Adinarayana Rao

Penupatruni Adinarayana Rao (July 12, 1915 – 1991) was an Indian music director, film producer, lyricist and play writer. He co-founded "Aswini Pictures" with Akkineni Nageswara Rao and produced some movies in Telugu and Tamil. Later, he produced several blockbuster Telugu movies under his own production house, Anjali Pictures, named after his actress wife, Anjali Devi. He also composed and produced music for several Tamil and Hindi movies. According to the music critic V. A. K. Rangarao, "Adinarayana Rao is credited for introducing Hindustani music in contemporary flavour and simplified orchestration, and thereby impressing both laymen audience as well cognoscenti. It is this music that survives him enthralling all the music lovers". Memorable music compositions from Rao are: "Rajasekhara Neepai Moju Theera Leduraa" in the movie Anarkali released in 1955, "Piluvakuraa Alugakuraa" in the movie Suvarna Sundari released in 1957, "Telugu Veera Levaraa Deeksha Booni Sagara" and "Vastaadu Naraju" in the movie Alluri Seetarama Raju released in 1974 and all songs including "Ghana Ghana Sundara" in Bhakta Tukaram, released in 1973. Music directors such as Satyam, Thotakura Venkata Raju and Laxmikant–Pyarelal worked under him as assistant directors.