Super Star Krishna: Tryst with politics, tiffs with NTR

HYDERABAD: Super Star Krishna would be remembered fondly by his fans, not just for his iconoclastic experimentative approach, adventurous decisions and kindheartedness, but also for famous skirmishes with legendary NTR, both in films and politics.

Krishna's journey in filmdom and rise to the top even at a time when NTR and ANR were ruling the industry was an awe-inspiring story in itself. Arguably, the first to break the glass ceiling, he defied the rules of traditional film-making in many ways, be it infusing modern tech, punting on storylines rejected by many or taking high risks with astronomical budgets on films. It was this quality that earned him the sobriquet of 'daring and dashing' which almost became his first name.

There was also this contrasting facet on the flipside of being a gentle giant, kind-hearted and darling of the producers which made him an endearing demi-god for millions of his fans besides the filmyfolks. Krishna was also known in the industry for his sharp acumen in reading the market and making perfect predictions, a unique quality that would be seen only in trade pundits and analysts.

As a man of many firsts, he was renowned for his adventurous moves amid the perception that everything he would touch would turn to gold. But this very bold trait had seen him court a few controversies, especially with NTR, the uncrowned king and de facto ruler of the Telugu film industry.

NTR wanted to make Alluri Sitharama Raju

The success story of Alluri Sitharama Raju, with Krishna as the protagonist and produced by his own Padmalaya Studios, was legendary in the history of Telugu film industry. The film, which actually laid a strong foundation for Krishna's ascent to super-stardom, remains etched even till today in everyone's memory for the actor's performance as the revolutionary tribal leader, the iconic action sequences and powerful dialogues.

But it was a quirk of destiny that saw Krishna pulling a fast one on NTR, who originally wanted to make a film on Alluri. NTR had reportedly readied a script but was dilly-dallying on taking it on to the sets. Krishna, who was also enthused by the same subject line, decided to go ahead with his own project.

When the topic was broached with NTR, the senior actor reportedly discouraged Krishna and his producer-brother Adiseshagiri Rao, claiming that it would be too heavy and difficult to handle for them as greenhorns. But Krishna and his brother shrugged off NTR's wise counsel and went ahead with their plans and the rest was history. The film, the first to be made in Cinemascope, became a stupendous success besides earning Padmalaya Studios huge profits.

It was rumoured then that Alluri's success left NTR sulking with envy and his pride was badly bruised, as he originally wanted to helm the project. But, soon the wild kite-flying was curtailed when NTR himself watched Alluri Sitharama Raju and appreciated Krishna for their brilliant work. "Chalaa baaga teesaru, brother" (You filmed it very well), was how NTR reacted to the film.

Many years later, Krishna had yet another brush of awkwardness with NTR, this time related to 'Dana Veera Soora Karna'. It was NTR's dream project, which eventually emerged as one of Telugu film industry's most memorable flicks, all thanks to the senior actor's mesmerising performance in multiple roles.

Krishna was said to have ambitiously announced his mega project 'Kurukshetram' which treads on a similar storyline – inspired from Maha Bharatam – as that of Daana Veera Soora Karna. Here again, Krishna was rumoured to have gone ahead with his plan knowing well that NTR was keen on Daana Veera Soora Karna for a very long time. It is said even in film circles that, Krishna making the first move had hurried NTR into starting the shooting for DVSK.

But it turned out to be a classic irony that DVSK, shot in the shortest of time and on a shoe-string budget, became one of industry's biggest hits while Krishna's Kurukshetram turned out to be a big flop, falling flat on its face, despite being a big-budget project.

It was rumoured then by industry watchers that the DVSK-Kurukshetram faceoff actually ended up widening the rift between NTR and Krishna, so much so that it spilled over to the political arena after NTR took the sensational plunge into politics.

Rivalry in politics

When the majority of Telugu film industry personalities appeared to be rallying behind NTR after he floated the Telugu Desam Party and became the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, Krishna chose to look the other way. Krishna, as most would see it, always had great respect for NTR on the personal front but never shied away from standing up to his senior colleague based on issues.

The Super Star, who was known to have a close affinity to the Congress party under Rajiv Gandhi's leadership, had also campaigned for the grand-old party and against NTR's TDP. Stones were even pelted at one of his public meetings in the Andhra hinterland.

Unruffled and unrelenting, Krishna continued to oppose NTR, both overtly and covertly. He had his involvement in the making of many satirical films mocking NTR after the latter became the chief minister. He produced some of them like 'Naa Pilupe Prabhanjanam' while for others, he was rumoured to have tacitly funded and provided technical support.

'Naa Pilupe Prabhanjanam' had veiled comments as a retort to NTR's famous statement those days that he owned nothing as an ascetic who renounced everything. The film featured oodles of satire on NTR's comment, 'naa daggara emundi brother, budidha thappa..'

Krishna was also said to have got thousands of posters printed and pasted across the state on this very topic. The posters derided NTR for claiming to be a 'sarva sangha parityagi' while holding assets worth more than Rs 400 crores then.

The films with political themes that Krishna either produced, acted in or was involved with include Ramarajyamlo Bheemaraju, Prajarajyam, Mukhyamantri, Nayakulaku Saval, Agniparvatam, Vajrayudham, Naa Pilupe Prabhanjanam, Sankharavam, Prajaprathinidhi and Rajakeeya Chadarangam.

Krishna also took the plunge into electoral politics when he successfully contested for Lok Sabha membership from Eluru in the 1989 elections. He defeated Bolla Bulliramaiah by a margin of 71,000 votes in a Congress wave that decimated the TDP in the aftermath of Vangaveeti Ranga murder.

But, ironically, Krishna lost his seat to the same Bolla Bulliramaiah in the subsequent elections. Post this, he did not contest elections again but remained loyal to the Congress party until he retired from politics.