Cinemaazi remembers S V Ranga Rao on his death anniversary
18 Jul 1974
S V Ranga Rao, the stalwart of Telugu and Tamil cinema is fondly remembered for his sheer presence on screen and the multitude of characters he played in his career. His performance as the tantric Nepala Manthrudu in Patala Bhairavi (1951) made everyone take notice of his talents early on in his career. Mythological films, perhaps the most popular genre in Telugu cinema, often featured Ranga Rao in various characters such as Harishchandra in Harishchandra (1960) Duryodhana in Pandava Vanavasam (1965), Ravana in Sampoorna Ramayanam (1971), and Bhishma in Bala Bharatam (1972). However, he didn’t restrict himself to just the mythological genre but boasts of a number of social dramas in his filmography where he played the noble village elder, sensitive family man, or a devoted elder brother. Ranga Rao is known for having a good rapport with his colleagues and crew members and was popular as one of the earliest stars to endorse a cigarette commercial for Berkeley. He passed away on 18 July 1974. Cinemaazi remembers the legend on his death anniversary.
