Prominent people praise Akkineni Kutumbarao’s work
Books on Kutumbarao’s literature and films released
“Films have been my passion since the beginning. Along with writing, I spent all my time on cinema. Even when I didn’t have a rupee in my pocket, I was able to make films with the support of my friends,” said well-known writer and award-winning film director Akkineni Kutumbarao, who gave us films like Bhadram Koduko. From Bhadram Koduko 1991 to today, including one Hindi film, he has made 8 films and several telefilms, all thanks to that same support. He warmly shared his feelings. He also recalled the struggles they faced while making children’s films like Bhadram Koduko, which won the National Award for Best Regional Film in Telugu, and the kindness of the friends who stood by them.
“This generation, we’re raising children without bondings or affection. They don’t know about life’s struggles, joys and sorrows, or the good and bad in society. That’s the mistake in today’s upbringing and society. In fact, even adults’ hearts have become fragile today. They won’t listen to anything we say or show unless they like it or find it useful. But if we say things the right way, children will listen to anything. We must understand that,” said Akkineni Kutumbarao, who made many Telugu children’s films including Bhadram Koduko, Pathanagaramlō Pasivaadu 1999, and Gulabilu 2005.
Still has the same youthful enthusiasm
The occasion was the launch of three new books related to Akkineni Kutumbarao, who is now over 80, at Ravindra Bharati in Hyderabad. Many prominent people and close friends from different fields attended. Renowned poet, Central Sahitya Akademi Award winner, and former Vice-Chancellor of Telugu University Acharya N. Gopi was the chief guest and released the books. The three books launched were Akkineni Kutumbarao Cinema Chitralu, Akkineni Kutumbarao Kathalu, and Padugurāḍina Maṭalu, a collection of reviews, analysis, and interviews written by prominent people on his literature. In his speech, Acharya Gopi shared his long-standing bond with Kutumbarao. He appreciated that his longtime friend has continued writing and making films with the same enthusiasm from then till now.
Special guest Telangana Language and Cultural Department Director, poet and writer Enugu Narasimha Reddy spoke and congratulated Kutumbarao for his great creativity as a story and novel writer and film director. He mentioned Kutumbarao’s special talent for turning even small stories into interesting ones, and gave examples of two or three stories. He said Kutumbarao’s left-wing ideology can be seen even in the titles of his works.
K. Anandachari, editor of Nava Telangana Publishing House and poet-writer; Varaala Anand, Central Sahitya Akademi translation award winner and film critic; and Dr. Jatin Kumar, literary and social analyst, also spoke at the event. Varaala Anand explained Kutumbarao’s work in cinema and what makes his films special. He said Kutumbarao doesn’t look his age because he still has the pure heart of a child, and that’s why he can continue his creative work with the same energy.
Akkineni’s literature needs to be read seriously today
Anandachari spoke about the uniqueness of Kutumbarao’s literature, which combines extensive field visits and personal experiences. “It is very sad that at present, many restrictions are coming on the fundamental rights granted to citizens by the Constitution. In this situation, Kutumbarao’s writings are even more valuable now. They deserve to be studied again specially. The 28 essays in the book Padugurāḍina Maṭalu analyze the uniqueness of his writing in the words of prominent people,” he explained the social context of Kutumbarao’s work.
Speaking, Jatin Kumar described how Kutumbarao’s famous story Pasivāditanam and the 16 stories in his latest collection make readers think. “These are stories that won’t let readers sleep. Kutumbarao’s left-wing ideology, which strongly stands on the side of common people, is visible in these stories. Many of these stories are things Kutumbarao saw and experienced himself. Stories like Sonta Illu and Bandi may look short, but the feeling they give is big. So in a way these are not just stories… they are experiences. While reading them, you see Kutumbarao sometimes as a teacher, sometimes as a jester, and sometimes as a great writer. Every story is a story that must be read very seriously,” Jatin Kumar analyzed in his simple, engaging style.
Back then… with 30-paise tickets…
In his response speech, Akkineni Kutumbarao thanked everyone and took the audience back to his early days in Hyderabad. “With the goal of taking good care of my parents, I came to Hyderabad in 1963 after just SSLC, for a livelihood. In this 63-year journey, I have had so many friends. I have known Acharya N. Gopi, who was studying at the university, and other friends since 1965. We used to meet every Sunday back then. Their words and friendship became a university for me.
