- Chittor V. Nagaiah
-
Chittor V. Nagayya 
Born Vuppaladadiyam Nagayya
March 28, 1904
Chittoor district, Andhra PradeshDied December 30, 1973 (aged 69) Occupation actor, composer, director, producer, writer and playback singer Chitturu Nagayya or Chittor V. Nagaiah (Telugu: చిత్తూరు నాగయ్య) birth name - Vuppaladadiyam Nagayya (28 March 1904 – 30 December 1973) was an Indian actor, composer, director, producer, writer and playback singer of Telugu film industry, Andhra Pradesh, India. Indian film journalist and the editor of Film India, Baburao Patel, described Nagiah as ‘The Paul Muni of India’. Nagaiah acted in about 200 Telugu films, and 160 films in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. He was one of the first few South Indian actors to receive Padma Sri award from the Government of India.
Contents
Life and Times
Nagaiah was born on 28 March 1904 in a pious Telugu Brahmin family in Repalle, Andhra Pradesh. He was taken to Chittoor by his uncle, where he studied and took his B.A. degree. His parents were Ramalinga Sarma and Venkata Lakshmamba. His parents believed that Nagaiah was born to them by the blessings of Snake God, hence named him Nagaiah.
The family moved to Kuppam and later to Tirupati, in Chittoor district. He took up studies with the scholarship provided by the Tirupati Devasthanam and took his degree in Chittoor. He worked as a clerk in a government office. Later, he turned into a journalist with "Andhra Patrika". Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru influenced him and he participated in the freedom struggle (Dandi Satyagraha) in 1930. His liking for the fine arts, found himself working with gramophone companies like Hutchins. He found the patronage from the legendary figures in Carnatic music Musiri Subramania Iyer and GN Balasubramanian. MS Subba Lakshmi happens to be his contemporary.
He attended the Gowhati Congress conclave with S. Srinivasa Iyyengar. Through his musical renderings, he could impress the young Kamala Nehru at Anand Bhavan in Allahabad.
He held strong association with ‘Rama Vilasa Sabha’ a cultural association in Chittoor. He performed several stage plays ‘Sarangadhara’, ‘Viswamithra Chitra Nilayam’, ‘Savitri’, ‘Bruhannala’ and ‘Ramadasu’ and took on the roles of saint poets Pothana, Vemana, Rama Dasu and Thyagiah. He bagged gold medal for his female role as ‘Chitrangi’, in the play ‘Sarangadhara’. During that period he was married to Vijaya Lakshmi, but she demised when she was giving birth to a girl child a year after. He had to marry Girija in order to take care of his daughter. Fate was so cruel to Nagaiah that Girija too died due to miscarriage in the eighth month. The daughter also left the world due to a mysterious disease. All these unfortunate developments had turned Nagaiah into a saint. His long stays at Ramana Maharshi Ashram and several places provided him a deep insight into human nature. He began to love mankind.
He joined the Chennapuri Andhra Maha Sabha (CAMS), a popular cultural Association of Andhras in the erstwhile Madras. Nagaiah developed life-time friendship with Bommireddy Narasimha Reddy (BN Reddy- a famed filmmakers of India). H. M. Reddy, a legendary figure in the pre-independence era arrived at Madras from Kolhapur and formed the Rohini Pictures with the association of B.N. Reddy. The firm started its first venture in Telugu through the film ‘Gruhalakshmi’ in 1938, in which Nagaiah played a significant role, as the brother of the then popular heroine Kannambha. Later, the association worked through several hits with Vahini Studios. ‘Vande Matharam’ (1939), ‘Sumangali’ (1940), ‘Devata’ (1941), ‘Bhakta Potana’ (1942), ‘Swarga Seema’ (1945), ‘Thygayya’ (1946), ‘Yogi Vemana’ (1947) were huge hits. He started getting offers from the Telugu and Tamil film industries equally. Nagiah became the highest paid actor by the time he was doing the film ‘Beedalapatlu’. His performance in the film ‘Bhakta Potana’ influenced a boy who later turned into a saint and became popular as ‘Balayogi’.
The film ‘Thyagayya’ was released in the year 1946 was a fabulous classic film of the South Indian film history. Nagaiah was the producer, director, music director and actor for the film ‘Thyagiah’. a reverberant hit. After that he made films ‘Naa Illu’ in 1953 and ‘Bhakta Ramadas’ in 1964 which turned out to be failures and Nagaiah lost his wealth. Another musical hit of Nagaiah was ‘Chakradhari’, in 1948 based on the story of the Maharashtrian potter-saint Gora Kumbhar.
