Kongara Jaggayya

Kongara Jaggayya
Born December 31, 1928(1928-12-31)
Tenali, Guntur district, AP, India
Died March 5, 2004(2004-03-05) (aged 75)
Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
Other names Kalavachaspati, Kanchu Kantam
Occupation Actor, Dubbing Artist, Literaute, Journalist, Poet

Kongara Jaggayya (Telugu: కొంగర జగ్గయ్య) (31 December 1928 – 5 August 2004; also transliterated as Jaggaiah) was an Indian Film Actor from Telugu cinema & Theater . He was popularly known as "Kanchu Kantam" Jaggayya (Telugu for his booming voice.

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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; Jaggayya 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 reader in Telugu at the All India Radio for three years in New Delhi.

In films

He debuted in movies with the role of the hero in Tripuraneni Gopichand's Priyuralu (lover-girl). However, this and his subsequent movies did not do well. 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 Jaggayya 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. 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.

In politics

Jaggayya 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.

List of Movies

S No Movie Name Year of release Character
1 Priyuralu 1952
2 Adarsham 1952
3 Bangaru Papa 1954 Manohar
4 Ardhangi 1955 Nagu (Chinna Babu)
5 Donga Ramudu 1955 Dr. Mohan
6 Muddu Bidda 1956
7 Edi Nijam 1956
8 Veera Kankanam 1957
9 Varudu Kavali 1957
10 'Thodi Kodallu 1957 Vaikuntam
11 M.L.A. 1957 Dasu
12 Bhale Bava 1957
13 Aalu Magalu 1957
14 Mundadugu 1958
15 Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu 1958 Dr. Raghu
Bhagya Devata 1959
16 Pelli Kanuka 1960
17 Velugu Needalu 1961 Dr. Raghu
Pellikani Pillalu 1961
18 Intiki Deepam Illalu 1961
19 Constable Koothuru 1962
Chitti Tammudu 1962 Ramu
20 Aradhana 1962 Sarathi
21 Pooja Phalam 1964
22 Manchi Manishi 1964
23 Eedu Jodu 1964
24 Dr. Chakravarti 1964
25 Aatma Balam 1964
26 Uyyala Jampala 1965
27 Sumangali 1965
28 Preminchi Choodu 1965 Vasu
29 Manasulu Mamatalu 1965
30 Gudi Gantalu 1965
31 Antastulu 1965
32 Navarathri 1966
33 Manase Mandiram 1966
34 Aastiparulu 1966 Younger son of Zamindar
35 Prana Mithrulu 1967
Bandipotu Dongalu 1968 Bandipotu Naganna
36 Adrustavanthulu 1969
Ardha Rathri 1969
37 Thalli Thandrulu 1970
38 Srimanthudu 1971
Ramalayam 1971 Ramaiah
39 Naa Thammudu 1971
40 Chinnanati Snehitulu 1971
41 Badi Panthulu 1972 Police officer
42 Devudu Chesina Manushulu 1973
43 Deeksha 1974
44 Alluri Sita Rama Raju 1974 Rutherford
45 Shri Rajeshwari Vilas Coffee Club 1976 Seshadri
46 Paadipantalu 1976
47 Ramarajyamlo Rakthapasam 1976
Adavi Ramudu 1977 Forest Officer
48 Chanakya Chandragupta 1977 Voice double for Sivaji Ganesan
49 Manassakshi 1977
50 Karunamayudu 1978
51 Ram Robert Rahim 1980
52 Nyayam Kavali 1981 Lawyer Dayanidhi
53 Seethakoka Chilaka 1981
54 Bobbili Puli 1982 Gopinath
55 Yamakinkarudu 1982
56 Meghasandesam 1983
57 Disco King 1984
58 Anubandham 1984
59 Swathi 1985
60 Adavi Donga 1985
61 Agni Parvatam 1985 Jagannadha Rao
62 Vijetha 1985
63 Kiraathakudu 1986
64 Veta 1986
65 Chantabbai 1986
66 Ramu 1987
67 President Gari Abbayi 1987
68 Aradhana 1987
69 Pasivadi Pranam 1987
70 Vishwanatha Nayakudu 1987 Voice double for Sivaji Ganesan
71 Jeevana Ganga 1988
72 Alludugaru 1990 Ramachandra Prasad
73 Joker 1993
74 Detective Narada 1993

Awards and honours

Death

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

References