Poornodaya Creations. The banner which produced hit after hit, in spite of the fact that the hits in question were actually films with artistic content.
It was a time when Telugu Cinema was taking a commercial turn. After the 70s, even big stars like NTR and Krishna started doing masala films; there wasn't much scope for films that talked about art. Or so everyone thought.
It was then that Edida Nageswara Rao garu, the man behind Poornodaya, ventured into production. There was no looking back ever since. Let us take a look at the gems he produced!
1. He teamed up with K. Viswanath for his maiden venture, Siri Siri Muvva, starring Chandra Mohan and Jayaprada. It was a runaway hit.
2. His next venture was Tayaramma Bangarayya, a film about a good-Samaritan couple who set off to repair the marriages of young couples.
3. 1979. He teamed up with K. Vishwanath again, this time to produce an experimental film about Classical music, and the hypocrisy in society. The film was called Shankarabharanam. It opened to empty halls(even my dad confirms this), but gradually picked up due to good word of mouth. It went on to become a blockbuster, winning various awards including the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, and five state Nandi Awards. It was also screened at major International film festivals.
4. Seethakoka Chiluka, directed by Bharatiraja, is a love story with a classical music backdrop. It won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film in 1981.
5. Sagara Sangamam was one movie that was loved by all. Vishwanath garu's direction, Kamal Hassan's acting prowess, with enchanting music from Ilaiyaraja made this an unforgettable movie.
6. Sitaara marked the debut of actress Bhanupriya. The film remains a cult classic, and the soundtrack became an all-time chartbuster.
7. Swati Mutyam, released in 1986, is another gem that came from the Edida-Vishwanath combination. To this day, it is regarded as one of Kamal Hassan's finest performances.
8. Swayam Krushi. 1987. Until then, Chiranjeevi was mainly seen in commercial roles. But this film changed the game for him. With a complete offbeat script, it was indeed a gamble Edida took with Supreme Hero Chiranjeevi. If the risk hadn't paid off like it did, it would have been a very different scene altogether.
9. He launched his son Edida Sriram with Swarakalpana, helmed by Vamsy. It wasn't such a huge hit like the others were, but still got positive reviews.
10. His last film, and one of his best, was Aapathbandhavudu. Chiranjeevi donned a completely different avatar again, and the movie went on to win every major award. And it firmly cemented Chiru's position as a versatile actor in the industry.
Even though he produced such a few number of films, he made sure each was a masterpiece. If there ever was a fine example for "Quality over Quantity", that would be Edida Nageswara Rao garu. Rest in peace, Sir. The industry owes you a lot!
2. His next venture was Tayaramma Bangarayya, a film about a good-Samaritan couple who set off to repair the marriages of young couples.
3. 1979. He teamed up with K. Vishwanath again, this time to produce an experimental film about Classical music, and the hypocrisy in society. The film was called Shankarabharanam. It opened to empty halls(even my dad confirms this), but gradually picked up due to good word of mouth. It went on to become a blockbuster, winning various awards including the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, and five state Nandi Awards. It was also screened at major International film festivals.
4. Seethakoka Chiluka, directed by Bharatiraja, is a love story with a classical music backdrop. It won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film in 1981.
5. Sagara Sangamam was one movie that was loved by all. Vishwanath garu's direction, Kamal Hassan's acting prowess, with enchanting music from Ilaiyaraja made this an unforgettable movie.
6. Sitaara marked the debut of actress Bhanupriya. The film remains a cult classic, and the soundtrack became an all-time chartbuster.
7. Swati Mutyam, released in 1986, is another gem that came from the Edida-Vishwanath combination. To this day, it is regarded as one of Kamal Hassan's finest performances.
8. Swayam Krushi. 1987. Until then, Chiranjeevi was mainly seen in commercial roles. But this film changed the game for him. With a complete offbeat script, it was indeed a gamble Edida took with Supreme Hero Chiranjeevi. If the risk hadn't paid off like it did, it would have been a very different scene altogether.
9. He launched his son Edida Sriram with Swarakalpana, helmed by Vamsy. It wasn't such a huge hit like the others were, but still got positive reviews.
10. His last film, and one of his best, was Aapathbandhavudu. Chiranjeevi donned a completely different avatar again, and the movie went on to win every major award. And it firmly cemented Chiru's position as a versatile actor in the industry.
Even though he produced such a few number of films, he made sure each was a masterpiece. If there ever was a fine example for "Quality over Quantity", that would be Edida Nageswara Rao garu. Rest in peace, Sir. The industry owes you a lot!