Personality
Nagiah was distinctive in his approach towards mankind. He always used to salute every traffic constable while traveling in car and he felt it as an accolade he is offering to them who stands under the sun only to help and guide the people. His unselfishness surpassed the limits and was root cause for his fiscal devastation. He treated everybody as true friend and admitted everyone to take total advantage of his benevolence. Most of the times he went out of the way to expend money only to give pleasures and happiness to people irrespective of their little acquaintance. He had no children of his own yet he was called as ‘Naannagaaru’ (dear father) by most of the people in film industry as he treated everybody as his own children.
Filmography
Actor
Year Film Language Character 1938 Grihalakshmi Telugu Gopinath 1939 Vande Mataram Telugu Raghu 1940 Sumangali Telugu Panthulu 1940 Vishwamohini Telugu A Film Director 1941 Ashok Kumar Tamil King Ashoka 1941 Devatha Telugu Venu 1942 Bhakta Potana Telugu Pothana 1943 Bhagyalaxmi Telugu Srinivasa Rao 1943 Chenchu Lakshmi Telugu Chenchu's Father 1945 Meera Hindi King of Mewar 1945 Meera Tamil King of Mewar 1945 Swargaseema Telugu Murthy 1946 Thyagayya Telugu Tyagayya 1947 Yogi Vemana Telugu Vemana 1948 Chakradhari Tamil 1949 Mana Desam Telugu 1949 Navajeevanam Tamil Mahadevan 1950 Beedala Patlu Telugu 1950 Ezhai Padum Padu Tamil Kandan 1951 Sarvadhikari Tamil 1952 Thayi Ullam Tamil 1953 En Veedu Tamil 1953 Gumasta Tamil 1953 Gumasta Telugu Ranganatham 1953 Ladki Hindi 1953 Naa Illu Telugu Sivaram 1953 Panakkari Tamil 1953 Penn Tamil 1953 Prapancham Telugu 1953 Sangham Telugu 1954 Ethirparadathu Tamil Dayaparar 1954 Maa Gopi Telugu 1954 Viduthalai Tamil Periaswamy 1955 Anarkali Telugu 1955 Kanavane Kan Kanda Daivam Tamil 1956 Asai Tamil 1956 Bhakta Markandeya Kannada 1956 Bhakta Markandeya Tamil 1956 Bhakta Markandeya Telugu 1956 Muddu Bidda Telugu 1956 Naga Panchami Telugu 1956 Tenali Ramakrishna Telugu Mahamantri Thimmarusu 1956 Tenali Raman Tamil Mahamantri Thimmarusu 1957 Nala Damayanti Tamil 1957 Nala Damayanti Telugu 1957 Panduranga Mahatyam Telugu Jahnavi 1957 Sati Savitri Telugu 1958 Bommala Pelli Telugu 1958 Ettuku Pai Ettu Telugu 1958 Parvati Kalyanam Telugu 1958 Sampoorna Ramayanam Telugu 1959 Banda Ramudu Telugu 1959 Jayabheri Telugu Viswambhara Sastri 1959 Kalaivanan Tamil 1959 Nalla Theerpu Tamil 1960 Abhimanam Telugu 1960 Shantinivasam Telugu 1960 Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam Telugu Bavaji 1961 Ellam Unnakkaga Tamil 1961 Intiki Deepam Illalu Telugu 1961 Nagarjuna Telugu 1961 Pavamanippu Temil 1961 Sabash Raja Telugu 1961 Sri Seetha Rama Kalyanam Telugu Dasarathudu 1961 Vagdanam Telugu Vishwanatham (Vijaya's father) 1962 Aalayamani Tamil 1962 Dakshayagnam Tamil Dadhichi 1962 Dakshayagnam Telugu Dadhichi 1962 Siri Sampadalu Telugu Nayudu 1962 Swarnamanjari Telugu 1962 Valar Pirai Tamil 1963 Anuragam Telugu 1963 Lakshadhikari Telugu Lakshadhikari Rangaiah 1963 Lava Kusha Telugu Valmiki Maharshi 1963 Naan Vanangum Daivam Tamil 1963 Sri Krishnarjuna Yudham Telugu Akroora 1964 Aatma Balam Telugu 1964 Aggi Pidugu Telugu 1964 Amarshilpi Jakkanachari Kannada 1964 Amarshilpi Jakanna Telugu 1964 Bobbili Yudham Telugu 1964 Devatha Telugu Father of Prasad 1964 Gudi Gantalu Telugu 1964 Pachai Vilakku Tamil 1964 Ramadasu Telugu Ramadasu 1965 Preminchi Choodu Telugu 1965 Satya Harishchandra Telugu 1965 Shanti Tamil 1965 Sri Simhachala Kshetra Mahima Telugu Father of Pururava 1965 Veerabhimanyu Telugu 1966 Aastiparulu Telugu Diwan to Zamindar 1966 Adugu