Kasturi Siva Rao

Kasturi Siva Rao Biography

Kasturi Siva Rao was one of the early star comedians of Telugu cinema. He was also known as a film producer, director and singer. Apart from comedy roles, he has also done character roles. He entered films in the silent era as a narrator and later with the introduction of talkies, he became one of the singing actors. Rao was active in the film scene since 1930s, and was a prominent actor in the 1940s. In 1949 he turned a hero with the film - “Guna Sundari Katha”, where he essayed the role of a cursed Prince. The movie was a major hit and his dialogues and mannerisms became popular. He was one of the trendsetters of Telugu comedies on silver screen.

Rao was born on 6 March 1913 in Kakinada of Andhra Pradesh State. He started his career journey as a Voice over artist for the silent films. He also played the role of a projector operator in those days. His distant look and appearance later helped him to receive many comic roles on Telugu big screen. “Vara Vikrayam” in 1939 marked his film debut. He came to limelight with the film “Chudamani” released in 1941. “Swarga Seema” in 1945 and “Bala Raju” in 1948 catapulted him to stardom. He rose to one of the leading actors of the time and he had huge fan following crowd in the second half of 1940s. He was even mobbed by his fans in public.

With the movie - Guna Sundari Katha he turned a hero in 1949. The film was a major hit. The following year he turned a producer-director with the film, “Paramanandaiah Sishyulu”. However the movie was a flop. He received criticism for suing explicit words in the movie, Sri Lakshmamma Katha. But later he lost somewhere and moved to theater. He became financially weak, sold his car and during his last days used a bicycle. He met with death when he went to Tenali for a stage play and he was unrecognized for the next three days!!!! That was the end of the first star comedian of Telugu cinema.  

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Updated: April 03, 2016