K. Raghavendra Rao Biography 
K. Raghavendra Rao is a film director, screen writer and choreographer of Telugu movies. He has also done a few Kannada and Hindi movies. He is the son of famous Telugu film director Kovelamudi Surya Prakash Rao. He has won 6 Nandi awards and 3 Filmfare awards till now. As a Bollywood director, his noted movies are Tohfa and Himmatwala, both with Sridevi and Jeetendra in lead roles. Thus he became instrumental in building the career of both these top actors of Bollywood.
He has directed over 106 films till now and the list includes a few super hits and blockbusters as well. His directorial venture, Gharana Mogudu was the first Telugu movie to earn 10 crore rupees at the box office. His noted films include - Bobbili Brahmanna, Prema Lekhalu, Shirdi Sai, Allari Priyudu and Annamayya. He has been honoured with B. N. Reddy National Award for life time contribution to Indian cinema in 2009 and he has also received Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South in 2002. He has also been honored with CineMAA Award for Life Time Contribution in the year 2012. Film maker Prakash Kovelamudi is his son.
Born as the son of Telugu film director Kovelamudi Surya Prakash Rao, he too entered film field. He completed graduation in Arts at Andhra University and for a short period, assisted his father. Then he entered direction field by directing 'Babu' that has Sobhan Babu in the main lead. The movie proved to be a major hit and after that Rao didn’t look back. He has groomed the career of many leading actors of which Sridevi’s name definitely comes first. He has twice saved her sinking career. Jyothi (1976) was one of her earliest hits directed by him followed by Padaharella Vayasu (1978). He successfully launched her in Hindi with Himmatwala and Tohfa. He also made feminine oriented films like Jyoti, Aame Katha and Kalpana and inspirational films like Trishulam. Annamayya, Pelli Sandadi and Manjunatha are other noted works.
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Updated: March 20, 2014
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