Friday Review
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Accolades all the way
Y. SUNITA CHOWDHARY
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An honour for actor Krishna from Andhra University.
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Humility personified Krishna
“He comes down to the living room at 10.30 or you can meet him at 5.30 at Padmalaya,” says Krishna’s aide over the phone. Ghattamaneni Krishna is known to be on dot when he gives an appointment. A photo-journalist recalls that he never poses for the camera if it’s just before lunch, because if it gets extended he doesn’t like his schedule getting upset. One has never seen him take liberties with time.
Krishna acted in 350 films in 35 years and he completed it before he turned 30. More than the box office statistics the actor has an impressive fan following amongst the Telugus all over the world. The actor has never cared about dreaming big, he goes about his work quietly even today and one seldom sees him marketing his films or reacting on the small tube for public consumption. “Controversy never courted him and there was never an outburst of emotion in his career spanning 40 years,” says Hanuman Reddy from Bangalore who is a die-hard fan of the actor and has never missed watching his films from Tene Manasulu.
The actor is being conferred with a Doctorate by the Andhra University and his name has been forwarded to the Central Government as a nominee for the upcoming Padma Sri. A much deserved award which is coming albeit late for an actor cum producer who brought the first 70mm cinema, first cinemascope, techno vision and who put back all the money he had into the industry accelerating its growth and development.
Prof. Mallikarjun who teaches chemistry at Osmania University feels that Krishna has basically become popular for his off screen heroic activities and he himself witnessed the actor give away ten lakhs to the government when Himmatwala became a huge hit at a time when a few districts were ravaged with floods. He adds, “he is the first to respond during such calamities and also has helped the fans families when they were in need of money. He’s a people’s actor. Oka manchi manishi.”
But what makes people call him a daring and a dashing star? After the third film Goodachari 116, a gap was followed by a series of cowboy movies which the youngsters lapped up. He was the first to introduce action films in the industry. A risk taker, he basically enjoyed himself playing ‘Alluri Sitaramaraju’ which other actors toyed and shelved the idea. The Late Producer Doondy who made maximum films with Krishna had once mentioned to this writer that Krishna was the most unpretentious actor in the Telugu cinema industry and none matched his golden heart.
Krishna on his part owes his success to his audiences. He says that they have been with him through thick and thin and treated him as a member of their families, and he is indebted to them so much that he can never repay them at all, “they are showering so much affection on my son and I tell him that he must do as many as good films as possible to entertain them.”
The actor admits that he has done C grade films of late but has now resolved to do quality movies and he’ll be busy for the next three months. He adds, “I have okayed quite a few films now. Recently Paruchuri Brothers approached me and asked me if I’m ready to act with grey hair for a film. Why not? I was never averse to acting my age. It’s just that people have a misconception that I don’t work without a wig.”
The actor begins his day with yoga, meditations and a small walk. Reads all the newspapers and watches television. He meets his visitors and at 63 Krishna has an amazing fan following. “From industrialists to common people…everyone from Vizag to America want to tell me that they saw this film and that film and I listen to all of them.” As he gets up to leave, one doesn’t have to dig deep to find out the reason for the glow on his face…he’s child like and plain hearted.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
