Siva Nageswara Rao is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Telugu cinema. He is especially known for his work in comedy films. His notable films include Money (1993), Money Money (1994), Lucky Chance (1994), Sisindri (1995), Pattukondi Chooddaam (1997), Hands Up! (2000), Dhanalakshmi, I Love You (2002), Mr & Mrs Sailaja Krishnamurthy (2004), Bhookailas (2007).
Siva Nageswara Rao was born and brought up in Uppalapadu near Guntur.[1] He was fascinated by films from childhood. He graduated from Hindu College in Guntur.
He went to Madras to join Telugu film industry in 1979 at the age of 23. He acted in films like Burripalem Bullodu and Sannayi Appanna as unofficial junior artist.
He joined as an assistant director to Vijaya Nirmala and worked under her for the films Antham Kaadidi Aarambham, Doctor Cine Actor (1982) etc. Later he worked with V. Madhusudhana Rao for Jagannatha Ratha Chakraalu, with Lenin Babu for Maro Kurukshetram, with S. A. Chandrasekhar for Devanthakudu (1984), Balidaanam, Intiko Rudramma. He then started working for Kranthi Kumar with Swathi (1984) and was a part of his direction team for six years.
He met Ram Gopal Varma during the making of the film Rao Gaari Illu (1988) on which both Varma and Rao worked as assistant directors. While doing that film, Varma asked him to work as an assistant director in Siva (1989). Siva Nageswara Rao's debut film as a director was Money (1993) and was produced by Ram Gopal Varma.[2]