Today marks the 100th birth anniversary of Telugu cinema legend Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), a stalwart whose contributions to the industry remain unparalleled.
Born in 1924 into a family of farmers, ANR's early life was marked by economic hardship, which limited his education to primary schooling. However, this did not deter him from pursuing his passion for acting, starting his career in theatre, where he often played female roles, as women were not allowed to perform on stage at the time.
ANR’s career took off when filmmaker Ghantasala Balaramayya spotted him at the Vijayawada railway station and offered him the lead role in Sri Seeta Rama Jananam. This marked the beginning of an illustrious 75-year career, during which he starred in 255 films across Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil languages.
Some of his classic films include Devadasu, Premabhishekam, Maya Bazaar, Prema Nagar, Gundamma Katha, Dasara Bullodu, Doctor Chakravarthy, and Mooga Manasulu.
One of ANR’s most notable contributions was his role in relocating the Telugu film industry from Madras (now Chennai) to Hyderabad, solidifying the region as a hub for Telugu cinema. He further supported the industry by establishing Annapurna Studios, a major production and post-production house, with government assistance. His efforts transformed Hyderabad into a center of cinematic excellence.
ANR received numerous accolades throughout his career, including seven Nandi Awards, five Filmfare Awards South, and the Tamil Nadu State Film Award. His immense contribution to Indian cinema earned him prestigious national honors, including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
In celebration of his centenary, Annapurna Studios has teamed up with the Film Heritage Foundation and PVR Inox to re-release some of ANR’s timeless classics from September 20th to 22nd, giving younger audiences a chance to experience the magic of his films on the big screen.
Nagarjuna Akkineni, on this occasion shared, "Hundred years of our dear father, Shri Akkineni Nageshwar Rao !! 🙏 We have free tickets for you to see his classics in A.P and Telangana in these theatres."
Hundred years of our dear father, Shri Akkineni Nageshwar Rao !! 🙏
We have free tickets for you to see his classics in A.P and Telangana in these theatres 💐💐💐#ANRLivesOn pic.twitter.com/hu631PqgtJ