I read a very old and established news paper ‘Deccan Chronicle’. Deccan Chronicle was established in 1938, founded by Rajagopal Mudaliar and today it became a prominent daily English newspaper. Today i.e. 4th May, 2026 I read about Late Shri. Dasari Narayana Rao in an obituary column inserted by the former employees of a Telugu newspaper called “Udayam”(Dawn). Today was his birthday! He was my favourite film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and lyricist known for his work in Telugu cinema. Hence this short note for that great man.
Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1947 – 30 May 2017) was a film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, and lyricist, primarily known for his work in Telugu cinema. Over his four-decade career, he directed more than 150 feature films. Known as ‘Darsaka Ratna’ (Director Gem), Late Shri. Dasari Narayana Rao holds the Limca World Record for directing the most films and was a major figure in Telugu cinema. He has produced 53 films and worked in more than 250 films as a dialogue writer, and lyricist. He has received two National Film Awards, nine state Nandi Awards, and four Filmfare Awards South. He was known and recognized for addressing social issues such as gender discrimination, casteism, corruption and injustice through his films.
In addition to his work in Telugu cinema, Narayana Rao directed notable Hindi films like Swarag Narak (1978), Jyoti Bane Jwala (1980), Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtar (1984), Asha Jyoti (1984) and others.
He directed movies such as Tandra Paparayudu (1986), and Surigaadu (1992) and Kante Koothurne Kanu (1998) which received the National Film Award Special Mention Feature Film. Another movie directed by him – Meghasandesam was screened at the Indian Panorama, the Tashkent Film Festival, and the Moscow film festival. The film also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. During his career he also acted in several Telugu and Tamil films. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the year 2000 and served as the Minister of state for Coal in the Manmohan Singh government.
He remains as my hero and my favourite director. Every cell in his body is a unique movie. It was a sheer coincidence that I came to know that today is his birthday. I could not resist writing few lines about this great man. People’s memory is too short, isn’t it?
Udayam (Dawn) was a Telugu-language daily newspaper founded in 1984 by Dasari Narayana Rao and was known for its editorial advocacy of marginalized communities, anti-corruption, and democratic ideals. Despite its early success, Udayam faced financial challenges. In 1995, declining circulation and mounting debts forced Dawn to hide in Dusk! It ceased its operations. Is it not ironical that Udayam’s once employees are remembering him?
About the Author
Dr. K. Raja Gopal Reddy is a seasoned internationally qualified Insurance professional. What you are reading here, may not answer all the questions we have, but has the absolute power of asking unsettling questions which increase the interest in the strange world, and show the contradictory wonders lying just below the surface of the commonest things of life. Look at this disturbing but beautiful thought of Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him”. Dr. Reddy can be reached at: raja66gopal@gmail.com
