Yaragudipati Varada Rao (1903–1973), also known as Y.V. Rao, was a South Indian actor and film director who directed a number of hits in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil during the 1930s and 1940s. He is the father of prominent Indian film actress Lakshmi.Y.V. Rao was born in Nellore in the then Madras Presidency of British India in 1903 in a prominent and wealthy Telugu Brahmin family. On completion of his education, Rao plunged into drama and did a few stage plays before moving to Kolhapur and Bombay to act in silent films. In the late 1920s, he moved to Madras. Impressed by Rao's handsome looks and agility, Prakash cast him as hero in many silent films like Garuda Garva Bhangam, Gajendra Moksham, and Rose of Rajasthan.Eventually, by the start of the 1930s, Rao moved to film direction and made silent films like Pandava Nirvana (1930), Pandava Agnathavaas (1930) and Hari Maya (1932).In 1932, a Marwari businessman, Chamanlal Doongaji from Bangalore, launched South India Movietone. The company made the first talking picture in Kannada language called Sati Sulochana. Rao was given the privilege of directing this film thereby making his name immortal in the annals of Indian film history. Sathi Sulochana was shot at Chatrapathi Cinetone, in Kolhapur; the shooting took eight weeks. Produced at an enormous cost of Rs. 40,000, Sathi Sulochana created a sensation in Bangalore. He also directed Hari Maya (1932) that starred his first wife, Rajam (actress).