Ramoji Rao Explained

Ramoji Rao
Birthname:Ramoji Rao
Birth Date:1936 11, df=y
Birth Place:Pedaparupudi, Madras Presidency, British Raj (now in Andhra Pradesh, India)
Death Place:Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Occupation:Businessman, Media Proprietor
Nationality:Indian

Cherukuri Ramoji Rao (16 November 1936 – 8 June 2024) was an Indian businessman, media proprietor and film producer.[1] He was head of the Ramoji Group which owns the world's largest film production facility Ramoji Film City, Eenadu newspaper, ETV Network of TV channels, film production company Ushakiran Movies.[2] [3] [4] [5]

His other business ventures included Margadarsi Chit Fund, Dolphin Group of Hotels, Kalanjali Shopping Mall, Priya Pickles, ETV Win OTT platform and Mayuri Film Distributors.[6] [7]

Rao garnered four Filmfare Awards South, five Nandi Awards and the National Film Award for his works in Telugu cinema.[8] In 2016, he was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour, for his contributions in journalism, literature and education.[9] [10]

Personal life

Cherukuri Ramoji Rao was born on 16 November 1936 in Pedaparupudi of Krishna District, Madras Presidency, India into an agricultural family.[11] Companies owned by the Ramoji Group include Margadarsi Chit Fund, Eenadu newspaper, ETV Network, Ramadevi Public School, Priya Foods, Kalanjali, Ushakiran Movies, and Ramoji Film City near Hyderabad. He was also the chairman of Dolphin Group of Hotels in Andhra Pradesh.

Rao's younger son, Cherukuri Suman, died of leukaemia on 7 September 2012. Rao passed away from heart disease in Hyderabad, on 8 June 2024, at the age of 87.[12] He was cremated with state honours at Ramoji Film City, on 9 June 2024, where his memorial is expected to come up.[13]

Filmography

Year Film title Language NotesRef.
1984Srivariki Premalekha
1984Kanchana GangaTelugu
1984Sundari Subbarao Telugu
1985MayuriTelugu Remade in Hindi as Naache Mayuri; dubbed into Malayalam and Tamil as Mayoori
1985PratighatanaTeluguRemade in Malayalam as Pakarathinu Pakaram and Hindi as Pratighaat
1985Preminchu PelladuTelugu
1986Pakarathinu PakaramRemake of Pratighatana
1986MallemoggaluTelugu
1986Car Diddina KapuramTelugu
1986Naache MayuriRemake of Mayuri
1987Chandamama RaveTelugu
1987PratighaatHindi Remake of Pratighatana
1987PremayanamTelugu
1988O Bharya KathaTelugu
1989Mouna PoratamTelugu
1989Paila PacheesuTelugu
1990JudgementTelugu
1990MamasriTelugu
1990Manasu Mamata Telugu
1991AmmaTelugu
1991AswiniTelugu
1991People's EncounterTelugu
1991Jagannatham & SonsTelugu
1992VasundharaTelugu
1992TejaTelugu
1998Padutha TheeyagaTelugu
1998Daddy DaddyTelugu
1999Mechanic MamaiahTelugu
2000SubhavelaTelugu
2000ChitramTeluguRemade in Kannada as Chitra
2000Moodu MukkalaataTelugu
2000Nuvve KavaliTeluguRemake of Niram; remade in Hindi as Tujhe Meri Kasam and Kannada as Ninagagi
2000Dr. Munshir DiaryBengaliFeluda Telefilm
2001DeevinchandiTelugu
2001Ninnu ChoodalaniTelugu
2001Akasa VeedhiloTelugu
2001Chitra KannadaRemake of Chitram
2001AnandamTeluguRemade in Tamil as Inidhu Inidhu Kadhal Inidhu
2001IshtamTelugu
2002Manasuvunte ChaluTelugu[14]
2002Priya Nestama Telugu
2002NeethoTelugu
2002NinagagiKannadaRemake of Nuvve Kavali
2003Tujhe Meri KasamHindiRemake of Nuvve Kavali
2003 Ananda KannadaRemake of Telugu film Anandam
2003Oka Raju Oka RaniTelugu
2003Toli ChoopuloneTelugu[15]
2003Inidhu Inidhu Kadhal InidhuRemake of Anandam
2003Bombaiyer BombeteBengaliFeluda Film
2004AnandamanandamayeTelugu
2004Thoda Tum Badlo Thoda HumHindi
2006VeedhiTelugu[16]
2007SixerKannada
2008NachavuleTelugu
2009Ninnu KalisakaTelugu
2009SavaariKannadaRemake of Gamyam; co-production with Arka Media Works
2010Betting BangarajuTelugu
2011NuvvilaTelugu
2015BeeruvaTeluguCo-production with Anandi Art Creations[17]
2015Dagudumootha DandakorTeluguRemake of Saivam; co-production with First Frame Entertainment

