Sad her book could not be published

“My only regret is that I could not bring out her story into the public while she was alive,” recalls senior actor Raavi Kondala Rao who had closely interacted with the legendary actress. A good friend and her movie associate, he had been meeting her periodically to put together her success story for her fans. “Actually, it is her autobiography as she narrated about her life right from the time she was five years old to now. I would only be the steno who would record her words and transcribe it. In the last few years, I did try to get a publisher but since I also got busy, I could not pursue it. Even she used to often express doubts whether she would be alive to read her own story. Unfortunately, her worst fears came true,” Kondala Rao recalled.

He thinks he is fortunate as she chose him to write it. “A few times I expressed my inability to meet publishers and talk to them about her book and told her that she should find someone else. But she insisted that I do the honours,” he said.

She shared a lot of special moments in her life with me. “Not many know that she also lost some money in a few productions. Ye manishikaina kashtalu tappavu. Of course, she managed to bounce back soon”.

Kondala Rao recalls working with Anjali Devi as an assistant director for a movie called ‘Sobha’. “Our association dates back to a few decades. I also worked alongside as an actor and was always close to her and her family.”

“For the Telugus, if NTR was Srirama, ANjali was Sita Devi. She fitted the role beautifully and although many generations of actresses went on to do the role, she truly was Sita in every sense. She was as patient and sweet as the goddess herself. Her inner character would reflect in her roles and that is why she became so popular,” he said.

He said how whenever Anjali travelled to interior Andhra, people would descend on her guest house with ‘pasupu, kumkuma and taambulam’. “There were some women who would touch her feet, hold her hands and show their empathy to her saying, ‘Enni kashtalamma neeku’ (Why did God give you so many problems, Oh Sita). She was also known to be affectionate with everyone and treat everyone equally. “Be it a reigning hero or a struggling junior artiste, she would always enquire about their health and well being. No wonder people loved her so much.”

“I met her six months ago. My son lives there and whenever I visit Chennai, I drop by at her place. In the last few months, she was unwell and I could not meet her frequently.”

So will we ever get to read her legendary story in the form of a book? “I cannot say. I will have to seek permission of her children. God willing, I will be able to do it this year,” concludes Kondala Rao.