Dasari Narayana Rao
Dasari Narayana Rao | |
|---|---|
Rao in 2005 | |
| Minister of State for Coal and Mines | |
| In office 23 May 2004 – 27 November 2004 | |
| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Preceded by | Prahlad Singh Patel |
| Succeeded by | Himself |
| Minister of State for Coal | |
| In office 27 November 2004 – 6 April 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Preceded by | Himself |
| Succeeded by | Santosh Bagrodia |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 3 April 2000 – 2 April 2012 | |
| Constituency | Andhra Pradesh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 May 1942 |
| Died | 30 May 2017 (aged 75) |
| Party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Dasari Padma |
| Children | 3 including Arun Kumar |
| Occupation |
|
| Awards | National Film Awards |
Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1942 – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, lyricist, and politician, primarily known for his work in Telugu cinema. Over his four decade career, he directed more than 150 feature films, earning a Limca World Record for directing the most films in the world. He was known by the epithet "Darsaka Ratna" (transl. "Jewel among directors") and was recognized for addressing social issues such as gender discrimination, casteism, corruption and injustice through his films. Narayana Rao received numerous accolades, including two National Film Awards, 16 Nandi Awards including the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, and five Filmfare Awards South including the Lifetime Achievement.
In addition to his work in Telugu cinema, Narayana Rao directed notable Hindi films like Swarag Narak (1978), Jyoti Bane Jwala (1980), Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtar (1984), Asha Jyoti (1984) and others. He directed works such as Tandra Paparayudu (1986), and Surigaadu (1992) which were screened at International Film Festival of India in the Panorama section, and Kante Koothurne Kanu (1998) which received the National Film Award Special Mention Feature Film in addition to a Kannada films. In 1983, he directed Meghasandesam which screened at the Indian Panorama, the Tashkent Film Festival, and the Moscow film festival. The film also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. During his career he also acted in several Telugu and Tamil films.
He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the year 2000 and served as the Minister of state for Coal in the Manmohan Singh government.