11 November 2023
Hyderabad

Senior actor Chandra Mohan, who is known to slip into any character with effortless ease, is no more. He breathed his last earlier today in a private hospital in Hyderabad due to heart-related ailments. He was 82.

In a career spanning more than 55 years, the veteran actor has featured in countless films and was known for his natural approach towards the craft of acting. Born as Mallampalli Chandrasekhara Rao on 23 May 1943, in Pamidimukkala village in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, he did his schooling in Y.V.R.M.Z.P. High School at Meduru before graduating from the agriculture college of Bapatla. He is the cousin of revered filmmaker (the late) K Viswanath.

Thanks largely to BN Reddy, he made his silver screen debut with the film Rangula Ratnam in 1966, which went on to win the Regional Best Picture award and the Swarna Nandi in 1967. Back at that time, making movies with youngsters was on the ascent. He was 21 at that time and there was no looking back ever since as he had done a wide variety of roles from a lead actor to a villain to a supporting actor to a comedian in a career which only blossomed. For Rangula Ratnam, he received the state Nandi Award for Best Actor, whilst for Padaharella Vayasu (1978) and Siri Siri Muvva (1978) he won the Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu). He even had a brush with the Tamil film industry; his maiden Tamil film was Naalai Namadhe (1975).

In the early stages of his career, he was dubbed as a lucky hero for heroines like Sridevi, Jayasudha, Jayaprada, for his presence in their movies ensured that the films were a box office hits. His combination with Jayasudha is an evergreen one and the actress holds him in high regard.

Some of his popular turns in ‘70s include O Seetha Kadha, Ammai Pelli, Secretary, Devathalara Deevinchandi, Karunamayudu, Pranam Khareedu, Seethamahalakshmi, Sankarabharanam and Ram Robert Rahim. Radha Kalyanam, Rendu Rellu Aaru, and Chandamama Raave were some of his unforgettable characters in the ‘80s.

Films like Alludugaru, Aditya 369, Peddarikam, President Gari Pellam, Aame, Gulabi, Ninne Pelladatha, Premante Idera, Thammudu and Manoharam in ‘90s saw him playing supporting roles that left an indelible impression in the minds of the audience.

In the aughts, he was primarily known for his association with MS Raju, K Vijaya Bhakar and Trivikram, playing key roles in films like Okkadu, Manasantha Nuvve, Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana, Nuvvu Naaku Nachav, Manmadhudu, Nuvve Nuvve and Pournami. His role as a frustrated father in 7/G Brindavan Colony won him brownie points. He was also known for his association with Sreenu Vaitla in films like Anandam, Ready, Dhee, Dookudu and Baadhshah, where he played roles with a comic touch. His last film was Gopichand-starrer Oxygen (2017).

Chandra Mohan is survived by wife Jalandhara and two daughters Meenakshi and Madhavi. While Meenakshi is a psychologist who is settled in the US, Madhavi is into the field of medicine in Chennai. His last rites will be performed in Hyderabad on Monday.