S. Rajeswara Rao Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth and Family

Rajeswara Rao visited the United States of America in 1981, performing at the Telugu Association of North America conference and the Telugu Literary and Cultural Association (TLCA).

Whether it was “Mrogindi Kalyana Veena” from Kurukshetram (1977 film) or “Abhinandana Mandara Maala” from Tandra Paparayudu (film) he always has shown authenticity in his mark compositions. His two assistants (for over four decades), Rajagopal and Krishnan – both well-versed in classical music – were an asset to him.

People with love called him ‘RA”SALURU”‘ (Juicy) Rajeswara Rao, as it was his compositions, which seemed to have made people to feel like eating/drinking sweet juices while listening to them.In other words he is capable of illustrating NAVARASA’s (Nine Moods/Emotional states) with his compositions. His songs “Narayana Nee Leela NAVARASA Bharitam” and “Manavude Mahaneeyudu” from 1972 film Bala Bharatam stands testimony for this.

He not only integrated Indian Classical Music but also experimented with foreign music styles (Persian, Arabic, Spanish) in his Malliswari (1951 film).

After leaving Gemini, he received an offer to provide music for B. N. Reddy’s Malliswari in 1950; the songs were a hit. Vipranarayana (1954), Missamma (1955) and a host of other musical hits – more than a hundred in Telugu most of which won the National Film Awards for best film(s), and Tamil and a few in Kannada – followed. When Vijaya’s Missamma (originally a Telugu film) was remade as Miss Mary in Bollywood, the film’s soundtrack retained one of Rajeswara Rao’s compositions.

In his recordings, Rajeswara Rao pioneered the use of light music in Telugu cinema. Rajeswara Rao’s most rewarding assignments came from Gemini Studios, which he joined in 1940 and with which he remained for a decade.

Returning to Madras in 1938, Rajeswara Rao formed his own music troupe. He worked as assistant to Jayaramayyar for a Tamil film, Vishnuleela, in which he also played the role of Balarama and sang his own songs. He became a full-fledged music director on the film Jayaprada. He continued acting in Bala Nagamma and Illalu (in which he played opposite his singing partner, R. Balasaraswathi Devi).

Rajeswara Rao’s introduction to cinema came unexpectedly, in the form of Mr. Huchins’ (of the Huchins Recording Company) visit to Rajeswara Rao’s home district of Vizianagaram in 1934. A child prodigy, Rajeswara Rao could identify the Carnatic music ragams at age four; by the time he was seven, he was giving stage performances. Huchins spotted young Rajeswara Rao’s talent, and took him to Bangalore with his father; there, young Rao recorded “Bhagawat Gita”. Film producers P. V. Das and Gudavalli Ramabramham visited Bangalore and, impressed by Rajeswara Rao’s singing ability, brought him to Madras. They cast him as Lord Krishna in their production of Sri Krishna Leelalu in 1934. The film was released the next year (1935) and Rajeswara Rao became a household name all over Andhra Pradesh.

Saluri Rajeswara Rao (11 October 1922 – 25 October 1999) was an Indian composer, multi instrumentalist, conductor, singer, and music producer known for his works predominantly in South Indian cinema. Regarded as one of the finest music composers, Rajeswara Rao’s works are noted for integrating Indian classical music in Telugu cinema for over half a century.