K. Raghava

K. Raghava
Born	Kotipalli Raghava (1913-12-09)December 9, 1913 Kotipalli, East Godavari district, Madras Presidency, British India
Died	July 31, 2018(2018-07-31) (aged 104) Hyderabad, India
Cause of death	Heart attack
Occupation(s)	Film producer, stunt master, actor
Employer	Pratap Arts Productions
Spouse	Hamsarani
Children	Prasanthi, Pratap Mohan
Awards	Raghupathi Venkaiah Award

Kotipalli Raghava (9 December 1913 – 31 July 2018) was an Indian film producer, stunt choreographer, and actor known for his work in Telugu cinema. He began his career in the film industry during the silent film era and went on to become a prominent producer, founding the production banner Pratap Arts.

Over the course of his career, Raghava produced 30 films across multiple languages, including 28 in Telugu, one in Hindi, and one in Tamil. Some of his notable works include Thatha Manavadu (1973), Toorpu Padamara (1976), Surya Chandrulu (1978), Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya (1982), Tarangini (1982), Ee Prasnaku Baduledi? (1986), and Yugakartalu (1987). He also played a key role in launching the careers of prominent directors such as Dasari Narayana Rao and Kodi Ramakrishna. In recognition of his contributions to the industry, Raghava was honoured with the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award.

Early life

Raghava was born on 9 December 1913 in a poor family in Kotipalli, near Kakinada in present-day Andhra Pradesh. His parents were Narayanaswami and Nagamma. At the age of eight, he ran away from home and joined East India Film Company in Calcutta as a trolley puller. His first assignment in the film industry was working on the film Prahlada.

Career

After a few years, Raghava worked in various roles, including as an assistant to producer Motilal Chamria, director Kasturi Sivaravu, and filmmaker Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu. He also worked as a cleaner for Tanguturi Prakasam and as a film developer at Sobhanachala Studios. Later, he took on stunt roles in films such as Pathala Bhairavi (1951) and Raju Peda (1954).

Raghava’s significant career breakthrough came when he joined Gemini Studios, where he acted in small roles and performed stunts. His expertise in multiple languages caught the attention of MGM Studios, who hired him as the production manager for the English film Tarzan Goes to India. This role took him to Rome, and he earned a substantial payment of $20,000 for his work.

Inspired by the English films he watched during his time in Rome, Raghava decided to venture into film production. With the money he saved, he partnered with Ekambareswar Rao and Surya Chandra to establish Phalguna Films. Their first production was Jagat Kiladeelu, a major success, followed by films like Jagat Jettilu and Jagat Jenthrilu.

Raghava later founded Pratap Arts Productions and introduced directors like Dasari Narayana Rao with the film Tata Manavadu and Kodi Ramakrishna. He also provided opportunities to several filmmakers, including writers Rajashri and Kommineni Krishna Murthy.

Personal life

Raghava married Hamsarani, the sister of prominent producer M. K. Radha from Pondicherry. The couple had two children, a daughter named Prasanthi and a son named Pratap Mohan. Raghava could speak about eight languages. He passed away on 31 July 2018 at the age of 104 due to a heart attack in Hyderabad.

Awards

Raghava was honored with the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award in 2009 for his significant contributions to the Telugu film industry.

Filmography

Producer

• Sukha Dukhalu (1968)
• Jagath Kiladeelu (1969)
• Jagath Jettilu (1970)
• Jagath Jenthrilu (1971)
• Thatha-Manavadu (1973)
• Samsaram Sagaram (1974)
• Chaduvu Samskaram (1975)
• Toorpu Padamara (1976)
• Surya Chandrulu (1978)
• Anthuleni Vinthakatha (1979)
• Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya (1982)
• Tarangini (1982)
• Triveni Sangamam (1983)
• Ee Prasnaku Baduledi? (1986)
• Yugakartalu (1987)
• Ankitham (1990)

Stunt master

• Palnati Yuddham (1947)
• Pathala Bhairavi (1951)
• Raju Peda (1954)

Actor

• Bala Nagamma (1942)
• Chandralekha

External links

• K. Raghava at IMDb