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A.N.P.Rao

Crossword composer and writer on Kannada cinema- A.N.Prahlada Rao has worn both hats with élan. And while he was about it, Prahlada Rao has virtually created a new genre of literature on cinema trivia, as his magnum opus, “Bangarada Manushya” a biography of the late thespian  Rajakumar, proved in 2005, when it milestoned the actor’s 50 years in cinema. When the actor died in 2006, “Bangarada Manushya” made brisk sales, scarce as the literature on the Kannada filmdom’s icon has been. A.N.Prahlada Rao, born in 1953 in Abbani village, Kolar district of Karnataka, demonstrated very early in life a penchant for wordplay, and gravitated naturally towards jobs in journalism- first as a reporter for Kolara Patrike in 1975, and edited another daily, “Honnudi” from Kolar. In 1983, he joined the State Information Department, and among other assignments, he was in the media section of the Chief Minister’s office, and in the News Section of the Information Department. In many ways, “Bangarada Manushya” is a milestone in Rao’s own journey across crossword grids, collecting trivia, adding to a bank of  information that can become quite a nest egg  of history. Over 23 years, Rao has composed more than 18,000 crosswords, and  today, nearly every Kannada newspaper or magazine sports the puzzles created by him, on  scores of themes, that celebrate cinema in a myriad ways. Every puzzle that he creates is a mosaic of information on the theme he chooses- not only in general- cinema, literature, crime, science, mythology, food, sport, and in the process, shown how learning   Kannada and appreciating its culture  can be a pleasurable experience. If dailies like Kannada Prabha, and Vijaya Karnataka sport the grid-and-clues school of Kannada every day, Weekly magazines like Karmaveera, Mangala, and the fortnightly Balamangala have Rao’s general knowledge quiz and puzzles. For Aragini and E Sanje, Rao composes film-based crossword puzzles. For a whole year, Managala Weekly carried  Rao’s crosswords based on the theme of Kannada’s literary starr The Kannada University in Hampi has been using his specially custom-made puyzzles in its publication, Vignana Sangati for  more than three years. Prajavani’s cinema supplement has been featuring his ”filmy” grids for more than 12 years. As for Aragini, Rao’s crosswords on film themes have been a regular feature for over 23 years. There really is no Kannada film journal worth its name that has not featured Rao’s puzzles at one time or another- Vijayachitra of the Chandamama publications, Udayaraga published out of Mumbai, Dehali Varte published from Delhi, Priyanka, Chitra, Rangavalli, Star, Cinema Makaranda…… Rao’s repertoire trespass into the genre of critique and analysis as well- its not all trivia.and pun- intended or otherwise. If “Bangarada Manyshya” is his magnum opus, the intervening years have been for Rao a time to follow the unfolding of  drama of  Kannada cinema- All the magazines that  give him his grid never forget to invite him to write scholarly  or informed articles in their special issues – Aragini featured his article on memorable movies, Karmaveera published “Gathavaibhava”, Mangala featured him on the series on cinema history- “chalanachitra itihasa”,  and provided inputs for Karnataka University’s publication, “Kiriyara Karnataka (encyclopedia) and Cinema history, cinema articles also published in Sudha- popular kannada weekly, Roopatara- cinema monthly, Chitra- cinema monthly. “Bangarada Manushya” is not merely a biography on the greatest icon of Kannada cinema, it is the synthesis of the essence of Kannada cinema, tracked through  the career of Rajkumar. The trivia and titbits that figure dominantly in Rao’s puzzles add colour and interest to the study of an absorbing subject – Rajkumar and Kannada cinema. His second book “Belliterey Belagidavaru” — nuggets profiling 115 filmstars who twinkled on the Kannada silver screen with a foreword by director Girish Kasaravalli, who is also profiled, “Belliterey Belagidavaru” offers a pleasant ride through Kannada cinema and the famous names that people it.