Back then my salary was 2 rupees a day. ie., 60 rupees a month. I used to send 30 rupees to my parents in the village, around 20 rupees covered rent and food here. With the remaining 10 rupees, there’s no count of how many films we, all friends together, would go to with 30-paise bare minimum price tickets. Recently, while writing my latest novel, all those memories of Gopi and those friends came back from my thoughts into words.
I’m crazy about Chalam’s writings. Gopi once told me that his favorite writer Cinarē used to reply to letters he wrote even in 6th-7th class. Inspired by that, I wrote a letter to my favorite writer Chalam, and got a reply in three days. From there, many letters went back and forth between the writer Gudipati Venkata Chalam and me for several years. Some of them were published in a magazine back then,” Kutumbarao said.
One film… 39 producers… and a National Award!
“Since childhood I’ve had only two ideals. One – I must lift my whole family up. Two – I must always stay friends with all my friends. I don’t know about the first one, but I’m still following the second ideal. That’s why no one I’ve met ever stops being my friend. My real wealth is my wealth of friends! Friends like Gopi and Muthyam Reddy have educated me a lot. I progressed because of them. I was able to make films only because of those friends.
Ravi, Muthyam Reddy, Srinivas… so many people have been behind every one of my films. Lakshman Aelay, who has now grown into an international artist, has worked as art director for every one of my films from then till now, even without financial benefit, only out of love for cinema! Only because of the fragrance of friendship!! Bhadram Koduko came about with Muthyam Reddy as the main force. That film had 39 producers. Even after I told them the money wouldn’t come back and I couldn’t return it, they invested 25 thousand each and got the film made. Today there’s no one who would do that. In fact, I never wanted to do direction for that film. But unexpectedly, I had to do direction too. From there, my film journey has continued till today,” said award-winning filmmaker Akkineni Kutumbarao, sharing the feelings from deep in his heart.
Even today, that award film didn’t get subsidy from the government
“Governments say they will encourage good films, but it doesn’t happen in practice,” Kutumbarao also shared the difficulties and experiences he faced in making good films at the event. “Even without a rupee in my pocket, we made Bhadram Koduko with love for cinema and hard work. But back then, the film also got some money in the form of awards and rewards. We were able to return the money to friends who stood by us financially by taking loans and borrowing at interest. But not all films are like that, right? For some films, even the subsidies the government announced they would give didn’t come.
Those were the early days when Hyderabad was made the permanent center for the International Children’s Film Festival of India. That year, not a single film from Telugu was entered in the International Children’s Film Festival in Hyderabad. At that time, government elders called and asked us to make children’s films. That’s how we made Pathanagaramlō Pasivaadu 1999 with great difficulty, taking six friends as producers. Later, our film became the first Telugu film to go to the international competition section at the next Children’s Film Festival. It also went to platforms like the Cairo International Film Festival and many national and international venues.
But even after making that film with great difficulty and doing so much… the state government never gave the 35-lakh subsidy that was due. When we asked, they finally put a condition that they would give the government subsidy only if it was commercially released in at least 11 theaters. That’s not possible unless you make films with commercial songs and vulgar dialogues. Can we make a children’s film like that? Is it even possible to give children’s films, which are limited to film clubs and festivals, a commercial release on that scale? Even so, in the middle of such struggles I was able to make five or six children’s films,” Akkineni Kutumbarao shared his film experiences at the event.
Kutumbarao’s life partner, renowned writer Volga, explained the background of this event. Her affection was visible from the welcome of guests at the start of the event to gifting books to the loving group at the end. Her brother, literary and film enthusiast Ravi Maruti, personally took care of the entire event organization.
Renowned artist Lakshman Aelay, who worked as art director for Kutumbarao’s films, writer and film personality Chaitanya Pingali, prominent poets Asharaju, Shikamani, Yakub, senior journalists Vemana Vasanthalakshmi, Tirumalastty Sudhakar, writers Pramila Haragopal, Bhandaru Vijaya, Sammeta Umadevi, Sammeta Vijaya, Sivalakshmi and many other prominent people attended in large numbers, making the Ravindra Bharati hall vibrant with a literary and film atmosphere. Even after the event ended, literature lovers continued to greet each other warmly, congratulate Kutumbarao, and spend a lot of time there, which stood as proof of the wealth of friendship earned by the couple Kutumbarao and Volga.
(Dr. Rentala Jayadeva, the author of the article, stands as one of the most respected senior journalists, cultural analysts, and literary critics in the Telugu-speaking regions. Journalism and historical research run deep in his lineage.)
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