He was incorrigibly democratic at heart and was obsessively down-to-earth in his attitude. We actors wondered how this producer-par excellence didn’t adorn the choicest seat on the sets, but drawing the camera trolley along with the working hands and stood for the next move of the director
Daggubati Ramanaidu was a rare phenomenon in Indian cinema, nay in world cinema even. To start with, he didn’t have any know-how as to how a cinema should be made. He was, in fact, not made for cinema. Virtually, a school dropout, he worked in a hospital as a compounder during his school days and later took to rice-mill business. He even tried his luck in transport business. A rustic farmer, who had no knowledge whatsoever of the media, which he conquered during his lifetime – he went to Madras to try his luck in tobacco business. There used to be many friends who frequented the then Andhra Club in Vijayaraghavachari Road and those were the days of his indirect exposure to cinema – not as a media but as a viable business being pursued by his friends. And then the “cinema bug’’ bit him one day. He did not jump into the activity straightaway, being a practical man. He sat under the tree opposite the club all the day and watched the body language of his friends, who, by then, had their initiation into cinema. He made his own mental notes and came to his own conclusions. That was when he walked into the portals of a studio and made his first movie ‘Anuragam’ with G Ramineedu as the director and Jaggaiah and Bhanumathi as the lead actors. And, the rest is history.
There was no person, in the annals of Indian cinema who rose to dizzy heights, made 155 movies in 13 Indian languages, created two studios, made a hero of his son and grandson, was decorated with the third highest civilian of the Republic of India, the Padma Bhushan, and received the coveted Dada Saheb Phalke Award.
He was incorrigibly democratic at heart and was obsessively down-to-earth in his attitude. We actors wondered how this producer-par excellence didn’t adorn the choicest seat on the sets, but drawing the camera trolley along with the working hands and stood for the next move of the director. It was astounding how he motivated his fellow workers. Who can sit and relax while the boss is drawing the trolley? It was not a performance. His roots defined his behaviour and he was obsessively warm at heart. We never saw success hitting his head.
He did several films in collaboration with the legendary filmmaker B Nagireddi. He used to confide in people like us that his life’s dream was to construct a studio. He did – not one but two. I did many number of films in his banner. His favourite character of mine was Butula Basavayya in ‘Mangalya Balam’, a character moulded by him. His commitment to work was phenomenal. He was a workaholic. Not a single detail missed his gaze.
His ambition was to make an art film which will appeal to the elite and win him laurels, not as much money. When the veteran K Balachander purchased rights of my subject ‘Kallu’ to be made in Tamil and all other languages, he promptly called me and took the rights for the Telugu version. He used to have a flair for acting and it used to tickle us – the seniors in the craft to have him next to us doing a cameo. But, eventually, he did a main lead with all aplomb in an art film ‘Hope’ which bagged the National Award.
One day, he came to the sets and told me that his son Suresh Babu had named his son after him. The industry used to call his namesake as “Rana’’. I worked with him in another blockbuster ‘Leader’ when I narrated this incident. I had the privilege of acting with three generations of his family – Ramanaidu, Venkatesh and Rana. It is a close-knit family with modern exposure but with traditional bondage.
Making successful pictures or making money was not the only goal for him. He became a Member of Parliament to serve his community during 1999-2004. D Ramanaidu Vignan Jyothi Institute of Rural Development is a unique body wedded to social justice and economic stability of the society. He donated 33 acres at Tuniki village in Medak for this purpose. He made several generous contributions and created Kalyana Mandapams and Community Centres for social activities in and around his native Karamchedu.
He never decorated his success on his shoulders and readily took the role of a Good Samaritan at any given call. We were neighbours for more than four decades at Madras. His camaraderie was contagious and legendary.
He entered the Guinness Book of World Records for his achievements in the movie world, but had there been any award for better living with sense of humour and dignity – I am sure he would have earned it hands down.
I will say this again, he was a rare human being and inarguably ‘The Last Moghul’.
THI
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