Make-up key for success of performance: Adivi Sankara Rao

Vijayawada: "Make-up is an art to make a performance success," said famous make-up artiste Adivi Sankara Rao in a chat with The Hans India. Sankara Rao said that the make-up artiste should know all the characters and characterisation to justify to the drama.

The 71-year-old Sankara Rao was born to Venkata Chalapati Rao and Kasivisalakshi Annapoorna and brought up in Vijayawada. He started his career as manager in a food and beverage company. He gave up his job and settled in Vijayawada due to his family conditions. He married Subbalakshmi and blessed with one son and daughter.

Sankara Rao had rich experience in theatre as actor, stage designer, make-up artiste, lighting designer for the last 55 years. He had his theatre training under able guidance of GSR Murthy, AV Ramanji and KS Murthy. He acted in many plays like Turpu rekhalu, Anantam, Pelli chupulu, Chimakuttinina Natakam, Adisankaracharya, Mahakavi Kshetrayya, Annamacharya.

Sankara Rao is more popular as make-up artiste. He worked for several organisations as permanent make-up artiste. Adivi is a graded artiste in All India Radio and acted in many dramas in radio with legendary personalities like Nanduri Subba Rao, C Ramamohan Rao, Koka Sanjeeva Rao, Madugula Ramakrishna, and P Panduranga Rao, Sutti Veerabhadra Rao.

Sankara Rao made make-up as his profession since 1985 with the support of Artistes' Association and Sumadhura Kala Niketan. Since then, he was regarded as senior make-up man in Andhra Pradesh and also in Telangana. Sankara Rao said that the make-up artiste should know the situation, total story to make the drama perfect.

He rendered services as make-up man for Doordarshan Kendra, Vijayawada. Sankara Rao was closely associated with many nataka parishads and rendered excellent service to strengthen theatre in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He is also rendering service continuously for 24 years to the comedy playlet competitions organised by Sumadhra Kala Niketan, Vijayawada.

Adivi Sankara Rao was honoured with a title 'Kalamitra' in 1991 and was also felicitated by many organisations in the state. He was also regarded by his fellow artistes as walking encyclopaedia of drama and light for theatre. The dream of Sankara Rao is to have a good auditorium in Vijayawada with complete infrastructure to stage dramas.