Aluri Chakrapani or Aluri Venkata Subbarao (August 5, 1908 - September 24, 1975) was a multilingual genius and a popular writer and director of South India

South India

South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...

n films.

Early life

Aluri was born in Itanagar village near Tenali

Tenali

Tenali , is a town and a mandal in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It has a population of 149,839 . It is located 16 miles east of Guntur City. Three canals of the Krishna River flow through Tenali making it a part of the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. One of the canals is...

, Guntur

Guntur

Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...

, Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...

, India, in a middle class agricultural family.

He learnt Hindi

Hindi

Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...

 under the tutelage of the well-known poet Vraj Nandan Sharma. Later, he taught himself Sanskrit

Sanskrit

Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

 and English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 and soon mastered both the languages.

Bengali literature

Chakrapani fell ill with Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...

 in 1932 and had to stay at Madanapalle

Madanapalle

Madanapalle , is a town and a Municipality located in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh state, India - population 107,512 . Legend has it that the name of the town was originally " Maryaada raamanna puram" which has over time, changed into " Madanapalle".It is one of the biggest Revenue...

 sanatorium for medical treatment. He learnt Bengali

Bengali language

Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...

 during that time from another inmate recuperating from the illness. Initially, he started translating

Translation

Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...

 novels from Bengali

Bengali language

Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...

 to Telugu

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

. His translations of the novels of Sharat Chandra Chatterji became so popular in Telugu

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

, the readers would not believe that the originals were written in Bengali

Bengali language

Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...

 language.

Film career

He was closely associated with Nagi Reddy, together they formed the Vijaya Vauhini

Vijaya Vauhini Studios

Vijaya Vauhini Studios was once a major a motion picture movie studio in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.This was for some time the biggest film studio in Asia in terms of studio floor space...

 duo. With his creative mind, he started writing short stories and novels in Telugu

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

. He scripted the film Dharmapatni in 1940 for 'Famous Films', Mumbai

Mumbai

Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

. Well-known Telugu

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

 film producer B. N. Reddy

Bommireddy Narasimha Reddy

Bommireddy Narasimha Reddy was an Indian film director and an early figure in the Telugu cinema industry, also known as Tollywood. He was eldest of the three brothers; others are B. Nagi Reddy and B.N. Konda Reddy. He was popularly known as B. N. Reddy...

 invited him to Chennai

Chennai

Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

 to write the script for Swarga Seema

Swarga Seema

Swarga Seema is a 1945 Telugu Drama film directed by B. N. Reddi and starring Chittor V. Nagaiah, B. Jayamma and Bhanumathi Ramakrishna.It is the first Telugu film to be screened in International Film Festival, Vietnam.-The plot:...

. At this time, he came in contact with Nagi Reddy, became a partner and made movies under Vijaya-Vauhini banner. Together, they made successful movies like Patala Bhairavi

Patala Bhairavi

Patala Bhairavi was a Telugu fantasy film produced by Vijaya Pictures in 1951. It is directed by Kadri Venkata Reddy and Kamalakara Kameshwara Rao, who also gave the screen adaptation. Pingali Nagendra Rao wrote dialogue and song lyrics...

, Maya Bazar

Maya Bazar

Maya Bazar also known as Maya is a Block and city in Faizabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Maya Bazar is a small and one of the oldest market in Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh. The main occupation is agriculture.Name of MP: Sh. Nirmal khatri. Name of MLA: Sh. Lalu Singh...

, Gundamma Katha

Gundamma Katha

Gundamma Katha is a 1962 Telugu film produced by famous producer duo B. Nagi Reddy and Chakrapani starring mainly S. V. Ranga Rao, N. T. Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Suryakantham, Jamuna Ramanarao, Savitri, Ramana Reddy, Rajanala Kaleswara Rao, Chaya Devi, L. Vijayalakshmi and Haranath...

, Missamma

Missamma

*Aduvari matalaku ardhale verule - A. M. Rajah*Baalanura Madana - P. Susheela*Brindavanamadi andaridi Govindudandari vade - A. M. Rajah*Dharmam Cheyyi Babu - Relangi*Ee NavaNavabhuyudaya*Kaavaalante Isthaale - A. M. Rajah...