Jaadalu Telugu 1966 Bhakta Potana Telugu Vyasa Maharshi 1966 Navarathri Telugu 1966 Parakkum Pavai Tamil 1966 Paramanandayya Shishyula Katha Telugu Paramanandaiah 1966 Shri Krishna Pandaviyam Telugu 1967 Bhama Vijayam Telugu 1967 Iru Malargal Tamil 1967 Maa Vadina Telugu 1967 Poola Rangadu Telugu Veeraiah 1967 Private Master Telugu Father of Private Master 1967 Rahasyam Telugu 1967 Shri Krishnavataram Telugu Dhritarashtra 1967 Veera Pooja Telugu 1968 Bandhavyalu Telugu 1968 Brahmachari Telugu 1968 Nindu Samsaram Telugu 1968 Thillana Mohanambal Tamil Shanmugasundaram's guru 1969 Aadarsa Kutumbam Telugu 1969 Mooga Nomu Telugu 1969 Natakala Rayudu Telugu Adiseshayya 1969 Saptaswaralu Telugu 1970 Akka Chellelu Telugu Second judge 1970 Tapalkaran Thanga Tamil 1970 Thalli Thandrulu Telugu Raobahadur Perumallu 1971 C.I.D.Raju Telugu 1971 Iru Thuruvam Tamil 1971 Jeevitha Chakram Telugu 1971 Kulagaurava Kannada 1971 Ramalayam Telugu Temple priest 1971 Sampoorna Ramayanam Telugu Vashistha Mahamuni 1971 Shri Krishna Satya Telugu 1971 Shrimanthudu Telugu 1972 Bala Bharatam Telugu 1972 Beedala Patlu Telugu 1972 Goodu Putani Telugu 1972 Iddaru Ammayilu Telugu Laxman Rao 1972 Neethi Tamil 1972 Papam Pasivadu Telugu Doctor 1972 Pedda Koduku Telugu 1972 Shakti Leela Tamil 1973 Ganga Gauri Tamil 1973 Pattikatu Ponnaiah Tamil 1973 Vishali Telugu 1974 Inti Kodalu Telugu 1976 Ennai Pol Oruvan Tamil Composer and/or Singer
Year Film Song 1938 Grihalakshmi Lendu Bharata Veerulara 1953 Gumasta Oyi Parugekkadikoyi 1953 Prapancham Anta Kooleelam Manamanta Kooleelam, Premasudha Sarasilo Hamsalamai 1953 Sangham Jati Bhedam Samasipoda 1954 Maa Gopi Sanubhoothiye Leda Jagatini, Amma Krishnamma Apacharamemitamma 1956 Bhakta Markandeya Om Namashivaya, Jaya Jaya Shankara Sambasadashiva 1956 Naga Panchami Sambho Mahadeva 1956 Muddu Bidda Itulela Chesavaya O Devadeva 1956 Tenali Ramakrishna Gandupilli Menu Marichi 1957 Nala Damayanti Ghorambaina Daavagni Keelakerayai 1957 Panduranga Mahatyam Jaya Jaya Gokula Bala, Sannuti Seyave Manasa 1962 Swarnamanjari Madhuramaina Guru Deevena 1967 Maa Vadina Suthudilu Peeda Mandiramu (poem) 1967 Poola Rangadu Chillara Rallaku Mokkutu Unte Chedipoduvura - Ramadasu (1964)
- Gumasta (1953/II) (playback singer and composer)
- Naa Illu (1953) (playback singer and composer)
- Yogi Vemana (1947) (playback singer and composer)
- Thyagayya (1946) (playback singer and composer)
- Swargaseema (1945) (playback singer and composer)
- Bhakta Potana (1942) (playback singer and composer)
- Devatha (1941) (playback singer and composer)
- Sumangali (1940) (playback singer and composer)
- Vishwamohini (1940) (playback singer)
- Vande Mataram (1939) (playback singer and composer)
- Grihalakshmi (1938) (playback singer)
Director
- Ramadasu (Telugu, 1964)
- En Veedu (Tamil, 1953)
- Naa Illu (Telugu, 1953)
- Thyagayya (Telugu, 1946)
Producer
- Naa Illu (1953)
Writer
- Thyagayya (1946)
Awards
- Nagayya was one of the first south Indian actors along with Bhanumathi Ramakrishna to be awarded the Padmashri award by the Government of India in 1965.
- Abinava Thyagaraju by Thiruvankur Maharaja.
- Best Actor Award by the Andhra Film Journalists Association
Notes
- Autobiography - Chittor V. Nagaiah, RK Books, Hyderabad, 2004.
References
External links
Categories:- 1904 births
- 1973 deaths
- Indian actors
- Indian film producers
- People from Guntur
- Recipients of the Padma Shri
- Telugu actors
- Telugu film directors
- Telugu film score composers
- Telugu people
- Telugu playback singers
- Tamil film actors
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