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{{Short description|Indian film director, choreographer, actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Vedantam Raghavayya
| image = Vedantam raghavaiah legendImage 1.jpg
| caption =
| native_name = వేదాంతం రాఘవయ్య
| years_active =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1919|06|8}}<br />[[Kuchipudi, Krishna district]], India
| death_date = 19 October 1971 (aged 51 or 52)
| birth_name =
| occupation = {{hlist|[[Film director]]|[[film producer]]|[[screenwriter]]|[[choreographer]]}}
| spouse = Suryaprabha
| children = 7, including [[Shubha (actress)|Shubha]]
}}
'''Vedantam Raghavayya''' (8 June 1919 – 19 October 1971) was an Indian film director, dance choreographer, and actor known for his work in [[Telugu cinema|Telugu]] and [[Tamil cinema]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SLkABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA23|title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema|first1=Ashish|last1=Rajadhyaksha|first2=Paul|last2=Willemen|date=10 July 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781135943189|via=Google Books}}</ref> An accomplished [[Kuchipudi]] dancer, he was honoured with the title "Bharata Kala Prapurna" by the [[Government of Andhra Pradesh|Andhra Pradesh government]] in recognition of his expertise.<ref>{{cite web |last=Narasimham |first=M. L. |date=31 October 2010 |title=Ramadasu (1933) |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/ramadasu-1933/article860221.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027043223/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/ramadasu-1933/article860221.ece |archive-date=27 October 2015 |access-date=25 October 2015 |work=The Hindu}}</ref>

Raghavayya began his career as a dance choreographer, working on films such as ''[[Raithu Bidda]]'' (1939) and ''[[Swarga Seema]]'' (1945).<ref>{{cite web |title=A tribute to legend Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma - Sridharachari |url=http://www.narthaki.com/info/profiles/profl148.html |website=Narthaki}}</ref> He made his directorial and production debut with ''Stree Sahasamu'' (1951). He went on to direct many notable films, including ''[[Devadasu (1953 film)|Devadasu]]'' (1953), ''[[Annadata (1954 film)|Annadata]]'' (1954), ''[[Anarkali (1955 film)|Anarkali]]'' (1955), ''[[Prema Pasam]]'' (1956), ''[[Bhale Ramudu]]'' (1956), ''[[Chiranjeevulu (1956 film)|Chiranjeevulu]]'' (1956), ''[[Suvarna Sundari]]'' (1957), and ''[[Rahasyam (1967 film)|Rahasyam]]'' (1967).<ref name=hindu>{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/review-of-anarkali-1955-movie/article6356841.ece | title=Anarkali (1955) | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=28 August 2014 | access-date=29 March 2017|author=M. L. Narasimhan | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329005120/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/review-of-anarkali-1955-movie/article6356841.ece| archive-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> In addition to his work behind the camera, Raghavayya appeared as an actor in films such as ''Mohini Rukmanigada'' (1937), ''Garuda Garvabhangam'' (1943) and ''Raksharekha'' (1949). He was also a co-owner of the film production house Vinodha Pictures.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Narasimham |first1=M. L. |date=3 March 2013 |title=Stree Sahasamu (1951) |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/stree-sahasamu-1951/article4470326.ece |newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref>

Raghavayya's influence extended beyond cinema. He served on the committee of the First General Council of the Andhra Pradesh Sangeetha Nataka Academy, representing dance, and was nominated as the President of the National Dance Festival in 1964. He also mentored notable dancers, including Bhagavathula Yagna Narayana Sarma, a [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award|Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee]], under his fellowship.<ref name="auto2">{{cite book |last1=Gulazāra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8y8vN9A14nkC&pg=PT674 |title=Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema |last2=Nihalani |first2=Govind |last3=Chatterjee |first3=Saibal |date=9 November 2017 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |isbn=9788179910665 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="kuchipudiyakshaganam.org">{{cite web |title="Bharata Kala Prapurna" Sri Vedantam Raghavaiah |url=http://kuchipudiyakshaganam.org/2011/09/vedantam-raghavaiah/ |website=Kuchipudi Yakshaganam}}</ref>

