S. V. Ranga Rao

Acting

Samarla Venkata Ranga Rao (July 3, 1918 – July 18, 1974), known professionally as S. V. Ranga Rao or S.V.R., was an Indian actor, director, and producer who worked predominantly in Telugu and Tamil cinema. After early work on stage and an initial film appearance in *Varudhini* (1946), he gained widespread recognition as the sorcerer Nepala Manthrikudu in the fantasy swashbuckler *Pathala Bhairavi* (1951). Over the 1950s and 1960s, he became a central character actor and antagonist across South Indian cinema, playing major roles in the social comedy *Missamma* (1955), the historical drama *Tenali Ramakrishna* (1956), the fantasy film *Mayabazar* (1957), and the comedy *Gundamma Katha* (1962). For his portrayal of Keechaka in the mythological film *Narthanasala* (1963), he won the Best Actor Award at the 3rd Afro-Asian Film Festival in Jakarta. In addition to Telugu cinema, Ranga Rao wor…