Dasari Narayana Rao

Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1947 – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, lyricist, and politician known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema, in addition to Hindi cinema.

He has directed more than 150 feature films in a variety of genres.

He holds the Limca World Record for directing the most number of films in the world.

He is known by the moniker Darsaka Ratna.

His works emphasize social injustice, corruption and gender discrimination.

Narayana Rao has received two National Film Awards, nine state Nandi Awards including the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, and four Filmfare Awards South including the Lifetime Achievement.

During his career he had also acted in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada films.

Dasari Narayana Rao also gained recognition for directing Hindi films such as Swarag Narak (1978), Jyoti Bane Jwala (1980), Pyaasa Sawan (1981), Prem Tapasya (1983), Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtar (1984), Asha Jyoti (1984), Yaadgaar (1984), Zakhmi Sher (1984), Sarfarosh (1985), Wafadaar (1985) etc.

In 1983, he directed Meghasandesam which screened at the Indian Panorama, the Tashkent Film Festival, and the Moscow film festival.

The film also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu.

He directed works such as Tandra Paparayudu (1986), and Surigaadu (1992) which were screened at International Film Festival of India in the Panorama section, and Kante Koothurne Kanu (1998) which received the National Film Award Special Mention Feature Film.

Said to be a confidante of Indian National Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Dasari once again became active in politics after Indian National Congress Party came back to power in 2004.

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the year 2006.

He became the Minister of state in the Ministry of Coal in the Manmohan Singh government.

Dasari was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the year 2006.

He became the Minister of state in Ministry of Coal.

On 11 June 2013 Central Bureau of Investigation booked Dasari Narayana Rao for receiving ₹2.25 crores from Naveen Jindal in connection with Coal scam, and filed FIR against both.

He launched a popular daily newspaper named Udayam to counter the effect of Ramoji Rao's newspaper Eenadu.

Rao died on 30 May 2017 from prolonged illness, at the age of 75.

His last rites were performed with full state honours.

His funeral was held at his farmhouse in Moinabad village, Ranga Reddy district, where his wife Padma was cremated.

(Hindi Films are marked as *)