The man who tagged Megastar

Starting his career in the late 60s as an assistant director, KS Rama Rao of Creative Commercials (CC), one of the most reputed film banners in the Telugu film industry, has come a long way. Till 1971, he was associated learning nuances of filmmaking until he was forced back to Vijayawada to be with his dad who had a health scare. Around the same time he actively took part in the Jai Andhra movement. “The movement came to a halt due to petty politics by the leaders and after four decades the same leaders played a key role in dividing the State. If the State was bifurcated at that time itself, both Andhra and Telangana would have prospered. The Coastal area would have got a capital on par with that of Hyderabad,” he said, speaking at the 40 years celebrations of his production house in Hyderabad.

The representatives of the prestigious Vijaya Pictures, after the movement, compelled him to pack his bags to Madras and to associate with filmmaking again. “Lakshmi Films chief Lingamurthy and the late journalist Mohan Kumar pushed me a lot. It was Mohan who introduced me to Krishna, Adi Seshagri Rao and Hanumantha Rao of Padmalaya Pictures. I handled radio publicity for ‘Alluri Seetarama Raju’, a smash hit.

I was also associated with the radio advertising of films like ‘Adavi Ramudu’, ‘Kondaveeti Simham’ and ‘Muthyala Muggu’ among others. It was only after 1981, I produced my first film ‘Mouna Geetham’, introducing Suhasini into Telugu,” he recalled and added that his second film ‘Abhilasha’, starring then rising star Chiranjeevi, has led him to earn wide recognition. “From then, there was no looking back. My banner has grown from strength to strength with films like ‘Rakshasudu’, ‘Chanti’, ‘Matru Devo Bhava’ and ‘Vasu’. Except a film (‘Love You Bangaram’), all my films were embraced by the family audience.”

The producer ace was instrumental in coining the term ‘Megastar’ to Chiranjeevi. “His stardom was peaking at that moment. He was at the top with popular films like ‘Veta’ and ‘Rakshasudu’ and we felt that Megastar tag, used for international stars, would fit his rising fame; hence we attached a prefix Megastar to his name in ‘Maranamrudangam’, his film with us,” he said.

Admitting that the industry is currently in a bad state due to the rising cost of production, he added that producing 45 films till now was not a cakewalk. “I don’t how Ramanaidu garu has nearly 150 films to his credit. However, I would strive to produce more films till I breathe,” he stated. “Currently, we have three films lined up. While ‘Vulavacharu Biriyani’ and ‘Shankara’ will release before long, another film, starring Sharwanand and Nithya Menen, is progressing briskly. My son Vallabha will also be acting again soon.”