Kodi Ramakrishna

Kodi Ramakrishna (23 July 1949 – 22 February 2019) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and actor, known for his work in Telugu cinema. Over the course of his career, he directed more than 100 films across various genres, earning a reputation as one of the most prolific filmmakers in the industry. He is credited with pioneering the use of advanced visual effects in South Indian cinema, through his supernatural fantasy films. In 2012, he was honoured with the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award for his lifetime contribution to Telugu cinema.

Kodi Ramakrishna was born on 23 July 1949 in Palakollu, West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. His career in the Indian cinema industry spanned more than 30 years.

Kodi Ramakrishna began his career as an associate to Dasari Narayana Rao in Korikale Gurralaite (1979). His debuted as a director with the film Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya (1982). His filmography includes drama films like Mangamma Gari Manavadu (1984), Maa Pallelo Gopaludu (1985), Srinivasa Kalyanam (1987), Aahuthi (1987), Muddula Mavayya (1989), Pelli (1997), Dongaata (1997), and social problem films such as Ankusam (1989), Bharat Bandh (1991), and Sathruvu (1991). He also directed spy films like Gudachari No.1 (1983), and Gudachari 117 (1989), and supernatural fantasy films like Ammoru (1995), Devi (1999), Devullu (2000), Anji (2004), and Arundhati (2009). Arundhati won ten state Nandi Awards and became one of the highest grossing Telugu films ever at the time.

In 2016, he started working Baba Sathya Sai a biopic about Sathya Sai Baba (with Sreejith Vijay in the role).[ 11]

His elder daughter Kodi Divya Deepti entered into film production with Nenu Meeku Baaga Kavalsinavaadini (2022).[ 12]

In 2012, he received the state Raghupathi Venkaiah Award for his contribution to Telugu cinema.[ 13]

Kodi Ramakrishna died on 22 February 2019 in Hyderabad. He was under treatment at AIG Hospitals, Gachibowli for acute breathing problem.