==Film craft and Devadasu==
His directorial film ''[[Devadasu (1953 film)|Devadasu]]'' (1953),<ref name="auto">{{cite web |last=S. Suchitra Lata |first= |date=5 December 2002 |title=Memories of the Southern Devadas |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/12/05/stories/2002120500700100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021227045505/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/12/05/stories/2002120500700100.htm |archive-date=27 December 2002 |website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> which was the first Telugu adaptation of [[Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay]]'s novel, and ''Devadas'' was the second Tamil adaptation of the same, following the 1937 ''Devadas'' directed by and starring P. V. Rao.{{sfnm|1a1=Rajadhyaksha|1a2=Willemen|1y=1998|1p=331|2a1=Baskaran|2y=1996|2p=116}} During pre-production [[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]], who portrayed the titular character, later recalled that Raghavayya, being a [[Kuchipudi]] dance exponent and an experienced stage actor, used to enact the scenes before the actors, thereby making their job easy. He recalled that the director shot him only at night so that he could give the character a "drunken, droopy" look.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/05/31/stories/2002053100950300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020621132622/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/05/31/stories/2002053100950300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-06-21|website=[[The Hindu]]|title=The immortal lover}}</ref> Those night-time shots were filmed over 50 days. The final length of both versions was {{convert|17260|feet}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1953-cinedetails15.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325024658/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1953-cinedetails15.asp|url-status=usurped|archive-date=25 March 2017|title=1953 வெளியான படங்களின் விபரம்- Lakshman Sruthi - 100% Manual Orchestra -|website=www.lakshmansruthi.com}}</ref> ''Devadasu'' and ''Devadas'' are regarded as among the most successful films in Telugu and Tamil cinema respectively. Both versions were critically and commercially successful. It has since achieved cult status, with terms and phrases from the film being widely cited.<ref name="idlebrain">{{cite book |last=Sastry |first=K. N. T. |url=http://www.idlebrain.com/nosta/devadasu.html |title=Alanati Chalana Chitram |date=1986 |publisher=Cinema Group |author-link=K. N. T. Sastry |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000516201633/http://www.idlebrain.com/nosta/devadasu.html |archive-date=16 May 2000 |url-status=dead |via=[[Idlebrain.com|Idlebrain]]}}</ref> In April 2013, [[News18]] included the film in its list of "100 greatest Indian films of all time".<ref name="IBNLive">{{cite web | url=http://www.news18.com/photogallery/movies/100-years-of-indian-cinema-the-100-greatest-indian-films-of-all-time-903065.html | title=100 Years of Indian Cinema: The 100 greatest Indian films of all time | publisher=[[News18]] | date=17 April 2013 | access-date=13 June 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425234818/http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/13200-56.html | archive-date=25 April 2013}}</ref>

==Theater and dance==
*Usha in ''Ushaparinayam''
*Sita in ''Ramanataka Yakshaganam''
*Leelavathi in ''Prahallada Yakshaganam''
*Chandramathi in ''Hrischandra nataka Yakshaganam''
*Sasirekha in ''Sasirekhaparinaya Yakshaganam''
*Mohini in ''Mohini Rukmangada Yakshaganam''
*Satyabhama in ''Bhamakalapa Yakshaganam''
*''Bala Gopala Tarangam''<ref name="kuchipudiyakshaganam.org"/>

==Personal life==
Raghavayya was born in [[Kuchipudi, Krishna district]] of [[Andhra Pradesh]] on 8 June 1919 to Vedantam Ramayya and Annapurnamma. He had six daughters and a son, including renowned Kuchipudi guru Vedantam Ramu, and actress [[Shubha (actress)|Shubha]]. He was married to actress Suryaprabha, the sister of actress [[Pushpavalli]] who was married to [[Gemini Ganesan]], and their daughter [[Rekha]] is a Hindi actress.<ref name="kuchipudiyakshaganam.org"/>

