Raallapalli is 69 and lives on the fifth floor. Ask him how he manages to reach home when the power goes off, he smiles and remarks nonchalantly, “I just have to climb 100 steps, no big deal.” The actor who completed 40 years as an artiste in the industry enrolled for a PG course two years back. He passed MPA (Masters in Performance Arts) in distinction and now enrolled himself for a M.Phil degree. “I am not going to stop there, I want a Doctorate as well,” he tells us. That’s quite an achievement for a man who struggled to pass B.SC.
He flaunts a little garden in his balcony — dozens of potted plants shine under the sun rays. You notice that every bedroom in his home has a balcony and he has neatly arranged the plants spreading beauty and a positive energy to the interiors.
Raallapalli began his career as a government employee recruited by the ministry of Information and Broadcasting to stage plays to promote government policies all over the State. He later moved on to amateur theatre associations and then made his debut in Telugu films. Tanikella Bharani, writer and actor who spent his salad days in the actor’s home says, “After I joined the drama society as a member I stopped going home; I started living in Raallapalli’s home for years. He is non-controversial, helpful and one of the greatest human beings I’ve ever met. He insisted on women being respected. As a token of gratitude, I named my son Maha Teja which is the name of his house.”
Raallapalli is currently giving final touches to his play which he will perform in October. It is about two people in love who don’t get to marry but meet after decades. Raallapalli says, “I am doing something that suits my age and physique. An artiste should never be satisfied with roles, he has to be a student always. There are many characters that we wish to do, and there are many which we cannot due to lack of opportunity.” Speaking of audience reaction, “The creation of a character is based on the director and the writer and our contribution and output is based on their work. We have to do homework for that, if the film succeeds, the popularity spreads otherwise all the effort will go in vain,” he signs off.
