It woudn't be an exaggeration to say his strengths, as an actor, are often concealed behind his nonchalant and self-deprecating exterior.
Published Jul 19, 2024 | 11:05 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 19, 2024 | 2:31 PM
Rajendra Prasad has been part of the business for over four decades and has starred in over 230 films. (Supplied)
Leading men in Indian cinema are taught extensively to hone their ‘physical’ prowesses such as action, dancing, and bodybuilding but time and again, an actor like Rajendra Prasad comes along to prove that all one needs is conviction and a strong will to stand apart from the rest to impress audiences. The seasoned actor has been part of the business for over four decades and has starred in over 230 films. Yet, he does not cease to hold the viewer’s attention with his skill and charisma and even if he isn’t prolifically playing lead roles anymore, all one needs is a brief appearance of his to get the job done.
His versatility, be it as the timid advocate in Chettu Kinda Pleader (1989), as the virtuous and affable newspaper editor in Aa Naluguru (2004) or as the force of justice and rebellion in Kalki 2898 AD (2024), is still the prime reason why Telugu filmmakers across generations wish to work with him, why actors across generations look up to him and why audiences across generations love him the same way.
But the journey to reach the pinnacle hasn’t been easy for Rajendra Prasad. The actor, himself, shares in an old interview that his entry into the world of cinema happened accidentally and that he wasn’t considering performing for the big screen until he saw the one and only NTR Sr in full swing on an odd day. All of 19 years old and already an engineering graduate, Rajendra Prasad was still figuring his way into adulthood when meeting the legendary star during a shoot galvanised him into wanting to be someone of the same stature.
NTR, though, would first dissuade him by saying that he didn’t have the right chops (the ‘looks’, the persona, etc.) for the job nor was he old enough yet to be a serious contender, but should he still choose to be an actor, he must first craft an identity for himself.
“He (NTR) said to me that just as he was synonymous with mythological roles in Telugu cinema and ANR (Akkineni Nageshwar Rao) was with social dramas, I must strive hard to create a niche for myself as an actor. And that’s how I stumbled upon comedy. I would watch Charlie Chaplin’s films at a festival and realised that it is, after all, a serious business,” recounts Rajendra Prasad in the same interview.
Rajendra Prasad with Mahesh Babu in ‘Sarileru Neekevvaru’. (Supplied)
And quite indeed, identity became the operative word for him. Upon sound advice, Rajendra Prasad would complete a two-year stint at a film school with flying colours. Still, it took a while for him to land any role (let alone become the hero he wished to be) and a series of rejections would gradually push him to feel deflated, even before he got started.
Rajendra Prasad, reveals in another interview, that he even contemplated suicide at one point. Still, a chance encounter somehow led him to a dubbing studio where he was signed on to lend his voice to a 17-year-old debutant. That, as they say, was how the ball got rolling.
“It had been about a month since I had a proper meal and I was living on pocket change. But things somehow took a turn and I began dubbing for newbie actors who were yet to create an identity for themselves. This was soon followed by bigger films that were being dubbed from other languages to Telugu and I found a lot of success there,” says Rajendra Prasad.
One of those many dubbing gigs would also introduce him to filmmaker Vamsy who would go on to direct his debut film (following a long string of small roles) as a leading man—Preminchu Pelladu (1985).
The reason to peek into Rajendra Prasad’s early show business days is to understand the path he took to become an actor and more importantly—how it enabled him to fend for himself and forge the identity that NTR had alluded to. His acting career took off in the mid-1980s and this was a time when the Telugu Film Industry was brimming with talent of myriad kinds.
Rajendra Prasad with Chiranjeevi in ‘Manchu Pallaki’. (Supplied)
From the intensity and rigour of an actor like Chiranjeevi, the sophistication and the suaveness of Sobhan Babu, to the charm of another new kid on the block, Nagarjuna, the industry had actors for all courses—and each carried a defined sense of personality and ‘heroism’ with them.
So, Rajendra Prasad, the maverick of the lot, was compelled to find something different to survive here.
Though he hasn’t exactly revealed the essence of his success, one gathers that the secret ingredient is the ease with which he played the underdog.
