Chittajallu Srinivasa Rao (1924 – 8 December 2004) was an Indian actor, writer and director. He was the son of film director Chittajallu Pullayya. He directed around 65 films in the Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Oriya languages. He garnered two National Film Awards for directing the films Lava Kusa (1963) and Desamante Manushuloyi (1970). Directors including Muktha V. Srinivasan and K. S. Sethu Madhavan worked as his assistants.

Early life and career

He was born in 1924 in Kakinada, East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. He started his career in films as a child actor, appearing in two movies directed by his father Chittajallu Pullayya and released in 1936, Anasuya and Dhruva. He later worked as an assistant to cinematographer K. Ramnoth, art director V. A. K. Sekhar, and Uday Shankar. He assisted his father in the 1953 film Pakkinti Ammayi as both actor and screenplay writer. He made his directorial debut in Tamil film with Ponni (1953) and then in Telugu with the feature Sri Krishna Tulabaram (1955). He directed around 65 movies in the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Oriya languages. His popular Telugu movies included Lava Kusa (1963), Manchi Manasuku Manchi Rojulu (1958), Santinivasam (1960), Abhimanam (1960), Tiger Ramudu (1962), Valmeeki (1963), Kanchu Kota (1967), Govula Gopanna (1968), Ekaveera (1969), Jeevitha Chakram (1971), Sri Krishnanjaneya Yuddham (1972), ''Dhanamaa? Daivamaa? (1973), Yashoda Krishna (1975), and Mahakavi Kshetrayya'' (1976). He also acted in a number of movies, which included Pelli Sandadi (1959), Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya (1982), Jebudonga (1987), and Kokila (1989).

Personal life

He married the daughter of Kannamba and Kadaru Nagabhushanam. After her death, he fell in love with dancer and actress Rajasulochana. They married and had twin daughters. He died on 8 December 2004 in Chennai.

Filmography