K. Raghavendra Rao

{{Short description|Indian film director (born 1942)}}

{{Use Indian English|date=June 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}

{{infobox person

| name = K. Raghavendra Rao

| image = K Raghavendra Rao.png

| caption = Rao at an interview in 2018

| birth_name = Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1942|05|23}}

| birth_place = Kolavennu, Madras Presidency, British India (now Andhra Pradesh, India)

| death_date =

| death_place =

| spouse = Sarala

| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|screenwriter|choreographer|producer}}

| yearsactive = 1977–present

| parents = K. S. Prakash Rao (father)
G. Varalakshmi (step-mother)

| relatives = K. Bapayya (cousin)
Shobu Yarlagadda (son-in-law)

| children = 2, including Prakash Kovelamudi

}}

Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao (born 23 May 1942) is an Indian filmmaker known primarily for his work in Telugu cinema, besides a few Hindi film and Kannada films. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has directed over a hundred films across various genres, including romantic comedies, fantasies, melodramas, action thrillers, biographical dramas, and romances.[http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/candid-and-confident/article4515827.ece Candid and confident – The Hindu] He has received numerous accolades, including four Nandi Awards and five Filmfare Awards South.[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/cinemaa-lifetime-achievement-award-for-raghavendra-rao/article3544683.ece CINEmaa Lifetime Achievement Award for Raghavendra Rao – The Hindu]

Raghavendra Rao received the state Nandi Award for Best Director for his works such as Bobbili Brahmanna (1984), and Pelli Sandadi (1996). He received the Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu for the drama film Prema Lekhalu (1977), the fantasy film Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990), and the romance film Allari Priyudu (1993). Raghavendra Rao is known for his works in hagiographical films such as Annamayya (1997), which won two National Film Awards, and was featured at the 29th IFFI in the mainstream section.{{Cite web |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm29IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=29IIFA.pdf |title=Directorate of Film Festival |access-date=1 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006115026/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm29IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=29IIFA.pdf |archive-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=dead }} Raghavendra Rao also received the Nandi Award for Best Direction, the Filmfare Award for Best Direction for his work in the film.[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/saroja-devi-ramoji-rao-among-recipients-of-ap-film-awards/article936426.ece Saroja Devi, Ramoji Rao among recipients of A.P. film awards – The Hindu] His other hagiographic works such as Sri Manjunatha (2001), Sri Ramadasu (2006), Shirdi Sai (2012) and Om Namo Venkatesaya (2017), received several state honours.

His mainstream works such as the 1987 social problem film Agni Putrudu, and the 1988 romantic action Aakhari Poratam, were featured at the 11th and 12th IFFI respectively in the mainstream section.{{Cite web |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm12IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=12IIFA.pdf |title=Directorate of Film Festival |access-date=1 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231211420/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm12IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=12IIFA.pdf |archive-date=31 December 2017 |url-status=dead }} In 1992, he directed the melodrama Gharana Mogudu featured at the 24th IFFI in the mainstream section.{{Cite web |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm24IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=24IIFA.pdf |title=Directorate of Film Festival |access-date=1 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006134803/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm24IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=24IIFA.pdf |archive-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=dead }} It became the first Telugu film to gross over {{INRConvert|10|c|lk=on}} at the box office.[https://web.archive.org/web/20130518083938/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-17/did-you-know-/33248018_1_film-box-office-caption First Telugu film to gross 100 million] Next, he directed the instant hit Allari Priyudu (1993), featured at the 25th IFFI in the mainstream section.{{Cite web |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm25IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=25IIFA.pdf |title=Directorate of Film Festival |access-date=1 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006081400/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm25IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=25IIFA.pdf |archive-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=dead }}