Chakrapani
Legendary Telugu scenarist, producer and journalist; co-owner of the Vijaya Studio with
- Nagi Reddy. Born as Aluri Venkata Subba
Rao in Tenali, Guntur Dist., AP. Became a Hindi scholar and briefly started a Hindi school. Participated in Gandhi’s salt agitations. Started a literary career translating Saratchandra Chattopadhyay into Telugu. First script: P. Pullaiah’s Dharmapatni (1940); first success with B.N. Reddi’s melodrama Swargaseema a partner at Vijaya, scripting all its influential early L.V. Prasad hits: Shavukaru (1950), Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952), Missiamma (1955), Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu (1958). Started, on behalf of Nagi Reddy’s BNK Press, the children’s monthly Chandamama (1947), now published in 14 languages. Also started the popular journal Yuva. Credited himself with the direction of Manithan Maravillai, which is the Tamil version of K. Kameshwara Rao’s Chakrapani-scripted hit Gundamma Katha (1962), as well as Shri Rajeshwari Vilas Coffee Club (1976), remaking the Malayalam film Marunattil Oru Malayali (1971). He is satirised in the film Chakrapani (1954).