Telugu drama lacks natural feeling: Artist 

“Unless an actor immerses himself in character, he cannot do justice to it,” said senior theater artiste Rangavajhula Adiseshaiah, during an interaction with The Hans India. Adiseshaiah was born at Kalavakuru in Prakasam district. He studied at SKPVV Hindu High School in Vijayawada as his parents shifted to the city in his childhood.

After completion of his pre-graduation, he joined State Bank of India and worked in it for 35 years in different capacities. With the support and encouragement of his parents Hanumath Sastry and Lakshmamma, he started his stage acting career at the age of 19 by playing a role in mythological drama `Draupadi Vastrapaharanam’.

“I was greatly influenced by Pasumarthy Lakshminarayana who taught me acting and dialogue modulation. I acted in many dramas under his able guidance. I am able to do justice to different roles played by me due to the excellent training of my guru,” said the 73-year-old artiste. Adiseshaiah who acted in more than 100 dramas, has so far given about 2,000 stage performances.

His famous dramas include `Mahakavi Kalidasu’, Nagama Nayakudu’, `Chintamani’, `Sati Sakkubai’, `Uddarakudu’, `Donga Veerudu’, `Kanyasulkam’, `Tulasi Teertham’, `Teneteegalu Pagabattayi, `Dandamaya Viswambhara’, `Manasa Kavvinchake’, `Badhyata’, `Anivaryam’, `Dattata Sweekaram’ and `Varadu’.

He acted with three generations of actors right from veterans like Burra Subrahmanyam, Sakshi Ranga Rao, Hemadri Srirama Murthy, Sutti Veerabhadra Rao and Kabir Das to upcoming artistes Ramesh Babu, Bhaskar, Vasu and Syam Prasad. “I am extremely happy for getting an opportunity to act with many talented artistes representing three generations. I have played a variety of characters.

All the artistes lent me excellent support and ensured the success of my stage shows,” he said. He got several awards in recognition of his acting talent. He won the appreciation of legendary film director K Viswanath for his role Lubdavadhanulu in `Kanyasulkam’.

Adiseshaiah was felicitated by many cultural organisations, including Sumadhura Kala Niketan, Nagarjuna Kala Parishad, Relangi Arts, Kala Manjari and Rotary International for his efforts to promote theater art. His wife Anasuya said, “My husband is still enthusiastic about theater art even if he is a septuagenarian.”

Commenting on the present generation of theater artistes, Adiseshaiah said, “Most of them are not concentrating on their roles and their main aim is to win prizes. The theater troupes are paying more attention to technicalities rather than the gripping subject. Consequently, the natural feeling is missing in Telugu drama nowadays.”