Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao (born 23 May 1942) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema besides having directed a few Hindi films.
He has garnered four state Nandi Awards and five Filmfare Awards South.
In a film career spanning more than four decades, Rao has directed more than a hundred feature films across multiple genres such as romantic comedy, fantasy, melodrama, action thriller, biographical and romance films.
Raghavendra Rao was born on 23 May 1942 to veteran Director K. S. Prakash Rao and Koteswaramma.
He is also the father of actor turned filmmaker Prakash Kovelamudi.
1977
He fetched the Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu for the drama film Prema Lekhalu (1977), the fantasy film Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990), and the romance film Allari Priyudu (1993).
1984
Rao received the state Nandi Award for Best Director for his works such as Bobbili Brahmanna (1984), and Pelli Sandadi (1996).
1987
His mainstream works such as the 1987 social problem film Agni Putrudu, and the 1988 romantic action Aakhari Poratam, were featured at the 11th and 12th IFFI respectively in the mainstream section.
1992
In 1992, he directed the melodrama Gharana Mogudu featured at the 24th IFFI in the mainstream section.
It became the first Telugu film to gross over inr 100000000 at the box office.
1993
Next, he directed the instant hit Allari Priyudu (1993), featured at the 25th IFFI in the mainstream section.
1997
Rao is known for his works in hagiographical films such as Annamayya (1997), which won two National Film Awards, and was featured at the 29th IFFI in the mainstream section.
Rao also received the Nandi Award for Best Direction, the Filmfare Award for Best Direction for his work in the film.
2001
His other hagiographic works such as Sri Manjunatha (2001), Sri Ramadasu (2006), Shirdi Sai (2012) and Om Namo Venkatesaya (2017), received several state honours.
2015
Raghavendra Rao was an executive member in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Board from 2015 to 2019.
