Ability to identify talent, knack to project positive features of an actor is what a sensible director should have. When Chiranjeevi entered film industry through ‘Punadi Raallu’ movie, not many know that director K Raghavendra Rao predicted that he will become a big star. Not just star, today he became a history, a legend without whom Tollywood’s modern era goes unnoticed.
Ask K Raghavendra Rao about what lead him to predict such a wonderful future for a youngster named Siva Shankara Vara Prasad alias Chiranjeevi. His reply is awesome. ‘When Chiranjeevi was working on Punadi Raallu, producer Kranthi Kumar happened to show me his photo shoot. I’ve immediately noticed Chiru’s powerful eyes, which are just powerful and striking’, says KRR, admitting that ‘eyes’ has done whole magic for Chiru. Also the veteran director is amazed by Megastar’s dances, then and now.
Though Raghavendra Rao loved Chiru as an actor at the first instance in 1978’s Pranam Kareedu itself, it took couple of years for the duo to come together. In Shoban Babu’s 1980 starrer ‘Mosagadu’, Chiru played an antagonist role, acting for the first time in Raghavendra Rao’s film. Amazed by Chiru’s talent, KRR went on adding a special song for villain and second heroine (Sridevi played dual role). That’s the story folks!