Director P Chandrasekhar Reddy, known for films like Badi Panthulu, Manavudu Danavudu, passes away at 86

2022 hasn't begun on a good note in Telugu cinema. Popular filmmaker P Chandrasekhar Reddy (better known as P C Reddy in the fraternity) is no more. He passed away at his Chennai residence earlier this morning. He was 86. Having directed over 80 films, P C Reddy associated with the leading names in the industry of his times, including N T Rama Rao, Sobhan Babu, Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Krishna. Born on October 15, 1935 in Nellore, P C Reddy entered the film industry in 1959 and went onto assist filmmakers V Madhusudhana Rao and Adurthi Subba Rao at various levels for several years. 

His first film as a director, Anuradha, released in 1971 and featured Krishna, Vijaya Nirmala in lead roles. He shot to fame particularly with Badi Panthulu, starring NTR, Anjali Devi among others, that shed light on the plight of parents brutally ignored at their later years by their children. Sridevi's Boochadamma Boochadu, Bharata Mataku Jejelu were among the popular numbers in the film. Some of his other hit films include Manavudu Danavudu, Paadi Pantalu, Bangaru Bhoomi, Peddalu Marali, Patnavasam to name a few. He was known for his frequent collaborations with actor Krishna.

In an interview with a portal a few years ago, he had reminisced his early years in the industry and said, "It was 1958 when I’d met him (V Madhusudhan Rao). I was doing my MA then but owing to my fascination for cinema, I was introduced to Jagapati Pictures and worked as a first assistant by N Jagannath. Out of 30 films that Madhusudhan Rao accepted, I worked as an assistant for 25 movies (over a 10-year span). He was very hardworking and non-compromising. I would read a lot of books and would discuss a lot of things with him. He would ask me what I had read that day when he was free."

Talking about his stint with Adurthi Subba Rao, he said, "I worked very briefly with Adurthi but learnt a great deal from him. The greatest thing those days was that none owned success. Even the heroes and others worked as a team. Adurthi’s shootings were something everyone looked forward too. It was like a picnic. Being a very adjusting person, he doesn’t take anything to heart and is a genius." 

"I used to be a busy man and hardly spent time with my family. It was my daughter’s birthday and my wife brought both my daughters along to the set for my blessings. We are from Nellore and would earn well," he spoke of his busiest years in the industry, where he had very little time for family. Jagannayakudu, starring Raja, Mamatha and Suman in key roles, that hit theatres was his last film as a director. Noted directors like Kodandarami Reddy and B Gopal had also assisted P C Reddy in a career in films that lasted over five decades.