The unveiling of a bust size bronze statue of popular actor S.V. Ranga Rao by Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi at Tummalapallivari Kshetrayya Kalakshetram on Sunday became an occasion for several speakers to recall SVR's exceptional acting prowess and express their anguish over the failure of successive governments to give due recognition to him. Another veteran actor Kaikala Satyanarayana was felicitated on the occasion and given ‘SVR Puraskaram'.
Minister praises Chiru
The meeting organised on the occasion of the 36th death anniversary of SVR also saw Minister K. Parthasarathy heap praises on Mr. Chiranjeevi, whom he bracketed along with former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in the commitment to improve the lives of the poor.
The Minister surprised the audience by confessing that he was a fan of Mr. Chiranjeevi from the time his film “Kothalarayudu” was released in 1978. “I managed to shake hands with him during one of his visits,” he disclosed.
Mr. Chiranjeevi said it would be a bit of adventure to talk about S.V. Ranga Rao and his screen performance, for he was just a child when SVR strode like a colossus on silver screen.
“My father was given the role of a policeman in the film ‘Jagatjantilu' made by some of his friends with SVR. My father used to tell me how SVR always taught lessons to others in dialogue delivery. My interest in acting probably took birth then itself,” the actor-turned-politician said. Referring to the all-time classic ‘Mayabazar', Mr. Chiranjeevi said that he recently got a DVD of its colour version and persuaded his son and actor Ram Charan to watch the movie along with him to understand how great an actor SVR was.
“SVR's successor”
Mr. Kaikala Satyanarayana recalled his association with SVR and said he could never forget how affectionately SVR treated him and congratulated him on many occasions. “My greatest moment in my career was when SVR told me that I am his successor in films,” he said. Several speakers who spoke on the occasion felt that a life size statue of SVR should have been installed instead of bust size. Mayor M.V. Ratna Bindu said that the VMC had taken a decision to allow only uniform bust size statues at Tummalapallivari Kshetrayya Kalakshetram. “The statues of Savitri and Allu Ramalingaiah will soon be installed here,” she announced.
MLAs Malladi Vishnu, Vellampalli Srinivas, Yelamanchili Ravi, K. Kanna Babu, E. Nani, PRP leaders Ch. Ramachandraiah, B. Veda Vyas, former political activist Miriyala Venkata Rao, SVR's grandson S.V. Ranga Rao and several others were present.
