Andhra Pradesh - Karimnagar   

Breathing life into music with words

K.M. Dayashankar

The National award winning lyricist has two aims - to entertain and motivate

KARIMNAGAR: Long after I am gone, people should hum my songs, says the National award winner for best lyrics, Suddala Ashok Teja.

"I write songs to entertain people and also to motivate them to face problems. Even an illiterate person understands my songs. It touches people's hearts," he said. `Okkate gamyam', the song from `Bhadrachalam' had inspired students appearing for the Intermediate, EAMCET and other examinations, he said.

Teacher-turned-lyricist

Mr. Teja, a teacher from Metpally mandal in the district, entered into films in 1994 with `Namasthe Anna'. He has written over 1,000 songs in 500 films. His work in the Chiranjeevi-starrer `Tagore' had won him the national best lyricist award last year.

He is the third lyricist from the State to win the award after Sri Sri and Veturi.

Role models

He drew inspiration from his father, Suddala Hanumanth, a freedom fighter who fought against the Nizam rulers and The Gnanpith awardee, C. Narayana Reddy, too was a role model. Mr. Teja has extensively used Telangana dialect in his songs and many of them have become chartbusters.

Asked about his `Janmabhoomi programme' song, he said that with the help of the then Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, he could take up development of his native village in Nalgonda district at a cost of Rs. 50 lakhs with the sanctioning of CC roads, watersheds etc.

He also said that he would contribute his mite for his "second motherland", Karimnagar district. His forthcoming films include Nagarjuna-starrer `Sri Ramdasu', and `Political Rowdy', starring Mohanbabu.

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Breathing life into music with words

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