Jaggayya (Telugu actor)

Kongara Jaggaiah
Born	(1926-12-31)31 December 1926 Tenali, Guntur district, Madras Presidency, British India
Died	Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Other names	Kalavachaspati, Kanchu Kantam
Occupation	Actor, dubbing artist, littérateur, journalist, poet

Kongara Jaggaiah (Telugu: కొంగర జగ్గయ్య) (31 December 1926 – 5 August 2004) was an Indian film actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema and theatre. He was popularly known as Kanchu Kantam Jaggaiah (Telugu) for his booming voice, He was starred in eighty films, doing versatile characters in lead and supporting roles.

In 1962, He produced Padandi Munduku, the first Telugu film to be screened in Soviet Russia at the Moscow International Film Festival. In 1992, the Government of India has honoured him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.

Early life

Jaggayya was born in a well-to-do family in Morampudi village near Tenali in Guntur district. He started acting at the age of 11, with the role of Lava in a Hindi play. As a student, he joined the Congress party in Tenali, which was involved in the Indian Independence Movement at that time. After his school education, he joined a periodical named Desabhimani (meaning "Patriot") as a journalist.

Later he worked as an editor for the weekly Andhra Republic. He joined the Andhra-Christian College in Guntur for his higher studies, where N. T. Rama Rao, (in his later days) also happened to study at the same time. Both of them acted together in several plays. Jaggaiah won the best actor award in three successive years. He got trained in the art of painting under the guidance of Adivi Bapiraju, a famous painter. After working as a teacher for a brief while, he became a news anchor.

Cinema

He debuted in movies with the role of lead actor in Tripuraneni Gopichand's Priyuralu. He came back into reckoning when two of his successive movies, Ardhangi and Bangaru Paapa did very well. He was very active in Telugu films from 1950s to 1970s and later, acted occasionally till his death. He played several roles such as hero, second lead, comedian and villain in several movies.

Voice

The voice of Jaggaiah filled theatres paleing the dialogue rendition of others into insignificance. He was distinguished for his voice and gave voice-over (dubbed) in almost 100 films. He gave his voice to Sivaji Ganesan in many Telugu movies that the latter acted in, apart from being the voice for his movies dubbed from Tamil. The narrator's voice in Maa Bhoomi (Gautam Ghose,1979) is his. He also dubbed for Richard Attenborough's character of Hammond in the Telugu-dubbed version of the film Jurassic Park. He was given the title 'Kala Vachaspathi' (Vachaspathi= Lord of Speech) for his sonorous voice.

Politics

Jaggaiah was active in politics right from his student days and was allied with the socialist group within the Congress party. When the group was disbanded, he joined Jayaprakash Narayan's Praja Socialist Party, but returned to Congress in 1956, heeding the call of Jawaharlal Nehru. In 1967, he was elected as a member of the fourth Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India from the constituency of Ongole on a Congress Party ticket. He was the first Indian film actor to be elected as a member of parliament.

Literary achievements

He translated Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's Geetanjali into Telugu under the name Ravindra Geetha. He also translated Tagore's play "Sacrifice" into Telugu under the name Balidaanam.

Awards

Civilian honours

• Padma Bhushan, Government of India in 1992

Nandi Awards

• Nandi Award for Best Character Actor

State Awards

• Andhra Pradesh Government cash award for producing Padandi Munduku in 1962
• Title of Kalaimamani from Tamil Nadu government

Other honours

• Title of Kala Vachaspathi from the Sanskrit Viswa Vidyalaya, Delhi
• Title of Kala Prapoorna from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam
• Honorary D. Litt. from the Telugu University, Hyderabad

Filmography

S No	Movie Name	Year of release	Notes / Character
1	Priyuralu	1952
2	Adarsam	1952
3	Bangaru Papa	1954	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu / Manohar
4	Ardhangi	1955	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu / Chinna Babu
5	Donga Ramudu	1955	Archived at the Film and Television Institute of India / Dr. Mohan
6	Muddu Bidda	1956
7	Edi Nijam	1956	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu
8	Veera Kankanam	1957
9	Varudu Kavali	1957
10	Thodi Kodallu	1957	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu / Vaikuntam
11	MLA	1957
12	Bhale Bava	1957
13	Aalu Magalu	1957
14	Mundadugu	1958
15	Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu	1958
16	Bhagya Devata	1959
17	Pelli Kanuka	1960
18	Velugu Needalu	1961
20	Pellikani Pillalu	1961
21	Kalasi unte Kaladu Sukham	1961
21	Intiki Deepam Illalu	1961
22	Chitti Tammudu	1962
23	Aradhana	1962
24	Padandi Munduku	1962	Producer
25	Constable Koothuru	1963
26	Pooja Phalam	1964
27	Manchi Manishi	1964
28	Eedu Jodu	1964
29	Dr. Chakravarthi	1964	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu
30	Aatma Balam	1964
31	Uyyala Jampala	1965
32	Sumangali	1965
33	Preminchi Choodu	1965
34	Manasulu Mamatalu	1965
35	Gudi Gantalu	1965
36	Antastulu	1965	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu
37	Navarathri	1966
38	Manase Mandiram	1966
39	Aastiparulu	1966
40	Prana Mithrulu	1967
41	Bandipotu Dongalu	1968
42	Adrustavanthulu	1969
43	Ardha Rathri	1969
44	Thalli Thandrulu	1970
45	Srimanthudu	1971
46	Ramalayam	1971
47	Naa Thammudu
48	Chinnanati Snehitulu	1971
49	Badi Panthulu	1972
50	Devudu Chesina Manushulu	1973
51	Bhoomi Kosam	1974
52	Deeksha	1974
53	Alluri Sita Rama Raju	1974
54	Sri Rajeswari Vilas Coffee Club	1976
55	Paadipantalu	1976
56	Ramarajyamlo Rakthapasam	1976
57	Adavi Ramudu	1977	Forest Officer
58	Chanakya Chandragupta	1977
59	Manassakshi	1977
60	Karunamayudu	1978
61	Ram Robert Rahim	1980
62	Nyayam Kavali	1981
63	Seethakoka Chilaka	1981	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu
64	Bobbili Puli	1982
65	Yamakinkarudu	1982
66	Meghasandesam	1983	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu
67	Disco King	1984
68	Anubandham	1984
69	Swathi	1985
70	Adavi Donga	1985
71	Agni Parvatam	1985
72	Vijetha	1985
73	Kiraathakudu	1986
74	Veta	1986
75	Chantabbai	1986
76	Ramu	1987
77	President Gari Abbayi	1987
78	Aradhana	1987
79	Pasivadi Pranam	1987
80	Viswanatha Nayakudu	1987
81	Jeevana Ganga	1988
82	Alludugaru	1990
83	Joker	1993
84	Detective Narada	1993

Death

He had undergone a Hip Replacement surgery and complications after the surgery resulted in his death.

External links

• Jaggaiah at the Internet Movie Database