Awards and honours

Civilian honours
National Film Awards
Filmfare Awards
Nandi Awards[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Donthi . Praveen . December 2014 . How Ramoji Rao of Eenadu wrested control of power and politics in Andhra Pradesh . 30 December 2019 . . en . 17 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220517005221/https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/chairman-rao . live .
  2. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Ramoji Film City on BBC . 9 May 2013 . YouTube.
  3. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Ramoji Film City on Discovery Travel & Living . 9 May 2013 . YouTube.
  4. Web site: Largest film studio . 12 January 2015 . Guinness World Records . 18 December 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141218024841/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-film-studio/ . live .
  5. Web site: ETV Ramoji group forays into garment making . usurped . https://web.archive.org/web/20110305032931/http://www.hinduonnet.com/businessline/2002/07/05/stories/2002070501670400.htm . 5 March 2011 . 18 January 2011 . The Hindu.
  6. Web site: About Ramoji Group . 19 October 2022 . Eenaduinfo.com . 19 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221019054522/http://eenaduinfo.com/about_ram.htm . live .
  7. News: The Hindu . Ramoji Rao: A media mogul who dreamed big . 10 June 2024 . 8 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240610060359/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ramoji-raos-multifaceted-legacy-spanned-contributions-to-journalism-the-film-industry-and-an-indelible-mark-on-entrepreneurship/article68265932.ece . 10 June 2024 . en-IN.
  8. Web site: Chairman Rao . 28 December 2015 . The Caravan . 28 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160128233250/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reportage/chairman-rao . live .
  9. Web site: Padma Awards 2016 . 25 January 2016 . 29 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190329211831/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=135783 . live .
  10. Web site: 25 January 2016 . Padma Awards 2016: Full List . NDTV.com . 25 January 2016 . 29 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190329222623/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/padma-awards-2016-full-list-1269936 . live .
  11. Web site: ఈనాడు "రామోజీరావు" జన్మదిన సుభాకాంక్షలు . Namasthe Andhra . te . 16 November 2020 . 6 September 2021 . 6 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210906153922/https://namasteandhra.com/happy-birth-day-media-legend-ramoji-rao/ . live .
  12. Web site: 8 June 2024. Media baron Ramoji Rao passes away at 87. The Indian Express. en. 8 June 2024. 8 June 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240608030601/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/hyderabad/ramoji-rao-dead-media-baron-9379183/. live.
  13. News: The Hindu . Ramoji Rao death: Last rites of the media baron held at Ramoji Film City; Chandrababu Naidu attends . 10 June 2024 . 9 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240610060121/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/last-rites-of-ramoji-rao-held-at-rfc-chandrababu-naidu-attends/article68269282.ece . 10 June 2024 . en-IN.
  14. Web site: Movie Preview — Manasunte Chalu . . 8 February 2015 . 24 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924050949/http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/coming/manasuntechalu.html . live .
  15. Web site: Movie review — Toli Choopulone . . 16 July 2015 . 3 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190703012312/http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mr-tolichoopulone.html . live .
  16. Web site: Veedhi Press Meet . ragalahari.com . 8 February 2015 . 8 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150208145042/http://www.ragalahari.com/functions/1799/veedhi-press-meet.aspx . live .
  17. Web site: AnandiArts-UshaKiran film 'Beeruva' . supergoodmovies.com . 11 November 2014 . 8 February 2015 . 4 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150704165336/http://www.supergoodmovies.com/61627/tollywood/anandiarts-ushakiran-film-beeruva-news-details . dead.
  18. Web site: నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008) . A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008) . . 21 August 2020 . 23 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150223135739/http://ipr.ap.nic.in/New_Links/Film.pdf . live . (in Telugu)