Starting his career at a very young age as a dubbing artiste and a child artiste, Sai Kumar rose to become an actor of repute. In the 50 years of his journey, Sai Kumar made his mark in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films. The Pioneer’s Suresh Kavirayani says Sai Kumar is also the voice of many actors including Suman, Rajasekhar, Rajinikanth, Suresh Gopi, Mohan Lal, Vijaykanth, Arjun Sarja, Mammootty and many others. He is also honoured with ‘Yuva Kalavachaspathi’ and ‘Voice of Andhra’ by cultural organizations. Sai Kumar is still busy with multiple projects in many languages. He wanted to be a cricketer, but became an actor. Here is what he has to say…
Both parents are actors, Kallepalli and Bagepalli
My father is PJ Sharma, a popular actor and dubbing artiste. He is actually from a village called Kallepalli in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh. My grandfather PV Narasimham used to act in stage plays. My father also acted in many stage plays and was very famous for Srikrishna Devarayulu character at that time organized by Andhra Kala Parishath. Popular writers Sri Sri and Arudra are my father’s cousins. My father won the best actor prize in one of his plays. Popular actors Mikkilineni and Lingamurthy were the judges. My father worked in a private company. Friends and well-wishers told him to go to Chennai and try in films. His craze for Akkineni Nageswara Rao took him to Chennai. In 1954, he acted as a junior artiste in a film that starred ANR, which he wanted to watch closely. After the shooting was over, my father came out of the studio and met ANR. He enquired about my father and advised him to try for good roles, not as a junior artiste. My father returned to his village and again in 1959 he went to Chennai and started as an actor and also a dubbing artist. My mother Krishnajyothi is from Bagepalli in Karnataka, the village bordering Andhra and Karnataka. She acted in Kannada films and she played ‘Anarkali’ drama in Chennai, which my father saw and fell in love with her. That’s how my parents met and got married in 1960. I was born on July 27, 1961 in Chennai.
School and childhood
I studied in Children’s Garden School, Mylapore, Chennai from Class 1 to 7 and then from Class 8 to 11, Kesari High School. I participated in cultural activities a lot. My mother taught me Surya Namaskar, Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavatham poems and so many other things from my fifth year. My parents are very disciplined and I learn it from them. As I told you, my father’s favourite is Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Simhachalam and my mother’s favourite is Kadiri Narasimha temple. So actually my name is Pudipeddi Venkata Varaha Narasimha Sai Kumar. Popular music director Saluri Rajeswara Rao’s sons Vasu, Koti (music directors) and Chinna Koti also studied in the same school. Chinna Koti was my classmate in Kesari School. I am in touch with all my school friends.
First make-up for Duryodhana’s monologue
In Chennai, actor Rajababu’s birthday was celebrated by Dr Raja Rao Arts Memorial Academy, on October 20, 1972. I participated in this cultural activity at the age of 11 and enacted the role of Duryodhana from Mayasabha. This is when I donned my first make-up on the stage. My first guru was actor Kakarala and then actor JV Ramana Murthy, who advised me in dialogue delivery and acting. Kakarala trained me for the Duryodhana solo act on the stage. This is when I got noticed by many and one of them is actor SV Ranga Rao. He was impressed by my acting and came backstage and blessed me.
NCC, cricket and cultural activities
I was very active in NCC and I represented Tamil Nadu. R Sudharshan, the leader, and I were the banner winners in 1980 Republic Day. We led the guard of honour in front of Indira Gandhi, and also had breakfast with her. We went on a foreign cruise, on INS Betwa, from Kochi to Port Louis, Mauritius. From all over India only six people were selected and I was one of them as the cadet captain. Crossing the equator and drilling exercises were a great experience for me. Actually I played cricket in college and was a very good cricket player. I bowled off spin and I wanted to be a cricketer. But my dubbing led me into acting. I completed my degree from Nandanam Arts College and then MA in Public Administration from Presidency College. I worked as a professor for six months in the same college.
