suresh kavirayani
Chittajallu Krishnaveni, popularly known as Krishnaveni, passed away on Sunday morning at her residence in Film Nagar. She was 101 years old and is survived by her daughter, Anuradha Devi.
Born on December 24, 1924, in Pangidigudem village, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, Krishnaveni was the daughter of Dr. Yerramsetti Lakshmana Rao and Nagarajamma. She developed an early interest in acting, performing mythological roles like Prahlada and Dhruva in school plays. Her talent was recognized by renowned director C. Pullaiah, who cast her in Sati Anasuya (1936), a film made entirely with child artists. Notably, comedian Relangi, who was then a production manager, introduced her to Pullaiah. At just 10 years old, Krishnaveni began her cinematic journey.
Following Sati Anasuya, she returned to Rajahmundry and pursued theatre. She later acted in Tukaram (1937), but the film did not fare well. However, her role in Kacha Devayani (1938) brought her recognition. After appearing in Mahananda, she relocated to Madras, continuing her acting career. During this time, she married Mirzapuram Raja, who later produced Bhoja Kalidasu, in which she starred. Following her marriage, Krishnaveni was restricted to acting only in her home productions. She played lead roles in films such as Jeevana Jyothi (1940), which marked the debut of C. Narayana Rao, followed by Daksha Yagnam (1941) and Bheeshma (1944). Her performances in Gollabhama (1947) and Lakshmamma (1950) earned her widespread acclaim.
Krishnaveni eventually took charge of Sobhanachala Studios, her husband’s production house, while also raising her daughter. She bid farewell to acting and launched her own production house, MRA (Meka Rajyalakshmi Anuradha), named after her daughter. She’s named as the first woman producer.
In a time when mythological and folklore films dominated, Krishnaveni took a bold step by producing Manadesam, the first Telugu film adapted from a Bengali novel (Vipradas). This film introduced legendary actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) to the silver screen. Director L.V. Prasad, recommended by K.S. Prakash Rao, suggested NTR for the role of a police inspector. Krishnaveni offered NTR an advance of Rs 250, paving the way for his illustrious career as an actor and later as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
Manadesam also marked the debut of playback singer P. Leela and became a significant milestone in Telugu cinema. It provided a breakthrough for actors like S.V. Ranga Rao and playback singer Jikki, establishing them in the industry.
Her next major production, Lakshmamma, stirred controversy. Based on Tripuraneni Gopichand’s story, the film starred Krishnaveni and C. Narayana Rao. Simultaneously, filmmaker Ghantasala Balaramayya produced Sri Lakshmamma Katha with Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Anjali Devi. While Balaramayya’s film flopped, Krishnaveni’s version became a massive hit, leading to much debate within the industry. Her last film as an actress was Sahasam (1952), in which noted Congress politician and former Maharashtra Governor Kona Prabhakar Rao played the lead. She produced her final film, Dampatyam (1957), which introduced music director Ramesh Naidu.
Krishnaveni attempted several ambitious projects that were shelved mid-production, including Kummari Molla with Chittoor Nagaiah, Lady Doctor directed by B. Sridhar, and Good Evening directed by Kamal Ghosh. She also initiated two Kannada films, Rajasimha and Paleru, which were discontinued after partial shooting. Despite her immense contributions as an actress, producer, and mentor to some of the greatest talents in Telugu cinema, Krishnaveni’s contributions were largely unrecognised by the industry. For years, she was overlooked at major film industry events and was not honored by the government. Following widespread criticism of this oversight, she was finally awarded the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award in 2004.
Her daughter, Anuradha Devi, later followed in her footsteps, producing several successful films featuring Kannada legend Rajkumar, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and other leading stars. Krishnaveni’s passing marks the end of an era. Her impact on Telugu cinema, particularly her role in introducing NTR and nurturing countless artists, remains unparalleled.