, Shavukaru, and Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu

Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu

-2008 film:Appuchesi Pappukudu was remade in 2008 directed by Relangi Narasimha Rao and starring Rajendra Prasad and Madhumitha in lead roles.-External links:* * * *...

that are still popular with Telugu speaking people. Both made 35 fims in Telugu

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

, Tamil

Tamil language

Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...

, Kannada, Oriya

Oriya language

Oriya , officially Odia from November, 2011, is an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is mainly spoken in the Indian states of Orissa and West Bengal...

 and Hindi

Hindi

Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...

 languages.

Selected bibliography

• Dharmapatni (Telugu, 1941) (dialogue) (debut)
• Dharmapatni (Tamil, 1941) (dialogue)
• Swargaseema (1945) (dialogue) (story)
• Shavukaru (1950) (writer)
• Pelli Chesi Choodu
  Pelli Chesi Choodu
  Pelli Chesi Choodu is a 1952 Telugu Drama film directed by L. V. Prasad and produced by Nagireddy and Chakrapani of Vijaya Pictures. This Silver Jubilee Comedy film is based on the social problem Dowry. It was simultaneous made in Tamil as Kalyanam Panni Paar. L. V...
  
   (1952) (writer)
• Chandraharam
  Chandraharam
  Chandraharam is a 1954 Telugu film directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao and produced by Vijaya Pictures.-The Plot:The life of Chandana Raju is in the Chandraharam worn by him in the neck. He paints the image of a beautiful lady and wants to marry her. His adviser Dhoomaketu wanted to dethrone him...
  
   (1954) (writer)
• Missamma
  Missamma
  *Aduvari matalaku ardhale verule - A. M. Rajah*Baalanura Madana - P. Susheela*Brindavanamadi andaridi Govindudandari vade - A. M. Rajah*Dharmam Cheyyi Babu - Relangi*Ee NavaNavabhuyudaya*Kaavaalante Isthaale - A. M. Rajah...
  
   (1955) (writer)
• Missiamma (1955) (writer)
• Maya Bazaar (1957/II) (screen adaptation)
• Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu
  Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu
  -2008 film:Appuchesi Pappukudu was remade in 2008 directed by Relangi Narasimha Rao and starring Rajendra Prasad and Madhumitha in lead roles.-External links:* * * *...
  
   (1958) (adaptation)
• Rechukka Pragatichukka (1959) (screen adaptation)
• Gundamma Katha
  Gundamma Katha
  Gundamma Katha is a 1962 Telugu film produced by famous producer duo B. Nagi Reddy and Chakrapani starring mainly S. V. Ranga Rao, N. T. Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Suryakantham, Jamuna Ramanarao, Savitri, Ramana Reddy, Rajanala Kaleswara Rao, Chaya Devi, L. Vijayalakshmi and Haranath...
  
   (1962) (story)
• Manithan Maravillai (1962) (screen adaptation)
• Julie
  Julie (1975 film)
  Julie is a 1975 Hindi film that stars Laxmi in the title role. It also stars Nadira, and Sridevi as a child star. The film became a box office hit....
  
   (1975) (screen adaptation)
• Sri Rajeswari vilas Coffee Club (1976) (writer)
• Swayamvar (1980) (story)

Producer

• Sri Rajeswari Vilas Coffee Club (1976)
• Julie (1975) (as B. Nagi Reddi-Chakrapani)
• Ganga Manga (1973)
• Ram aur Shyaam (1967)
• Gundamma Katha (1962)
• Manithan Maravillai (1962)
• Rechukka Pagatichukka (1959)
• Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu (1958)
• Maya Bazaar (1957/II)
• Missamma (1955)
• Chandraharam (1954)
• Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952)
• Shavukaru (1950)
• Patala Bhairavi (1951)

Director

• Sri Rajeswari Vilas Coffee Club (1976)
• Arasa Kattili (1967)
• Manithan Maravillai (1962)

Chandamama

Chakrapani came up with the idea of a story book for kids and children, and thus Chandamama was born. Chakrapani made Chandamama popular not only in Telugu language

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

 but in ten other India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n languages. He started in 1934 the monthly publication of Yuva magazine from Chennai

Chennai

Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

 which was later shifted to Hyderabad. Well-known writer Kodavatiganti Kutumba Rao was a partner in this venture.