Remembering legend Dasari on his death anniversary: Director Immortal

Today, the 30th May 2023, is Dr. Dasari Narayana Rao’s seventh death anniversary. A budding writer from the stage leaped on to the much wider and more powerful motion picture world with complete engrossment towards his mightier strength, that is, thinking mind. So acerbic was his pen. Of course a bit of luck as well played its part in his case.

He hailed from an impoverished family. An acquaintance, a school teacher, helped him go ahead in education. Narayanarao completed his B.A. degree. The Drama field nurtured this multiple talent power-house. Narayanarao was a rangasthala natudu (drama actor), playwright and director. His debut motion film boasted of his credits. The title card read Story, Dialogues, Screenplay, Direction : Dasari Narayanarao.

It all started with ‘Tata Manavadu’ in 1972. (The film’s producer name K. Raghava.) Narayanarao wrote not only stories, screenplays, dialogues but lyrics also. And the audience lapped up whatever he offered. Such was his sincerity towards his craft. Till today there are many who adore him, influenced by him and confess that they are indeed indebted to him for the path he laid. And the path he showed was as simple and as hard at that! Which is ‘Trust the story; do not run after the so-called stars or for that matter superstars’. It was said that whenever he chanced upon a single-line story idea he saw to it that it took the shape of a full length motion picture on the celluloid. Out of nearly 150 films he brought to the fore, he produced a third of it. In other words, he ploughed back the money he earned into the film world. What a devotion shown to the profession. Kudos.

Dasari Narayanarao delivered many hits, super hits, Silver Jubilee hits and Golden Jubilee hits in his career which spanned for 40 years. He groomed the careers of several artists, co-directors, Assistant directors, Associate directors and writers thus tutored innumerable people. Once upon a time his production house was named Dasari Film University! Film enthusiasts are his Ekalavyas. His films were like Drona’s statue for them. He did not ask for their thumb a la the Drona of epic Mahabharata. A big thumbs up for Dasari Narayanarao garu. The Andhra University bestowed honorary Doctorate to the celebrated multi-abilitied man in the year 1986.

Narayanarao always strove for the well-being of the house divided, that is, the Telugu filmdom. This earned him the moniker ‘Guruvu garu’. Whenever a conflict arose in the industry, he donned the robes of arbitrator. He was the anchor person for most of the film events. He desired growth of Telugu film field to the T. Advocated that the tribe of producers should thrive in big numbers. Then only the industry survives which is the bread and butter of so many hard toiling men and women in the society. Through his films, he preached about getting on and on in human life. Those who heeded got benefitted generously.

There is no Dasari Narayanarao mark in the industry right now. It is sadder.