The 2nd day of the Telugu Cinema Diamond Jubilee celebrations saw a horde of veteran and present day film personalities enjoying the various performances arranged for the day.
"The Tamil film industry is my puttillu (father's place) and the Telugu Film Industry is my Metillu (In-laws place)" Suhasini, actress. The very lovely and versatile actress, Suhasini played the perfect hostess for the evening. The evening took off following a the screening of the video clip of the song "Endaro Mahanubhavulu" following which Suhasini invited chief guests Dasari Narayana Rao, Hindi film actress Kajol, Ministers Jana Reddy and Daggubati Purendeswari and Justice Ramanujan onto the dais.
"I began my career with Adurthi's Thene Manasulu. I did cow boy films (for the first time in Indian cinema) and 70mm films. I thank the Telugu Film Industry for giving me an opportunity to act in more than 350 films" Krishna, veteran film actor.
Veteran film maker Dasari Narayana Rao kick started the round of felicitations beginning with yester years hero Krishna "He (Krishna) is the one who brought technical revolutions like Cinema Scope and 70mm to the Telugu Cinema" Dasari said of the famed cow boy of Telugu Films.
"Like Suhasini considers the Tamil Film Industry her Puttillu, the Telugu Film Industry is my putillu" Daggubati Purendeswari, Minister and daughter of legendary film actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao.
Krishna (actor), Bapu (director), K Raghavendra Rao(director-producer), SP Balasubramanyam (singer-actor), Murari, T.L. Kanth Rao (actor), Krishnam Raju (actor), K.B. Thilak, Singeetam Srinivasa Rao (director), Vijaya Nirmala (actress), Ranganath Das, Padmanabham (actor), Rajendra Prasad (actor), Bhaskara Raju, K Raghava, G Adisesha Giri Rao, Sirivennela (lyricist), Pundarikakshayya (writer), Potharaju (sr makeup man), Victory Madhusudhana Rao (producer), Paruchuri brothers ( dialogue writers-actors), Srinu (choreography), Urvasi Sarada (actress), Eknath (spl effects), Thota Tharani (art director), Narayana (camera operator), Peetambaram (makeup man), Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao were among the others who were felicitated.
"I don't usually speak at any of the film functions but I want to do so today so that my varasulu (future generations) will listen to this during our (Telugu Film Industry's) 100 years celebrations" K.Raghavendra Rao, veteran film maker.
Some of the Telugu Cinema's classic scenes were re created when actors Nandamuri Balakrishna, Nagendra Babu and AVS enacted the roles of Suyodhana, Ghatothgaja and Sakuni respectively.
Some of the popular songs from the golden era like Savitri's "O Devada", Rajababu's "Vinara Suramma Koduka", Relangi's "Sundari Nee Vanti" and Allu Ramalingaiah's "Muthyalu Vastava" were performed by Suhasini(of Chantigadu fame)Uttej, Ali-Jayalalitha, Brahmanandam-Suhasini and Venu Madhav-Rama Prabha, respectively.
"It was the role of Sadajapa in Pathala Bhairavi that gave me a break as an actor. I will be eternally thankful to director K.V.Reddy and NTR" Padmanabham, veteran character actor.
Where comedian Sunil's mock show of a news reader and other comic performances by comedians AVS, Gundu Hanumanth Rao, Srinivas Reddy, Jayalalitha, Siva Reddy and Kondavalasa had the audiences' in splits, award winning percussionist Sivamani had the crowd enthralled with his trance like performance at the show.
"Who is your favorite hero of all the heroes you acted with" Anchor Suma to actress Ramya Krishna.
"Tell me. You acted in more number of films with me" Nagarjuna to Ramya Krishna.
"No me. You got good name with my films" Chiranjeevi to Ramya Krishna.
"All the heroes that I acted with are my favorite" a diplomatic Ramya Krishna.
Fine.Tell Rajnikanth in Padayappa" Chiranjeevi to Ramya Krishna.
Fabric laser show by a an Australian troupe and Russian ballet dancing had the audiences mesmerized while anchor Suma kept interacting with the Celebes and asking them questions that had some candid answers coming forth.
"Suhasini might consider the Tamil film industry as her Puttillu but we consider her as the aadapaduchu(girl) of our industry" Chiranjeevi, actor.
The evening ended on a high note when Chiranjeevi joined Suhasini on the stage and both of them sang the song "Malli Malli idi rani roju."
|