ANR used to play female roles

Akkineni Nageswara Rao is the recipient of several awards like Dada Saheb Phalke Padmashri, Padmabhushan and Padma Vibhushan awards.
Indian plays in those days used to have an all male cast and ANR often used to play female roles. After returning from a play in Tenali, he was spotted by a film producer who offered him a lead role in his upcoming movie Seeta Rama Jananam.