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 183 feature films in his career.[2] He made his film debut with the 1966 film Chilaka Gorinka produced and directed by K. Pratyagatma. Krishnam Raju had won five Filmfare Awards South and three state Nandi Awards. Krishnam Raju was also an active politician.[3][4]
Uppalapati Venkata Krishnam Raju was born in Mogalthur, West Godavari district, on 20 January 1940, to Uppalapati Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Raju.[1] He completed his early education at Government Boys School in Mogalthur and later at Taylor's High School, in Narasapuram, Andhra Pradesh. He graduated with a B.Com, from Badruka College, in Hyderabad, Telangana.[5] Krishnam Raju was first married to Sitadevi, who died.[6][7] He married Syamaladevi, in 1996, with whom he had three daughters.[1]
Film producer, Uppalapati Surya Narayana Raju, was his younger brother and actor Prabhas' father. Prabhas is his nephew. Another nephew of his, Siddharth Rajkumar, made his acting debut with Keratam (2011).[8] Krishnam Raju worked as a journalist for the Andhra Ratna. He was awarded the second best photographer at the state level. He was fond of cameras and had a collection of cameras. He was the founder of Gopi Krishna Movies.[9] At a later age, he suffered from multiple illnesses like Heart rhythm disorder, heart dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, chronic lung disease, andchronic bronchitis.[10]
Career
Debut and career up to 1967
Krishnam Raju entered Tollywood in 1966 with the film Chilaka Gorinka directed by Kotayya Pratyagatma alongside Krishna Kumari. The film won Nandi Award for Best Feature Film - Silver for that year, however, the film did not produce the expected results for Raju.[11] Later he acted in the mythological film Sri Krishnavataram (1967) which also stars N. T. Rama Rao. In 1968, he appeared in Nenante Nene. He was at first reluctant to act in the film given the role is of an antagonist and that he debuted in films in a protagonist role. Upon being advised by his peers and co-actors to gain exposure to a diversified character, he took on the role. The film turned out successful. He subsequently received several offers for antagonist roles following the critical praise he garnered in the role. He took upon a few films and later returned to protagonist roles.[12][11] He acted in many films with the established actors N. T. Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. He also acted in many films with the established actresses Krishna Kumari, Rajasulochana, Jamuna, and Kanchana.[citation needed]
Breakthrough: 1968–1973
Krishnam Raju acted alongside Kanchana in Nenante Nene (1968) and set the trend of handsome villains. Later, he acted in Bhale Abbayilu (1969), the Telugu remake of Yash Chopra's 1965 film Waqt. Later he acted in films such as Buddhimantudu (1969), Manushulu Marali (1969), Malli Pelli (1970), and Jai Jawan (1970). He acted opposite Bollywood actress Rekha in Amma Kosam (1970) which was her first film as an actress. Later he acted in films such as Anuradha, Bhagyavantudu(1971), and Bangaaru Talli (1971), the remake of the critically acclaimed 1957 Hindi film Mother India. Later he acted in films such as Muhammad- bin-Tughluq (1972) portraying the role of Islamic scholarIbn Battuta, Raj Mahal (1972), Hantakulu Devaantakulu (1972) opposite Rajasulochana, Manavudu Danavudu (1972) opposite Krishna Kumari, Neeti-Nijayiti (1972) opposite Kanchana and Vintha Dampatulu (1972) opposite Jamuna. Later he acted in films such as Badi Panthulu (1972), Bala Mitrula Katha (1972), Jeevana Tarangalu (1973), and Kanna Koduku (1973). In most of the films, he acted as an antihero, villain, and supporting roles and in leadership roles in a few films.
He contested an unsuccessful election in 1992 from Narasapuram on a Congress ticket. After a brief hibernation, he rejoined politics, accepting an invitation from the Bharatiya Janata Party. He won the 1998 Lok Sabha elections from Kakinada. He set a record with a thumping majority of over 165,000 votes, the maximum majority compared to any of the other constituencies in Andhra Pradesh which ensured him a berth at the centre. He was on the advisory committees of the Information and Broadcasting and Commerce and Industry Ministries during 1998–99.
1998 Elected to 12th Lok Sabha
1998-99 Member, Committee on Commerce Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
1999 Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (2nd term) Whip, B.J.P. Parliamentary Party, Lok Sabha
1999-2000 Member, Committee on Finance Member, Committee on members of parliament Local Area Development Scheme
2000 Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
30 September 2000- Union Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs 22 July 2001
22 July 2001- Union Minister of State, Ministry of Defence 30 June 2002
1 July 2002 - Union Minister of State, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food onwards and Public Distribution
The Ban on Cow Slaughter Bill, 1999 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Yogi Adityanath which provided for a complete prohibition on the slaughter of cows for all purposes. The statement of objects and reasons appended to the Bill stated, "Article 48 of the Constitution enjoins on the State to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and in particular to take steps for preserving and improving the breeds and prohibiting the slaughter of cow and its progeny. Given the consideration that the cow and its entire progeny must be saved to provide milk, as well as manure, it becomes imperative to impose a complete ban on cow slaughter."
In 2000, Krishnam Raju moved a motion in the Lok Sabha for the introduction of The Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Bill, 2000 with the following statement of objects and reasons, "Article 48 of the Constitution enjoins upon the State to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and in particular to take steps for preserving and improving the breeds and prohibiting the slaughter of cow and its progeny. G. M. Banatwala, raised the issue regarding the legislative competence of Parliament to enact legislation on the subject. Banatwala referred to the opinion given by the then Attorney General, M.C. Setalvad in the Lok Sabha on 1 April 1984 on the issue, to the effect that it was outside the legislative competence of that House to come forward with any Bill concerning the organisation of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. However, the Chairman of the Lok Sabha in his ruling on the point raised by Banatwala inter alia observed that the Chair does not decide whether the Bill is constitutionally within the legislative competence of the House or not. Further, the House also does not take a decision on the specific question of vires of the Bill. The motion moved by was, therefore, put to the vote of the House and adopted. Accordingly, the Chair permitted the introduction of the Bill by Krishnam Raju."[16]
Raju died on 11 September 2022, at the age of 82, from bacterial and fungal pneumonia followed by cardiac arrest, at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology Hospitals in Hyderabad, India, which he entered for post-COVID-19 issues on 5 August 2022.[10][17]