Jandhyala

Jandhyala Veera Venkata Durga Siva Subrahmanya Sastry (14 January 1951 – 19 June 2001) was an Indian screenwriter, director and actor known for his works in Telugu cinema. In a film career spanning twenty four years, he has garnered four state Nandi Awards and the Filmfare Award. Fondly called "Haasya Brahma", Jandhyala has also written dialogue for National Award winning works such as "Sankarabharanam" (1980), "Saptapadi" (1981), "Seethakoka Chiluka" (1981), "Sagara Sangamam" (1983), and "Swathi Kiranam" (1992). He received the Nandi Award for Best Dialogue Writer for "Aapadbandhavudu" (1992).
Jandhyala is known for his directorial works such as "Nalugu Stambhalata" (1982), the bilingual dance film, "Ananda Bhairavi" (1983), screened at the International Film Festival of India, and has garnered the state Nandi Awards for Best Feature Film, Best Direction, and Best Story. He then directed the dramedy works such as "Srivariki Premalekha", (1984), "Rendu Rellu Aaru" (1986), "Seeta Rama Kalyanam" (1986), "Chantabbai" (1986), "Padamati Sandhya Ragam" (1987), which received the Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu, and Nandi Award for Best Story. with screenings at "International Film Festival of India", and "Louisville's International Film Festival".
Early life.
Jandhyala was born on 14 January 1951 at Narsapuram. He is the son of Jandhyala Narayana Murthy. He graduated with a bachelors in commerce from SRR and CVR College in Vijayawada. Since his childhood, he was interested in stage plays particularly with mythological characters with elaborate costumes. He even won prizes for his performances while in school.
Career.
Jandhayala was a noted playwright during his college days. His first play being "Atmahuthi" (English "Self-immolation"); however, his next play "Ek Din Ka Sultan" was very popular and has been enacted over 10,000 times and script has been reprinted 15 times. His last play was "Gundelu Marchabadunu".
Jandhyala happened to meet Gummadi Venkateswara Rao (a popular character artist) who advised him to become a story writer. Soon he got support from Kaashinathuni Vishwanath, director of several meaningful Telugu films. Soon, he started writing for several films that saw success at box office.
He entered the films as a lyricist through the film "Punya Bhoomi Kallu Teru" and as dialogue writer it was "Devudu Chesina Bommalu". However, his film as a dialogue writer was K. Vishwanath's "Siri Siri Muvva" in the year 1977, was a blockbuster hit with which he got firm footing in Telugu cinema industry and since then never looked back. He would go on to write for around 200 films between 1977 and 1986, some of them becoming hugely successful at Box office and some even winning awards.
He also anchored few episodes called Andandho Bhamha, telecasted on Sundays in Doordarshan channel between 1993–1995 years.
Directorial style and success.
Jandhyala turned into a director with the film "Mudda Mandaram" in the year 1981. Jandhyala abhorred 'bawdy comedy' popular till then and believed that the dialogue should be crisp, simple and natural like real-life conversations, which the audience could easily identify themselves with, and enjoy. He had followed this rule in all the movies for which he had written and directed.
He is a trendsetter of Comedy genre and has written and directed several hits like "Nalugu Sthambalata", "Rendu Rella Aaru", "Aha Naa Pellanta", "Vivaha Bhojanambu", "Choopulu Kalasina Subhavela", "Chantabbai", "Amara Jeevi", "Seeta Rama Kalyanam" and "Padamati Sandhya Ragam", "Rendu Jalla Seetha".
He has introduced many comedy actors like Bramhanandam, Suthi Velu and Suthi Veerabhadra Rao. His film with Ushakiran Movies "Srivariki Premalekha" became an all-time-hit comedy film. His other film "Ananda Bhairavi" was a milestone in his career and won many awards.
Death.
He died on 19 June 2001, due to a massive heart attack, at 50, and after completing his silver jubilee year in films.
Jandhyala is survived by his wife Annapurna and two daughters, Sahiti and Sampada.