Chalam

For the writer, see Gudipati Venkatachalam

Chalam was an actor from the 1950s to the 1980s. He was born on May 18, 1929, in a Thoorpu Kapu family. He played versatile roles in Telugu film industry as a hero, comedian, character actor, producer, art director, and set director. He was considered as an Andhra Dilip Kumar. He acted with poular actors and comedians N. T. Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Relangi Venkata Ramaiah, B. Padmanabham and Ramana Reddy in many movies.

He produced and acted in hit movies such as Sambarala Rambabu in 1970, Mattilo Manikyam in 1971. Mattilo Manikyam this film won National Film Award For Best Feature Film in Telugu. He was a very close friend of fellow Telugu actors Shoban Babu and Chandra Mohan.

Personal life

Korada Surya Chalam, better known as Ramana Chalam, the later day Telugu cinema’s popular comedian-cum-hero Chalam, shot to fame with Dasi, his second movie in the role of Subbarao. Chalam debuted with film Naa Chellelu. After marrying Ramanakumari, he changed his name to Ramana Chalam. Ramana kumari died on 1964 in a fire accident. After Chalam married 'Urvasi' Sharada who was a co-star in her debut film Tandrulu Kodukulu. They divorced later on.

Filmography

Actor