‘Movie Mogul’ D Ramanaidu No More!

Movie Mogul D Ramanaidu, eminent film producer, who held the rare Guinness Book of World Records of producing over 150 films in 13 Indian languages bid adieu on Wednesday. Winner ofDadasahed Phalke Award winner and the government of India’s third highest civilian award Padma Bhushan, D. Ramanaidu died at the age of 79 due to prostate cancer. 

Father of noted film hero, D. Venkatesh and grandfather of upcoming actor, Rana, Ramanaidu established the well-known film house Suresh Productions, named after his elder son in the early 60’s.


His Bollywood hits include movies like PREM NAGAR, TOHFA, ANARI, PREM QAIDI etc. In Telugu he made hit films like PREM NAGAR, JEEVANA TARANGALU, SOGGADU, KALIYUGA PANDAVULU, COOLIE NO 1, GANESH etc. He had also produced films in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi and English. 

Paying condolence to the great film legend Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief and applauded his ‘immeasurable’ contribution to cinema. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor E.S.L Narasimhan in his condolence message mourned that the vacuum created by D. Ramanaidu's death will be difficult to be filled not only in Telugu film industry but also in the film fraternity across India. 

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao grieving the legendary filmmaker’s death admired D. Ramanaidu's great contribution in relocating Telugu film industry in Hyderabad.

Born in an agricultural family in Karamchedu in Prakasam District of Andhra Pradesh, Ramanaidu also represented the Bapatla constituency in Parliament during 1999 - 2004 getting elected on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ticket.


D. Ramanaidu began his career in films with production of RAAMUDU BHEEMUDU in 1964 – the first film under the Suresh Productions banner. The film was super hut hit and it gave strength to Ramanaidu to continue. 

Later Rama Naidu worked with several top notch stars of South film industry like artists like NTR, A Nageswara Rao, Sivaji Ganesan, Pandari Bai, Jamuna, Padmini, Sobhan Babu, Kamal Haasan, Jayaprada, Chiranjeevi, Rajinikanth, Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Rekha, Jeetendra and Sridevi.

D. Ramanaidu major contribution to film industry was introducing numerous film directors as well as artistes and technicians. Prominent artistes introduced by him include Venkatesh, Harish, Vanisri, Aryan Rajesh, Tabu, Khushboo, Allari Naresh and Malasree.

Rama Naidu also set up studios, recording, preview and dubbing theatres and laboratories in Hyderabad and Vishakapatnam.

Ramanaidu is survived by his sons Suresh Babu, Venkatesh Daggubati and grandsons Rana and Naga Chaitanya.

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