Singeetam Srinivasa Rao

After graduation his ambition was to get into films. As his attempts to meet the director K. V. Reddy failed, he took up the job of a teacher in Sullurupeta.[2] But he continued writing and wrote two experimental award-winning plays Bhrama and Anthyaghattam. He also wrote Chitrarjuna, a musical play adopted from Tagore's Chitra - Prince of the Dark Chamber. It was translated into English by Scottish dramatist Tom Buchan for an American television channel. He also worked as a journalist at the time writing for Telugu Swatantra.[2][9]

He continued his efforts to meet his favourite director K. V. Reddy and in 1954 he was finally able to meet him. K. V. Reddy gave him a copy of The Monkey's Paw and asked him to write a script based on it. Srinivasa Rao wrote the script along with dialogues in three months. K. V. Reddy was impressed and took him as an apprentice.[2] He later graduated as an associate director under K. V. Reddy and worked with him for all his films from Donga Ramudu (1955) until Uma Chandi Gowri Sankarula Katha (1968) including Mayabazar (1957), Jagadeka Veeruni Katha (1961), Sri Krishnarjuna Yuddham (1963).[8]

In 1972, Srinivasa Rao ventured into film direction with Neethi Nijayithi, an offbeat Telugu film. The film won critical acclaim but was not commercially successful.[2] He then directed the social problem film Tharam Marindi (1977) which won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film.[11]

He made other successful Telugu films like Zamindaru gari Ammayi (1975), America Ammayi (1976), Panthulamma (1978), Sommokadidhi Sokokadidhi (1979), Mayuri (1985), Aditya 369 (1991), Brundavanam (1992), Bhairava Dweepam (1994), Madam (1994). Mayuri won a record 14 Nandi Awards including the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film.[12][13] Srinivasa Rao won the Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer for Brundavanam and the Nandi Award for Best Director for Bhairava Dweepam. Aditya 369 and Bhairava Dweepam are considered classic films in science fiction and fantasy genres respectively in Telugu cinema.[3][16][17][18]

He made over half of his films in Telugu. He directed nearly 30 Telugu films across genres. His most recent film was Welcome Obama (2013). The story deals with commercial surrogacy in India where women are used as surrogates by foreigners and tells the story of one such surrogate mother who bears a foreigner's child.[1]

He is also roped in as a mentor for the upcoming Telugu science fiction film Project K. Made at an estimated budget of ₹500 crore, it is one of the most expensive Indian films ever made. Srinivasa Rao gave his inputs and opinion on the film's script as a part of the mentorship.[24]

Srinivasa Rao was the executive director of the 1970 Kannada movie Samskara directed by Pattabhirama Reddy. It won the President's gold medal for National Film Award for Best Feature Film.[4] Singeetam made his Kannada directorial debut with the 1982 blockbuster Haalu Jenu starring Rajkumar. He went on to direct six more Kannada blockbusters with Rajkumar - Chalisuva Modagalu (1982), Eradu Nakshatragalu (1983), Shravana Banthu (1984), Jwaalamukhi (1985), Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma (1986) and Devatha Manushya (1988). Two of these were based on novels. He was selected to direct the historical Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga which was supposed to be Rajkumar's 200th movie but eventually dropped.[25] However, he subsequently went on to direct Devatha Manushya (1988) which happened to be Rajkumar's 200th film.

His other non-Rajkumar Kannada directorials include Anand (1986) and Chiranjeevi Sudhakara (1988) apart from Ksheera Sagara (1992), Tuvvi Tuvvi Tuvvi (1999) and Make-up (2002) in the latter part of his career. He co-wrote the screenplay for two Kannada movies produced by Rajkumar's banner that were not directed by him - Shruthi Seridaaga (1987) and Samyuktha (1988). He was also the script-writer of Belliyappa Bangarappa (1992). A disciple of legendary composer S. Rajeswara Rao, he has composed music for two Kannada films - Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma and Samyuktha.[26]

Most of the films he directed in Kannada were produced by Parvathamma Rajkumar and all were critically and commercially successful. Of the seven films Srinivasa Rao directed with Rajkumar in lead roles, four movies were remade in Telugu. Singeetam's association with Rajkumar was a rare one where he not only directed cult classics and landmark movies but also co-wrote screenplay and composed music for movies produced by the actor even though they were not directed by him. This stands as a testimony for the faith Rajkumar had in the abilities of Rao and the admiration Srinivasa had for Rajkumar.[27] In 1988, when Rajkumar announced his desire to temporarily retire from acting, Singeetam decided to concentrate on Tamil movies where he mostly had Kamal Haasan in the lead roles.[28]

The Kannada Film Journalists Association has honoured Srinivasa Rao with a Special Biography. Srinivasa Rao received three Karnataka State Film Awards — two for Best Screenplay and one for Best movie.[4]

He composed lyrics for films like Bhairava Dweepam (1994) and soundtracks for a few Kannada films. He edited many magazines in Telugu such as Bharati, and scripted plays like Brahma, Antya Ghattam, and Chitrārjuna. Chitrārjuna was also translated into English, and was telecasted in American Television.[29] A disciple of legendary composer S. Rajeswara Rao, he has also composed music for two Kannada movies of matinee idol Rajkumar's banner - Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma (which was directed by him) and Samyuktha - (which was not directed by him).[30]

Srinivasa Rao (right) at IFFI 2015

The 1984 Telugu biographical dance film, Mayuri, which won the National Film Award – Special Mention (Feature Film), was premiered at the 1985 International Film Festival of India, has also received several state Awards, including the State Nandi Award for Best Feature Film, and Filmfare Award South for Best Direction.[31] The film was later remade into Hindi as Naache Mayuri.

In 1988, he co-produced, scripted and directed the first Indian dialogue-less film, Pushpaka Vimana which received special mention at Shanghai Film Festival.[32][33] When he was working with Rajkumar, Srinivasa Rao was introduced to Rajkumar's relative, actor Shringar Nagaraj who decided to co-produce Pushpaka Vimana.[34] The film was listed among CNN-IBN's 'Hundred greatest Indian films of all time'.[35]

The comedy-drama blockbuster Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989) was one of the enduring works on dwarfism in popular media.[36][37] The film won the Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil, and was premiered at the International Film Festival of India. The Telugu crossover films like America Ammayi (1976), and America Abbayi (1987) were box office hits. The 1990 action comedy, Michael Madana Kama Rajan - a movie about quadruplets[38] - became an instant hit at the box office.

The Telugu science fiction film Aditya 369 was one of the highest grossing Telugu films of 1991, grossing ₹9 crore at the box office.[39] A sequel, entitled Aditya 999, was delayed indefinitely in July 2016.[40] Another science fiction in Tamil, Chinna Vathiyar was also an instant hit. The 1994, folklore Bhairava Dweepam garnered the state Nandi Award for Best Direction.

The 2003 animation film, Son of Aladdin, had 1100 shots and 125 characters.[41] The film won Special Mention in the Competition section at the 2003 International Children’s Film Festival Hyderabad,[42][43][44] and subsequently premiered at the 37th International Film Festival of India.[45] The 2008 animation film Ghatothkach received special mention at the Grand Finale - Children's Film Festival 2014 of the 44th International Film Festival of India.[46]

Srinivasa Rao plans to make a sequel to Aditya 369 in the future.[3] He also expressed his wish to direct a pre-recorded experimental film — a musical in which he wants to use pre-recorded sequences and dialogues while shooting. He also wants to make a documentary on the making of Apoorva Sagodhararkal. He also wants to write a book on the making of Pushpaka Vimana, and his autobiography in the form of a screenplay.[6]