Padmanabham (actor)

Basavaraju Venkata Padmanabha Rao (20 August 1931 – 20 February 2010), known mononymously as Padmanabham, was an Indian actor, comedian, producer, and director who predominantly worked in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre.[1][2] He is known for his comic expressions and dialogues.[3][4] In a career spanning over six decades, he acted in more than 400 films.[2]

Padmanabham
Born
Basavaraju Venkata Padmanabha Rao

(1931-08-20)20 August 1931
Simhadripuram, Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India
Died20 February 2010(2010-02-20) (aged 78)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • director
  • film producer
AwardsNandi Awards

Padmanabham made his film debut as a child actor in 1945 with Mayalokam. Shavukaru (1949) was his first major hit and gave him a footing as a comedian.[2] Pathala Bhairavi (1951) helped him find a permanent place in Telugu cinema.[3] He acted in small roles alongside Relangi and Ramana Reddy in the golden era of Telugu cinema in the 1950s and 1960s. Later, he became a prominent comedian and remained so till the mid-1970s when Rajababu burst on the scene and replaced him.[3]

He also directed eight films including Kathanayika Molla (1969), a biographical film which won him the state Nandi Award.[5][3] Padmanabham introduced S. P. Balasubrahmanyam to the film industry through Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna (1967).[3][6][7]

Early life

Padmanabham was born to Basavaraju Venkata Seshayya and Santhamma in Simhadripuram near Pulivendula in Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, on 20 August 1931.[2][3] He was a regular yoga practitioner and enjoyed good health till his death.[2]

Career

He started acting in his teenage when the director Gudavalli Ramabrahmam gave him a chance in Maayalokam (1945). Throughout his acting career he worked with almost 80 directors and acted in more than 400 movies.[1][2] Padmanabham cherished his association with Gudavalli Ramabrahmam, Ghantasala Balaramayya, L. V. Prasad, and K. V. Reddy the most.[2]

Padmanabham found it hard to mention any particular comic role as his most memorable one, but made a special mention of the role of a rickshaw puller that he played in Desoddhaarakudu (1975). "It had ample measure of 'karuna rasa' in it and I could display the other shade of my talent," he said.[1][2] The role became famous for the song "Aakalayyi Annamadigithe Pichchodannaru Naayaallu".

Death

Padmanabham died at his residence at Rangarajapuram, Kodambakkam, in Chennai at 8 am on 20 February 2010 due to a heart attack.[3] He was survived by his wife, five daughters, and son. One of his sons died in September 2009.[2]

Selected filmography

As actor

As producer

As director
  • 1969 Sri Rama Katha
  • 1969 Midatam Bottulu
  • 1970 Kathanayika Molla
  • 1974 Pellikaani Thandri

References
  1. "Going great guns". The Hindu. 25 August 2006. Archived from the original on 21 January 2007.
  2. "Actor Padmanabham no more". The Hindu. 21 February 2010. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  3. "Popular comedian Padmanabham is dead". The New Indian Express. 21 February 2010.
  4. Lakshmi Nivasam Songs - Soda Soda Andhra - Padmanabham. 16 March 2013. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021 – via YouTube.
  5. "నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)" [A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)] (PDF). Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh. Retrieved 21 August 2020.(in Telugu)
  6. Murali, S. (25 September 2020). "S.P. Balasubrahmanyam: The end of an era". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  7. "A very RARE picture of SP Balasubrahmanyam goes viral". The Times of India. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  8. "Gundelu Teesina Monagadu Cast & Crew". Indiancine.ma. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  9. "Andharu Bagundali (1976)". Indiancine.ma. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  10. #పెళ్లి గోల || Pelli Gola Telugu Full Length Movie | Mohan Babu | Murali Mohan | Gayatri, retrieved 13 June 2023
  11. "Kalahala Kapuram (1982) | V CINEMA - Movie, Review, Cast, Songs & Release Date". www.vcinema.com. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  12. "Dorakani Donga (1988)". Indiancine.ma. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
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