Anjali Devi Interview

She is Mother Sita for telugu audience, Sati Sakkoo Bai….not only that ‘Suvarna Sundari’ also. In her long journey of 63 years, she has played many great roles and conquered the hearts of audience and made a permanent place their. Even though it is delayed, recently she has been awarded with the “Doctorate” by Acharya Nagarjuna University. This prestigious award was given to her through the hands of Lok Sabha speaker Sri Somnath Chatterjee in the programme conducted in Nagarjuna University Campus. On this event an interview was conducted with Anjali Devi.

Q What were your feelings on receiving this Doctorate award?

I feel happy. Somnath Chattarjee is the VIP of the University and Guntur District also. He mentioned all the movies and characters done by me in his speech. It made me still more happy to know that he remembered all these about me.

Q Could you tell us about your earlier awards?

I have received Raghupati Venkaiah Award, ANR International Award, Nata Sikhaamani Award in Tamilnadu, Annadurai Awards. I also received many more awards from Cultural Societies.

Q What is it that that is making you happy at this age?

People are respecting me for the past 63 years. I know that they will respect me even after my death. Till today people are respecting the good roles and good movies made by me. Getting respect through those movies makes me still more happy. I have understood that whenever a person gets an opportunity and does some good the result of that good will definitely come to us some day.

Q Could you tell us about the feelings you experienced when you made the movie “Suvarna Sundari’ under your own banner Anjali Pictures?

The movie Suwarna Sundari made by us with Nageswara Rao as hero was a grand success. The same movie was made in hindi version also with the same Nageswara Rao which was also again a great success. The music director Adi Narayana Rao got an award for the music composed in that film. In tamil we made this movie with Gemini Ganeshan, there also it ran successfully. Suvarna Sundari is golden memory to our banner. We established Anjali Pictures in 1950 and made 25 movies in telugu, hindi and tamil languages. Anjali Pictures became prosperous with its hit movies like Paradesi, Anarkali, Bhakta Tukaram, Sati Sakku Bai, Runaanubandham, Mahakavi Kshetrayya.

Q Who was the Director who directed many movies under your banner?

Vedantam Raghavaiah garu.

Q What was the last movie made under your banner?

“Chandeepriya” movie which was directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao and Shoban babu as hero.

Q What would you say about your husband Adinarayana Rao garu?

He is a great music director. He gave beautiful music. Everybody knows that Anjali pictures are all musical hits. He created permanency to the movies through his music.

Q You have produced one T V Serial?

Yes. We have produced ‘Shirdi Sai – Parti Sai’ serial in 5 languages. Along with telugu we have done the dubbing in hindi, tamil, italy and English also. It was well received by many number of audiences.

Q You have introduced your grand daughter as heroine. Why did she not continue?

Rama Naidu garu called her got her screen test done. But for some reason it did not happen. Later she acted in a kannada movie ‘Abhinandane’. After that she got offers in some movies but as she was not comfortable, she did not continue. At present she stays in New York. Prior to that when she did her ‘arangetra’ in New Jersy, Padmini, Vyjayantimala witnessed her programme and complimented her. This incident made me feel happy.

Q Your recently seen movies?

I have seen ‘Dasaavataaram’ tamil version. As an artist, audience, I felt very thrilled. That boy Kamal Hasan has acted well. I told him the same thing over the phone. In the same way I saw Rajnikant’s Sivaji movie and liked it. Rajini’s is a super style. Isn’t it! The movie was also very rich. Like MGR and NTR, Rajini is also a big commercial hero.

Q Who are your present generation favourite hero’s in telugu?

I don’t see them as hero’s, I see them as my children because I have acted as a mother to them. Now those hero’s children also became hero’s. I see them as my grandchildren. Now a days everybody are doing very actively and energetically. My wish is that all of them should do good pictures and become great actors and at the same time be a good human being also.

Q Your occupation these days…

From my childhood I have much Bhakti Bhava towards God. I am spending my life with spiritual thoughts and spiritual activities. Whenever I find time, I go to Puttaparti and visit Satya Sai.