Name
S. V. Ranga Rao
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1918-07-03
Deathday
1974-07-18 (56 years old)
Place of Birth
Nuzvidu, Krishna dist, Andhra Pradesh, India
Biography
Samarla Venkata Ranga Rao (July 3, 1918 – July 18, 1974), known professionally as S. V. Ranga Rao or S.V.R., was an Indian actor, director, and producer who worked predominantly in Telugu and Tamil cinema. After early work on stage and an initial film appearance in *Varudhini* (1946), he gained widespread recognition as the sorcerer Nepala Manthrikudu in the fantasy swashbuckler *Pathala Bhairavi* (1951). Over the 1950s and 1960s, he became a central character actor and antagonist across South Indian cinema, playing major roles in the social comedy *Missamma* (1955), the historical drama *Tenali Ramakrishna* (1956), the fantasy film *Mayabazar* (1957), and the comedy *Gundamma Katha* (1962). For his portrayal of Keechaka in the mythological film *Narthanasala* (1963), he won the Best Actor Award at the 3rd Afro-Asian Film Festival in Jakarta.
In addition to Telugu cinema, Ranga Rao worked extensively in Tamil productions, with prominent roles in *Annai* (1962), *Karpagam* (1963), *Enga Veettu Pillai* (1965), and the historical biographical film *Kappalottiya Thamizhan* (1961). In the late 1960s, he expanded into directing and producing, helming the social dramas *Chadarangam* (1967) and *Bandhavyalu* (1968), both of which won Nandi Awards. His later screen appearances included *Dasara Bullodu* (1971), *Sampoorna Ramayanam* (1972), *Tata Manavadu* (1973), and *Andaru Dongale* (1974), concluding with the posthumously released devotional feature *Yashoda Krishna* (1975).
Known For
7.8
Gundamma is a rich widow who dotes on her daughter Saroja but mistreats her stepdaughter L...
7.2
An exuberant and evocative family drama, that primarily revolves around the close bond bet...
- 1953 Pempudu Koduku
- 1955 Anarkali as Akbar
- 1963 Karpagam as Nallasivam
- 1950 Shavukaru as Sunnapu Ranga
- 1954 Chandraharam as Mali
- 1957 Thodi Kodallu as Kutumba Rao
- 1959 Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu as Mukunda Rao
- 1967 Punyavathi as Professor Krishna Rao
- 1962 Aathma Bandhuvu as Father
- 1962 Manchi Manasulu as Ananda Rao
- 1962 Gundamma Katha as Ramabhadrayya
- 1951 Pathala Bhairavi as Nepala Mantrikudu
- 1957 Mayabazar as Ghatotkacha
- 1971 Adi Parasakthi as Dhakshan
- 1973 Tata Manavadu
- 1963 Kungumam
- 1966 Selvam
- 1964 Pachai Vilakku
- 1963 Annai Illam
- 1962 Bandha Pasam
- 1960 Irumbu Thirai as Mohanarangam
- 1961 Padithal Mattum Podhuma
- 1964 Kai Kodutha Deivam as Mahadevan
- 1961 Nitchaya Thamboolam
- 1963 Iruvar Ullam as Neethimanickam
- 1960 Padikkadha Medhai
- 1958 Sabaash Meena as Appadurai
- 1972 Vasantha Maligai as Ananth and Vijay's father (archival footage)
- 1955 Gunasundari
- 1956 Matharkula Manikkam
- 1960 Parthiban Kanavu as Maamalar (Narasimhavarman I)
- 1958 Thirumanam
- 1962 Kaathiruntha Kangal
- 1958 Kadan Vaangi Kalyanam