==Selected filmography==
;As actor and choreographer
*''Mohini Rukmanigada'' (1937) (actor in the Balagopala Tarangam)
*''[[Raithu Bidda]]'' (1939) (dancer and choreographer)
*''Panthulamma'' (1943) (choreographer)
*''Garuda Garvabhangam'' (1943) (actor and choreographer)
*[[Sri Seeta Rama Jananam|''Sri'' ''Seeta Rama Jananam'']] (1944) (choreographer)
*''[[Swargaseema]]'' (1945) (choreographer)
*[[Tyagayya (1946 film)|''Tyagayya'']] (1946) (choreographer)
*''[[Palnati Yuddham (1947 film)|Palnati Yudham]]'' (1947) (choreographer)
*''[[Yogi Vemana]]'' (1947) (choreographer)
*''[[Vande Mataram]]'' (1948) (choreographer)
*''Laila Majnu'' (1949) (choreographer)
*''Raksharekha'' (1949) (actor and choreographer)

;As director
*''Stree Sahasamu'' (1951) (producer and director)
*''Santhi'' (1952) (producer and director)
*[[Devadasu (1953 film)|''Devadasu'']] (Telugu and Tamil) (1953) (producer and director)
*[[Annadata (1954 film)|''Annadata'']] (1954) (director)
*[[Anarkali (1955 film)|''Anarkali'']] (1955) (director)
*[[Chiranjeevulu (1956 film)|''Chiranjeevulu'']] (1956) (director)
*''[[Bhale Ramudu]]'' (Telugu, 1956) (director)
*''[[Prema Pasam]]'' (Tamil, 1956) (director)
*''[[Suvarna Sundari]]'' (1957) (screenplay writer and director)
*''Bhale Ammayilu'' (Telugu, 1957) (director)
*''[[Iru Sagodharigal]]'' (Tamil, 1957) (director); also credited for screenplay writer
*''[[Manaalane Mangaiyin Baakkiyam|Manalane Mangayin Bhagyam]]'' (1957) (director)
*''[[Raja Nandini]]'' (1958) (director)
*[[Inti Guttu (1958 film)|''Inti Guttu'']] (1958) (director)
*[[Bala Nagamma (1959 film)|''Bala Nagamma'']] (1959) (director)
*''Jai Bhawana'' (1959) (director)
*''Adutha Veetu Penn'' (1960) (director)
*''Mamaku Tagga Alludu'' (1960) (director)
*''[[Runanubandham]]'' (1960) (director)
*''[[Swarna Manjari]]'' (1962) (director)
*''[[Mangaiyar Ullam Mangatha Selvam]]'' (1962) (director)
*''[[Aada Brathuku]]'' (1965) (director)
*''Nanna Kartavya'' (1965) (director)
*''Badukuva Daari'' (1966) (director)
*''Sati Sakkubai'' (1965) (director)
*[[Rahasyam (1967 film)|''Rahasyam'']] (1967) (director)
*''Sati Sumathi'' (1967) (director)
*''Kumkumabharina'' (1968) (director)
*''[[Saptaswaralu|Sapta Swaralu]]'' (1969) (director)
*''Ulagam Ivvalavuthan'' (1969) (director)
*''Bhale Ethu Chivaraku Chittu'' (1970) (director)

==References==
{{Reflist|}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0706480}}

{{Vedantam Raghavaiah|state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raghavaiah, Vedantam}}
[[Category:Telugu film directors]]
[[Category:Film producers from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:1971 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian film choreographers]]
[[Category:1919 births]]
[[Category:Kuchipudi dancers]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Film people from Krishna district]]
[[Category:Telugu film producers]]
[[Category:Indian classical choreographers]]
[[Category:Dancers from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educators]]
[[Category:Male actors from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Teachers of Indian classical dance]]
[[Category:Film directors from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]

Vedantam Raghavayya - Revision history

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