Supestar Krishna

Only three film heroes were popular by the title "Super Star" in India: Amitabh Bacchan in Bollywood, Rajinikant in Kollywood, and Krishna in Tollywood! As today marks the 67th birthday of the Telugu superstar, let's remind ourselves why Krishna deserves the title so much:

Born Ghattamaneni Sivarama Krishna Murthy in Burripalem, Guntur district on May 31, 1943, Krishna was the eldest son of Ghattamaneni Veera Raghavayya Chowdary and Nagarathnamma. He eventually stepped into films, but he was not even near becoming a star when he entered the filmdom in the early 1960s. He was introduced in a forgettable role in Kongara Jaggayya's home production Padandi Munduku (1961). He later was seen in another momentary appearance in ANR-Krishna Kumari starrer Kulagothralu (1962), as one in a group of ANR's friends come to see him after he's injured, and had a dialogue too: " vastaamOy!", he says to ANR before they all leave. And, at that time, no one thought such a momentary glitter on the silver screen could last over 45 years! As is popularly known already, director Adurti Subbarao gave a break to Krishna with his Thene Manasulu (1965), introducing Krishna and Ram Mohan as male leads. Krishna's first film as hero also was the first Eastman Color film in Telugu! The following year, he found himself shooting simultaneously for Kanne Manasulu (along with Ram Mohan again) and Gudhachari 116 (along with Sobhan Babu) on different floors of the  same studio. Iddaru Monagaallu (1967) with Kantha Rao followed next. Little did Krishna know then that he'd introduce a lot more firsts, be the "Andhra James Bond", act in more multi-starrer films, and act in more than one film on a given day of shoot, for years to come! When Mullapudi Venkataramana's 1959 story (published in Andhra Pathrika) was made a movie with the same title, Saakshi, in 1967, Bapu turned a director, and Krishna turned a solo hero. Saakshi was sent to Tashkent Film Festival in 1968, and the film's heroine Vijaya Nirmala married Krishna in 1969, but they'd not guessed then that the marriage would lead to a "film family" in true sense! Krishna also got a firm hold in filmdom in the same year - 1967.

Between 1965 and 1974, Krishna completed his first century already, even marking 18 releases in 1972! Such was the popularity that Krishna garnered right from his recognition as a solo hero. Krishna's 100th film, Alluri Seetharamaraju (1974), marked the first color Cinemascope, and Krishna produced and directed Simhasanam (1986) marked the first 70 mm film. He also introduced James Bond-mark investigative films to Telugu with Gudhachari 116 (1966) and cowboy movies with Mosagaallaki Mosagaadu (1971). Kurukshetram (1977), Simhasanam (1986), Viswanatha Nayakudu (1987) come to mind when one should think of his mythological, folkloric, or historic films. Acting in over 350 films, Krishna acted in dual roles and triple roles and even appeared in various getups in films like Bharata Simham (1995). At a time he seemed to have considered moving on to key roles from lead roles in 1993 with the film Vaarasudu, displeased fans requested him to consider and before he could ponder over the thought seriously, S.V. Krishna Reddy's Number One (1994) became a super-surprise hit and marked his second innings, so to say. ...What can be a "second innings" really, for a star who had an acting career of 44 years with only two years that had just one movie released - 1992 ( Raktha Tharpanam), 2001 ( Pandanti Samsaaram) - since his debut as male lead in 1965!

Krishna and Vijaya Nirmala contributed to films their life, time, and money: both acted as producers (5 different home banners came from the household, and they also produce TV serials and telefilms), both were directors (with Vijaya Nirmala as a record-holder in Guinness Book of World Records as the woman who had directed most movies), both are artistes (whose 50th screen combination is Neramu-Siksha releasing today), and the household also owns a film studio! What else can a family give to their place of work and passion? There's more... in the form of Krishna's children Ramesh Babu (actor-producer), Mahesh Babu (actor), and Manjula (actress-producer). Fittingly, Krishna was recognized by the Government of India with the third highest civilian award of PadmaBhushan for the current year; he had previously received the NTR National Award (2003) too.

Today, let's remember the great personality who could inspire everyone time and again that one can drive oneself to any extent and possibly for ever with just the passion, zeal, and dream to deliver. TeluguCinema.Com joins crores of fans of the Super Star in wishing the "Real Hero" a great birthday and great life ahead.

By NaChaKi