-waali' films and not complete action films like Rowdy Raani (1971) is.

Sri: Though you were already an accomplished director yourself, you worked as the second unit director for some films. What prompted you to do so?

K.S.R. Das: Actually, I have not done them! It's true however that I did Alluri Seetarama Raju after Ramachandra Rao gaaru died. He just shot ten days before his sudden demise, and I completed the rest of the movie. Krishna did want to keep my name as the director, but it was Ramachandra Rao gaari dream project, and thus I refused to take credit as the director. Wanting to be fair to me still, Krishna kept my name as the second unit director, and I didn't object. For Kaalaantakulu, I just helped Viswanath gaaru as he requested me that he was not comfortable doing action episodes, which was seen as my forte then! I thus directed the action sequences for the movie.

Sri: Well, you also did some sentimental and/or family-drama movies...

K.S.R. Das: As a matter of fact, even action films have sentiment and family drama - mere fights do not attract audience! But, yeah, I did films like Annadammula Savaal, Mama-Allulla Savaal, Girija Kalyanam, etc. ...When Sundarlal Nahta asked me to do the film Girija Kalyanam, people were taken aback, but the film gave me a chance to prove once again that I can handle such subjects too very well.

Sri: How is your relationship with Krishna gaaru of late?

K.S.R. Das: We are very good friends and I meet him whenever I go to Hyderabad and we spend some time together.

Sri: Which other artistes did you work with often, in Telugu?

K.S.R. Das: After Krishna gaaru, I worked with Kantarao gaaru most, and then others like Chiranjeevi (Billaa-Ranga in 1982, and Puli-Bebbuli and Roshagaadu in 1983), Rajinikant(Iddaru Asaadhyule, Annadammula Savaal, Sahodaral Savaal), Sobhan Babu (Loguttu Perumallakeruka, Girija Kalyanam, Chesina Baasalu). With Rama Rao gaaru, I did only one film - Yugandhar.

Sri: The original Hindi version for Yugandhar - Don - was a huge success! What inspired you do it in Telugu still?

K.S.R. Das: It was the producer's choice and not mine. The film was a super hit in AP also. The Telugu version also ran for more than 100 days.

Sri: Ilayaraja, who doesn't like to adapt same tunes from an original movie, scored music for this film. How could you convince him, even to work reluctantly on this project?

K.S.R. Das: Actually, it's due to Pitambaram gaaru, who is close to Ilayaraja. I knew Ilayaraja before he became a music director, and he's good friend of mine too. For this project, the Hindi film music was already a great hit, and we thus asked him to follow the same tunes. The maestro still left his mark on the film's music, one can still see it if one follows carefully.

Sri: You made films with almost all heroes of those times. How come, surprisingly so, did you not work with ANR gaaru?

K.S.R. Das: ANR gaaru did some action films too, but our combination never worked out. Somehow, he and I thought that our combination would not workout with the kind of image he had then.

Sri: You made your mark in Telugu and you made more films in Telugu than any other language? Why, then, did you settle in Karnataka?

K.S.R. Das: It's true that Telugu audience took several of my movies to a hit run, but I was equally popular in Kannada also. I made about a dozen films in Kannada with Vishnuvardhan alone! With others too, I did Raja Kaliyamman, Thirugu Baana, etc.. So, it's not like I went to a hiding place where I was not known to anyone!

Sri: What about your children? Any film connections there?

K.S.R. Das: My son is a producer. He's doing some Kannada films.

Interviewed by Sri Atluri
Compiled and edited by Nachaki

K.S.R. Das's Filmography