- 1968 Ramu as Gopalam
- 1969 Kulavilakku
- 1952 Kalyanam Panni Paar
- 1969 Nam Naadu
- 1967 Thaaiku Thalaimagan
- 1965 Enga Veettu Pillai as Ranganadhan Pillai
- 1956 Charana Daasi as Raghavaiah
- 1969 Mooga Nomu as Rao Bahadur Raja Veera Venkata Satyanarayana
- 1961 Kalasi Unte Kaladu Sukham as Pattabhi Ramayya
- 1971 Prema Nagar
- 1959 Mangalya Balam as Papa Rao
- 1964 Server Sundaram as Film Director
- 1968 Sukha Dukhalu
- 2013 Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu as Relangi Mavayya’s Grandfather (Photo)
- 1955 Jayasimha as Rudrasimha
- 1964 Main Bhi Ladki Hoon as Lalaji
- 1958 Bhookailasa as Mayasura
- 1962 Dakshayagnam as Daksha Prajapathi
- 1954 Sangham as Seetharamanjaneya Das
- 1950 Palletoori Pilla as Dhartha
- 1952 Palletooru as Ganapathi
- 1956 Chintamani as Bhavani Shankarudu
- 1961 Sati Sulochana (Indrajeet) as Ravana
- 1960 Bhatti Vikramarka as Mantra Siddha
- 1960 Nammina Bantu
- 1972 Pandanti Kapuram as Narayana Rao
- 1963 Naanum Oru Penn
- 1970 Desamante Manushuloyi
- 1960 Mahakavi Kalidasu as Raja Bhoja
- 1958 Pellinaati Pramanalu as Bheemasena Rao
- 1955 Golden Baby as Kotayya
- 1963 Narthanasala as Keechaka
- 1961 Velugu Needalu as Rao Bahadur Venkataramaiah
- 1953 Devadasu as Narayana Rao
- 1955 Missamma as Gopalam
- 1968 Lakshmi Nivasam as Subbaiah
- 1972 Sampoorna Ramayanam as Ravana
- 1964 Bobbili Yuddham as Tandra Paparayudu
- 1964 Ramudu Bheemudu as Ranganatham
- 1969 Sivandha Mann as Inspector General Chandrasekar
- 1959 Manjal Mahimai
- 1960 Vidivelli as Wealthy Man
- 1965 Vazhkai Padagu as Rajan's Father
- 1965 Pandava Vanavasamu as Duryodhana
- 1958 Bhookailas as Mayasura
- 1968 Chinnari Papalu
- 1972 Raja
- 1967 Bhaktha Prahlada as Hiranyakashipu
- 1960 Naan Kanda Swargam as Yamaraj
- 1953 Chandirani as Prachandudu
- 1959 Bala Nagamma as Mayala Marathi
- 1975 Yashoda Krishna as Kamsa
- 1961 Kappalottiya Thamizhan as Vinch
- 1958 Annaiyin Aanai
- 1961 Kumudham
- 1962 Saradha
- 1962 Annai
- 1953 Poongothai as Rangadu
- 1957 Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp
- 1971 Dasara Bullodu
- 1967 Chadarangam
- 1952 Pelli Chesi Choodu as Dhoopati Viyanna
- 1972 Papam Pasivadu
- 1971 Vikramarka Vijayam
- 1971 Thenum Paalum as Somanathan
- 1974 Chakravakam as Dharma Rayudu
- 1962 Padandi Munduku
- 1967 Vasantha Sena as Samsthanaka
- 1968 Veeranjaneya as Ravana
- 1957 Saarangadhara as Rajaraja Narendra Chalukya
- 1958 Sarangadhara as Narendran
- 1972 Koduku Kodalu as Justice Raghava Rao
- 1973 Abhimanavanthulu as Raghav Rao
- 1967 Rahasyam as Rakthabhisha
- 1974 Andaru Dongale as Chanti Babu
- 1966 Kumari Penn as Ranganathan
- 1957 Soubhagyavathi as Maha Bhairavan
- 1972 Bala Bharatam as Bheesma
- 1954 Thuli Visham as Veeramarthandan
- 1956 Marma Veeran as Guest Appearance
- 1973 Anbu Sagodharargal as Dharmaraj
- 1967 Pesum Deivam as Thiruvenkadam
- 1973 Devudu Chesina Manushulu as Dasaradharamayya
- 1958 Anbu Engey as Masilamani Mudaliar
- 1968 Poovum Pottum as Professor Raja Rathinam
