Haranath (actor)


Buddharaju Venkata Appala Haranath Raju, professionally and popularly known as Haranath, was a "Tollywood" film actor.

Early life and career

Haranath was born on 2 September 1936 in Raparthi near Pithapuram and Gollaprolu in East Godavari district. He had two younger brothers and a sister. His early schooling was in Madras till pre-university, and he did his B. A. degree in P R College, Kakinada. He was very active in cultural activities, particularly dramas, won many a drama competition. An encounter leads him into films. He was waiting at Vanimahal bus stop in Madras, on the way to pilot training when he was spotted by Mukkmamala Krishna Murthy, famous film actor, director and producer and was selected to act as a lead actor in the film Rushyasrunga. But his second film Maa Inti Mahalakshmi was the first film to be released. He was a very popular Tollywood lead actor in the 60s being regarded as a romantic icon. He acted in classic films like Amarasilipi Jakkana, Letha Manasulu, Chitti Chellelu, Aada Janma, Maa Inti Devatha, Bhishma, Pandava Vanavasam, Abhimanyu and several others in lead roles. He was the hero of the first film shot at Saradhi Studios in Hyderabad, Ma Inti Mahalakshmi. He played the role of Lord Sri Rama in the film Seetha Rama Kalyanam, produced by N.T. Rama Rao under the banner, National Art Theatres, in which NTR acted as Ravana. He also played the role of Lord Krishna in the 1962 film Bhishma and as Sri Rama in Sri Rama Katha. He had acted in about 117 Telugu films, 12 Tamil films, one Hindi and Kannada movie each. He has played in many films opposite Jamuna. His last film was Thoduallulu in 1989. He produced one movie named Maa Inti Devatha released in 1981.
He was married and his son Srinivas Varma Buddharaju is a film producer and a daughter Padmaja, is married to Telugu film producer G. V. G. Raju.

Filmography

  1. Maa Inti Mahalakshmi
  2. Runanubandham
  3. Kalasivunte Kaladu Sukham
  4. Rushyasrunga
  5. Sri Seetha Rama Kalyanam as Rama
  6. Gundamma Katha as Prabhakar, son of Gundamma
  7. Bhishma as Krishna
  8. Annai - Tamil - as Selvam son of Bhanumathi and Sowcar Janaki
  9. Pempudu Kuthuru
  10. Amara Shilpi Jakkanna as Dankkanna
  11. Murali Krishna
  12. Chitti Chellelu
  13. Chandrahasa
  14. Naadee Aada Janme
  15. Leta Manasulu as Sekhar
  16. Bobbili Yudham as Balachandrudu
  17. Monagallaku Monagadu as Ramesh
  18. Shri Krishna Pandaviyam
  19. Bhakta Prahlada as Vishnu
  20. Chadarangam
  21. Punyavati
  22. Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna
  23. Saraswati Sabatham
  24. Bangaru Sankellu
  25. Challani Needa
  26. Nadimantrapu Siri
  27. Sukha Dukhalu
  28. Palamanasulu
  29. Pelli Roju
  30. Sri Rama Katha as Sri Rama
  31. Pratheekaram
  32. Kathanayika Molla
  33. Sridevi
  34. Thalli Thandrulu
  35. Bhale Papa
  36. Matrumoorti
  37. Bala Bharatam as Narada
  38. Gadasari Atta Sogasari Kodalu as Chandram
  39. Kayyala Ammayi Kalavaari Abbayi
  40. Kalavari Samsaram
  41. Naagu