Uppalapati Venkata Krishnam Raju

Krishnam Raju (born Uppalapati Venkata Krishnam Raju; 20 January 1940 – 11 September 2022) was an Indian actor and politician. He was known for his works in Telugu cinema and was widely known as "Rebel Star" for his rebellious acting style. He was also the winner of the inaugural Nandi Award for Best Actor. Krishnam Raju starred in more than 180 feature films in his career. He made his film debut with the 1966 film Chilaka Gorinka produced and directed by K. Pratyagatma. He got his first major breakthrough with the play Raigadala Jevha Jaag Yete, written by Vasant Kanetkar, where he played the role of Sambhaji, the son of Shivaji. His performance was highly acclaimed and he became a star overnight. He acted in several other plays, such as Ashroonchi Zhali Phule, Ithe Oshalala Mrutyu, Garambicha Bapu, Anandi Gopal, Shitu, Tujhe Aahe Tujpashi, Sundar Mi Honar, and Madhumanjiri. He was known for his versatility and his ability to play different types of characters, from comic to tragic, from historical to contemporary. He was also known for his charisma and his respect for his co-stars and fans. He appeared in over 180 films in various languages, such as Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam. Some of his most famous films are Bobbili Brahmanna (1984), where he played the role of a feudal lord, Tandra Paprayudu (1986), where he played the role of a freedom fighter, and Viswanatha Nayakudu (1987), where he played the role of a king. He also sang many songs in his films, such as "Neeve Neeve", "Naa Hrudayamlo Nidurinche Cheli", and "Neeve Amaraswarame". He was honoured with a stamp by the Indian government in 2017 and a doctorate from the Sri Venkateswara University in 2018. He was also the recipient of several other awards, such as the Filmfare Award, the Nandi Award, and the CineMAA Award. He was also active in politics. He joined Bharatiya Janata Party and was elected to the 12th and 13th Lok Sabha from Kakinada and Narasapuram constituencies. He served as a Minister of State for the Ministry of External Affairs in the third Vajpayee Ministry from 1999 to 2004. In March 2009, he joined Praja Rajyam Party, founded by Chiranjeevi. In the 2009 general elections, he contested the MP seat from the Rajahmundry constituency and lost. He died of a heart attack on 11 September 2022, at his home in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, at the age of 82. He was survived by his wife Syamala and his three daughters. He is still regarded as one of the greatest actors and politicians of Telugu cinema and an inspiration for many.