When we look back at 2014, we may be talking about the big successes and the promising entrants to TFI. It wasn’t a great year though as Tollywood saw many film personalities, both legends and promising talents taking permanent leave from life, making this a year, where there is less to rejoice and more to mourn for the departed souls. The year started painfully with shocking suicide of Uday Kiran. The sudden demise of character artise Telangana Shakuntala also wasn’t palpable. Legends Akkineni Nageshwar Rao, Anjali Devi, K Balachandar passed away. Producer Nandamuri Janaki Ram’s demise followed by veteran character artist PJ Sharma and music director Chakri.
Uday Kiran:
On 5th January, young hero Uday Kiran committed suicide by hanging raising many questions on small time actors fate in the industry. Reports say his fading film career pushed him into depression and thus to the extreme step. He started his career with a thunderous debut ‘Chitram’ and scored back to back hits as a romantic hero but gradually faded out with wrong choices and series of flops.
ANR:
Legendary actor Akkineni Nageshwar Rao passed away on 22nd January succumbing to cancer bidding adieu to his long career spanning for 73 years. His journey to the top had been phenomenal coming from a poor agricultural background to becoming the one of the top heroes of the industry whose had the longest career in TFI which is highly impossible for any actor of the present or coming generation.
Telangana Shakuntala:
On 13 th June Telangana Shakuntala passed away at her residence due to heart attack. Though she wasn’t a Telanganite by birth or even a Telugu either, she created particular niche for the Telangana dialect and people came to recognise her as Telangana Shakuntala. From being a stage artist to small time TV artist and then into films, she branded her unique mark everywhere she went.
Bapu:
Artist turned film maker Bapu passed away in August who made a unique font in Telugu whch is copied by many aspiring artists later on. His drawings spoke what a unique talent he was! His films were also like his paintings, beautiful and poetic. Especially, Bapu’s heroines are ‘poetic heroines’ stamped for everything being beautiful and Telugu.
Nandamuri Janaki Ram:
Being the Nandamuri scion, Janaki Ram took a different path and started producing films unlike his brothers who took up acting as their professon. At a time when he was trying to make a mark of his own as a producer and businessman, he passed away in an tragic accident on 6th December.
PJ Sharma:
Veteran dubbing artist cum actor PJ Sharma passed away on 14 December, the day after hs grandson wedding took place leaving bg pan to the Pudipeddi family. PJ Sharma was well known for his base voice who rendered dubbing voice to many stalwarts like MGR even. As a character artist he earned a decent name and he was one artist who never overshadowed his characters.
Chakri:
Perhaps, the most shocking death of Tollywood was music director Chakri’s. He passed away on 16th December suffering a lethal massive heart attack. Obesity is said to be the main reason for the health issues that surfaced for Chakri. He made his Tollywood entry with Puri’s ‘Baachi’ and went on to deliver music for more than 85 films and many more private albums. He introduced many singing talents like singer Koushalya into the industry.
