It was a fiesta of sepia-tinted memories, songs and swag of S.V. Ranga Rao at the 100th birth anniversary celebration of the legendary actor born in Nuzvid in the present-day Andhra Pradesh.
“People should learn acting and then join the film industry. They can learn from S.V. Ranga Rao what acting is. Today, we have good-looking actors, but the acting is no good. There is more sound and no music or melody. I advise young people to watch old movies,” said Vice-President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu, who graced the occasion. “SVR personified characters. If we think of Kamsa, Keechaka or Ghatotkatch , we think of SVR. He was the heartbeat of Telugu film industry who gave depth of character to even villain roles,” said Mr. Naidu.
Earlier, 100 children drawn from various schools sang some of the memorable songs from the movies of SVR culminating with the children’s favourite: Vivaha bhojanambu vinthaina vantakambu viyyaalavaari from Mayabazaar.
A montage of snippets from different movies where SVR essayed roles, interspersed with his biography, set the stage for the tribute for the actor who worked in Jamshedpur while flirting with theatre.
Actress Jamuna, who acted as SVR’s daughter in Missamma , Roja Ramani who acted as the young Prahalada with SVR as Hiranyakashipu in Bhakta Prahalada , and a number of actors came together for celebrating the life of SVR who died at the age of 56 in 1974.
“We remembering him nearly 44 years after his death speaks a lot about the actor and his acting skills. He was a gift to Telugu film industry,” said K.V. Ramanachary, Advisor to Telangana Government, at the event organised at Ravindra Bharathi by Sangamam Foundation.