One of Rajendra Prasad’s best collaborators is writer-director Vamsy with whom he worked on cult classics like Ladies Tailor (1986) and April 1st Vidudala (1991), and each film of theirs perfectly captures just how uninhibited and spontaneous he was as an actor.
He was often the happy-go-lucky yet suitably meek, ‘unheroic’ character which was so not in vogue those days, but the flair with which he played those roles—the besotted ladies tailor, the video parlour owner who lies through his teeth and whatnot—is what set him apart from the rest.
In the same vein, his collaborations with Hasya Brahma Jandhyala revealed that he could also play the affirmative yet affable romantic hero, who would often find himself in a comical collision of sorts. Rendu Rellu Aaru (1986), their first film together, features him as a young man tangled in a web of misunderstandings whereas, Aha Naa Pellanta (1987) was about a guy who hides his affluence to win a girl’s heart.
Relangi Narasimha Rao, a mighty name in his own right, utilised Rajendra Prasad’s comedy prowess to great results with countless hits like Dabbevariki Chedu (1987), Iddaru Pellala Muddula Police (1991) and Bramhachari Mogudu (1994) while EVV Satyanarayana (who had previously assisted Jandhyala) delivered unforgettable gems like Appula Appa Rao (1992) and Aa Okkati Adakku (1992).
That isn’t to say that Rajendra Prasad was limited to being the stooge. If Vamsy’s films required him to add a bit of zing to the suspense genre, another iconic filmmaker in Bapu, with films like Pelli Pusthakam (1992) and Mister Pellam (1993), urged him to bring his trademark naturalism to the fore. Both films were big successes at the box office and one could certainly attribute that to the fact Rajendra Prasad was an equally competent dramatic actor, who could switch from a wide grin to a sombre face with tremendous ease.
The list, of course, goes on and on but what’s prominent throughout this phase, which began in 1986 and lasted well until the late 1990s, is how he navigated the competitive market with his unique appeal.
Rajendra Prasad might not have boasted the physical frame like most others to land punches but he could certainly take one himself, proving that his kind of ‘hero’ could still emerge a winner at the end of a film. He might not have been able to dance his way into people’s hearts but the hijinks he pulled off were entertaining more than just enough to compensate for that.
He might not have been regarded as the most good-looking guy (by conventional standards) but the charm he radiated (take the 1992 film Golmaal Govindam for instance) was more than sufficient to bring in the big bucks. Alongside, it helped his cause quite well that he was also a bloody good actor (Yerra Mandaram (1991), case in point) who could give the best a proper run for their money.
What’s truly fascinating, though, is the fact that Rajendra Prasad was able to transfer that candour and experimental nature to the new phase of his acting career. Just as any credible actor would, he too faced a few setbacks in the late 1990s and while he tried to emulate his winning streak the following decade, it became slowly apparent that his ‘brand’ of cinema was waning at the box office.
A still from ‘Quick Gun Murugan’. (Supplied)
He had also found a capable successor in Allari Naresh around this time but instead of caving in, Rajendra Prasad would try to reinvent himself as a performer. His last few fleeting attempts at comedy slowly gave rise to a more nuanced approach with films like Aa Naluguru (2004), Mee Sreyobhilashi (2007), and Onamalu (2012).
And for over a decade now, he has enthralled audiences with a diverse set of roles in S/O Satyamurthy (2015), Nannaku Prematho (2016), Mahanati (2018), Oh! Baby (2019), Senapathi (2021) and Anni Manchi Sakunamule (2023). Not to forget his widely popular titular role in Quick Gun Murugan (2009) which remains his only English-language film.
Rajendra Prasad’s strengths as an actor are often concealed behind his nonchalant and self-deprecating exterior. His style, as it were, is understated yet pronounced and his aura, of being a most accessible and relatable actor, has helped him embrace varied sensibilities— and not many of his colleagues can boast of those luxuries.
One does spot his endearing demeanour in more recent actors like Nani and Naveen Polishetty and with the man himself not seeming in the mood to hang up his boots anytime soon, it is highly likely that Telugu cinema will welcome more such talents.
For now, here’s wishing Rajendra Prasad a very happy 68th birthday!
(Edited by S Subhakeerthana)
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