L V PRASAD - AN EVENTFUL AND ETERNAL ERA

Akkineni Lakshmi Vara Prasad Rao, popularly known as L V Prasad, was a legendary figure during his very life time.

Endowed with a spirit of adventure and inspired by Phalke's silent films he left his native village in W-G-District, Anahra Pradesh while he was still in his teens.

He landed at Bombay, the Capital City of the Indian filmdom and tried his luck there.

He underwent many a trial and tribulation and found a small place in the world of celluloid.

From the lowest ebb of the ladder he came up and built the edifice of his filmic career. H M Reddy, the great film director, gave him his helping hand and soon he became a reckonable force. He appeared in the first Telugu Talkie 'Bhaktha Prahiada', tile first Tamii Talkie 'Kalidas' and the first Hindi Talkie 'Alam Ara' in some minor roles. This itself was a veritable distinction which he achieved.

Along with his master, H M Reddy, he shifted his centre of activity from Bombay to Madras. Not only as an accomplished artiste but as a creative film director as well he shaped his career subsequently.

As an artiste the Telugu pictures like 'Drohi', Gruhapravesam' and 'Gharana Donga' revealed his histrionic talent. As a superb director 'Mana Desam' 'Palnati Yuddham' stand to his credit. In quick Succession a number of Telugu and Tamil pictures came out from his armory and made him a box-office film director. A Telugu picture by name 'Samsaram' directed by him, made and broke the records in the matter of box office collections. In fact every picture of his was considered to be a poem on celluloid. It bore the stamp, of his individuality.

Soon he started a film producing concern and brought out hits not only in Telugu but in Tamii and Hindi too. They were all trend setters and most of them won coveted awards.

With the money he earned in various capacities he constructed a Studio by name 'Prasad Studio' which is considered as one of the foremost film studios in Asia. With his forethought he started Prasad Colour Laboratory which is considered to be the best among the Labs in Asian Continent. Figurativly speaking his was 'Midas touch' and whatever enterprise he took up, turned itself into Gold.

His track record brought him name and fame. The Andhra University conferred on him the Honorary Doctorate of 'KALAPRAPURNA'. He did not run after the awards but the awards ran after him. The Government of Andhra Pradesh conferred on him the prestigious 'Raghupathi Venkaiah Award' while the Government of India honoured him with the PHALKE AWARD. CTA Romnoth award was presented to him in 1982.

He donated severallakhs of rupees for the construction of a EYE Hospital at Hyderabad. It is fully equipped with the latest apharatus. This was his monumental service to the cause of humanity.

He was the President of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, the Cine Technicians Association of South India, Film Federation of India and numerous otherinstitutions and contributed his mite for their progress.

In his name the CTA instituted an Award which is given every year to an outstanding Technician of that year.

As a man Prasad was acclimatised to a higher attitude of life. He was noble, generous and God-fearing. He was highly respected by one and all in the Indian Filmdom.

Humility was his characteristic, He considered himself as a student unto the last. Though not educated in the modern sense he was highly cultured.

The CTA respectfully pays homage to L V Prasad, the pioneer, who contributed his quota of energy for the glory of the Indian Film Industry and secured a fitting place for it in the World film map.