Kommineni Apparao, popularly known as Chakravarthy, is a native of Ponnekallu village in Thadikonda Mandal of Guntur district. He worked as a singer and composer for All India Radio in 1954. Later he entered the film industry, as a singer in 1958, through the film 'Jaya Vijaya' under Vithalacharya's direction. Then he tried his hand as music director in 1962 but failed. He restarted his career as music director through 'Mooga Prema', produced by K Chatterjee under G Ramineedu's direction in 1969. He shot into famous with the tunes in 'Sarada'. He also did dubbing to actors like Kamal Hassan (Manmatha Leela) and Nagesh (Server Sundaram).

He became the most famous and busiest music director in 1980's. He took mass songs of Telugu cinema to new heights during that decade by composing for the NTR films like Vetagadu, Yamagola, Kondaveeti Simham, Justice Chowdary and Sardar Para Rayudu. He gave memorable tunes to ANR - Dasari's 'Premabhishekam'. He also introduced fast beat break dance songs with Chiranjeevi movies. He gave music to 960 films in his illustrious career.

Many of the music directors like Mani Sharma, Keeravani, Raj, Koti, Vandemataram Srinivas, Krishna Chadra and Vasu Rao, honed their skills in the school of Chakravarthy. His son Srinivas Chakravarthy, who is popularly known as Sri, is also a music director.

Chakravarthy is also a fine actor with his typical comedy oriented diction in the films. He acted in films like Tene Teega, Gopal Rao Gari Ammai, Aavida Maa Aavide, Ninne Premista. YVS Chowdary's 'Lahri Lahiri Lahirilo' will be last film in which Chakravarthy gave appearance. Recently, he was acting in a serial called 'Kalisundam… Raa!' being telecast in a Gemini TV.

Sri Chakravarthy's demise is a major loss to Telugu film industry. We, along with idlebrain.com visitors, pay the homage to the finest musician of Telugu Cinema

See also Tributes to Sri Pratyagatma, Sri Jandhyala, Sri Tirupati Swamy, Sri KV mahadevan.