Gollapudi, master of many arts, passes away

VISAKHAPATNAM: Cine

actor

, writer and critic Gollapudi

Maruthi Rao

passed away at a hospital in Chennai on Thursday. The 80-year-old popular thespian, referred to as

Gollapudi

by his fans, was suffering from several ailments for some time. His body will be shifted to his Chennai home for his fans, relatives and friends to pay their respects before the final rites are performed on Sunday.

The ever-so-versatile Maruthi Rao acted in more than 250 movies and bagged four prestigious Nandi awards for his scriptwriting and screenplay. The ‘Gollapudi-Rao Gopala Rao-Allu Ramalingayya’ combination was super hit in the 1980s. Famous for playing negative characters, Gollapudi later transitioned into more character-driven roles as well as comedy.

The veteran thespian began his career with Chiranjeevi in the film ‘Intlo Ramayya-Veedhilo Krishnayya’. Along with being a celebrated actor, Gollapudi was also a journalist, columnist and playwright. He had also acted in television dramas as well as anchored TV shows. Many of his writings have made their way into the curriculum of universities.

His films ‘Samsaram Oka Chadarangam’, ‘Tarangini’ and ‘Trisulam’ had a great impact on the public imagination. Inspired by the eminent writer Dasarathu, Gollapudi went on to win the prestigious Nandi award for the very first film he wrote— ‘Dr Chakravarthi’ in 1963.

Maruthi Rao was born into a middle class family on April 14, 1939 in Vizianagaram which was then part of the Madras province. He did his early education at CBM High School and Mrs AVN College, after which he joined Andhra University. Gollapudi married Sivakama Sundari in 1961.

Having started his career as a sub-editor at Andhra Prabha, a Telugu daily in 1959, Gollapudi later joined All India Radio (AIR) as a transmission executive. He went on to become the assistant station director of AIR by the time he retired.

Gollapudi made his first foray into the silver screen at the age of 42 years and continued till the age of 60. He worked as an anchor in various TV shows such as ‘Prathidwani’, ‘Mansuna Mansai’, ‘Praja Vedika’ and ‘Cini Sourbhalu’. He also acted in a number of TV serials like ‘Intiti Ramayanam’, ‘Ganapati’, ‘Evarigola Varide’, ‘Premalu-Pellillu’ and ‘Bharya Rupavathi’.

Gollapudi began acting in plays in his childhood. He formed the Raghava Kalaniketan drama troupe. The actor began distancing himself from the silver screen after his younger son Gollapudi Srinivas drowned at sea while shooting for his first film ‘Prema Pustakam’. He set up a national-level award in memory of his son. His two other sons— Subba Rao and Ramakrishna run a travel agency. His ‘Jeevana Column’ remains famous for its satire.

On his death, his friends, intellectuals and associates said that Gollapudi’s passing away is a great loss not only for the state but for the entire nation.


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