Lyricist, dialogue writer Vennelakanti passes away

Nellore: Popular lyricist, dialogue writer from Nellore, Vennelakanti Rajeswara Prasad, 64, passed away in Chennai on Tuesday due to cardiac arrest. He is a well-known person in the city as an employee of the State Bank of India who worked here for many years. He, subsequently, shifted to Chennai with the encouragement of the noted playback singer SP Bala Subrahmanyam who was also from Nellore.

His father Vennelakanti Koteswara Rao who was residing in Pappula Street area of Stone House Pet in Nellore city worked as production chief of Pratibha Films owned by Nellorean Ghantasala Balaramaiah.

Ghantasala Balaramaiah was a popular producer and director who introduced Tollywood stalwarts such as Akkineni Nageswara Rao and many others. He was the grandfather of popular music director S Thaman.

After completing his graduation Rajeswara Prasad joined the State Bank of India and worked in Nellore for many years. He penned down a song in Anna Chellalu, Sri Ramachandrudu movies and subsequent movie Murali Krishnudu (1988) produced by S Gopal Reddy was a big hit for him. He settled as a lyricist, dialogue writer in Chennai and contributed around 2000 songs during more than 2 decades.

"He is such a great person who worked with us for many years in the bank and still remembers us and visited the place. A week ago, he visited my ailing mother. We started the Chetana Association and Vijetha Arts in Nellore conducted cultural activities. SP Balu was part of Vijetha Arts. He was having a good command of Telugu and Sanskrit. We miss two popular personalities from Nellore this year,' bemoaned Y Sesha Gireesham, a retired SBI employee and close associate of SP Balu and Vennelakanti. His close friend Suvanam Srinivasulu remembered his association with Vennelakanti who wrote Atmavat Sarva Bhuthani and other plays where Srinivasulu played key roles.

"Raasaleela Vela" (Aditya369), "Mavayya Anna Pilupu" (Muddula Mavayya), and "Maatarani Mounamidi" (Maharshi) songs were some of his hits. He got popular as a writer with dubbed movies like 'Panchatantram' and 'Dasavatharam'. His elder son Shashank is a dialogue writer and his younger son Rakendu Mouli is a singer, actor, and lyricist.