Sherrie7069 at 21:08, 16 March 2026

2026-03-16T21:08:35Z

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{{Short description|Indian actor (d. 2004)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = J. V. Somayajulu
| image = J.V.Somayajulu-pic.jpg
| birth_name = Jonnalagadda Venkata Somayajulu
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1920|7|30|df=yes}} or {{circa|1928}}
| birth_place = [[Srikakulam district]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death-date|24 April 2004}}
| death_place = [[Hyderabad]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], India
| yearsactive =
| occupation = Actor
| notable works = {{indented plainlist| Sankara Sastry in ''[[Sankarabharanam (1980 film)|Sankarabharanam]]'', [[Tyagaraja]] in ''[[Tyagayya (1981 film)|Tyagayya]]''}}
| spouse =
| relatives = [[J. V. Ramana Murthy]] (brother)
}}
'''Jonnalagadda Venkata Somayajulu''' (30 July 1920<ref name=":0" /> or {{Circa|1928}}<ref name=":1" /> – 24 April 2004) was an Indian actor known for his works in [[Telugu cinema]] and a few Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam films. In 1981, he received the [[Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu]] for his work in the classic ''[[Sankarabharanam (1980 film)|Sankarabharanam]]''. On the centenary of Indian cinema, ''[[Forbes (India)|Forbes]]'' included his performance in the film among the ''25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema''.

Some of the other films that earned Somayajulu a good reputation as an actor were ''Allari Pillalu'', ''Nelavanka'', ''[[Rowdy Alludu]]'', ''[[Swathi Muthyam]]'', ''Tyagayya'', [[Saptapadi (1981 film)|''Saptapadi'']], [[Vijeta (1982 film)|''Vijeta'']], ''[[Appula Appa Rao]],'' ''[[Vamsa Vruksham]]'' and the Hindi film ''[[Jaag Utha Insan (1984 film)|Jaag Utha Insan]]''. He portrayed the guru character of [[Sri Raghavendra]] in the Tamil film ''[[Sri Raghavendrar]]. ''He made a 13-episode television serial based on the play ''[[Kanyasulkam]]''. He also portrayed A.C. [[Bhaktivedanta Swami]] Prabhupada, in the biographical series ''Abhay Charan''.

==Personal life and career==
Jonnalagadda Venkata Somayajulu was born in Lukalam Agraharam in [[Srikakulam district]] of present-day [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=P. |first=Jyosthna Kumari |date=7 May 2011 |title=శంకరాభరణం శంకరశాస్త్రిగా పేరుగాంచిన జె.వి.సోమయాజులు |url=http://www.visalaandhra.com/movieworld/article-46827|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304204218/http://www.visalaandhra.com/movieworld/article-46827|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=29 July 2021 |website=[[Visalaandhra]]}}</ref> His father worked as an Inspector in the Prohibition and Excise department in [[Gudivada]] and other towns. He spent his childhood in [[Vizianagaram]] and also participated in stage dramas there. He was a government official and worked as a Deputy collector for [[Mahabub Nagar district]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name="hinduonnet.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/04/28/stories/2004042806930600.htm |title=The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Somayajulu passes away |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=22 January 2007|archive-date=12 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612030337/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/04/28/stories/2004042806930600.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

His career spanned five decades in stage dramas, films and television. His passion for [[Gurazada Apparao]]'s play, ''[[Kanyasulkam]]'', was such that he, along with his actor brother [[J. V. Ramana Murthy|J V Ramana Murthy]], played it about 500 times in 45 years. His exposition of the delightfully notorious character, "Ramappanthulu" in the play, has become legendary. The woman behind the success of Somayajulu was his mother Saradamma. Somayajulu had two sons and a daughter.<ref name="hinduonnet.com"/>

== Other works ==
For the development of Telugu theatre in the twin cities [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] and [[Secunderabad]], Somayajulu established 'Rasaranjani' along with his contemporaries, Chatla Sriramulu, Garimella Rama Murthy and [[Rallapalli (actor)|Rallapalli]].<ref name="hinduonnet.com" /> Somayajulu worked in the Directorate of Cultural Affairs before retiring from government service.

== Death ==
Somayajulu died of heart attack in [[Hyderabad]] in 2004 at a reported age of 76.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=24 April 2004 |title=Actor Somayajulu passes away |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/actor-somayajulu-passes-away/articleshow/643968.cms|access-date=2021-06-21 |website=The Times of India |language=en|archive-date=26 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626225020/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/actor-somayajulu-passes-away/articleshow/643968.cms|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="hinduonnet.com" />

== Filmography ==
===Telugu films===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of Telugu films and roles
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role(s) !! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1976
|''[[Jyothi (1976 film)|Jyoti]]''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1980
|''[[Sankarabharanam (1980 film)|Sankarabharanam]]''
|Shankara Sastry
| [[Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu]]
|-
|''[[Vamsa Vruksham]]''
|
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|1981
|''[[Tyagayya (1981 film)|Tyagayya]]''
|Tyagayya
|
|-
|''[[Saptapadi (1981 film)|Saptapadi]]''
|Yajulu
|
|-
|1982
|''[[Pelleedu Pillalu]]''
| P V Rao
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1983
|''[[Nelavanka (film)|Nelavanka]]''
|Raheem
|
|-
|''[[Sitaara]]''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1985
|''Devalayam''
|
|
|-
|''Aalapaana''
|
|
|-
|''[[Vijetha (1985 film)|Vijetha]]''
|Narasimham
|
|-
| rowspan="8" |1986
|''[[Tandra Paparayudu (film)|Tandra Paparayudu]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Sri Shirdi Saibaba Mahathyam]]''
|Nana Chandorkar
|
|-
|''Kalyana Tambulam''
|
|
|-
|''[[Naa Pilupe Prabhanjanam]]''<ref>{{Citation |title=Naa Pilupe Prabhanjanam Full Length Movie {{!}}{{!}} Super Star Krishna, Keerthi |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIlQzaweMiE |work=Shalimar Telugu & Hindi Movies |date=9 December 2014 |access-date=2023-09-18 |language=en |via=YouTube |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002122209/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIlQzaweMiE |url-status=live }}</ref>
|Janakiramaiah
|
|-
|''[[Ugra Narasimham]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Swathi Muthyam]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Magadheerudu]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Kaliyuga Pandavulu]]''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="6" |1987
|''[[Madana Gopaludu]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Sankeertana]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Majnu (1987 film)|Majnu]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Chakravarthy (1987 film)|Chakravarthy]]''
|Swamiji
|
|-
|''[[Swayam Krushi]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Viswanatha Nayakudu]]''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1988
|''[[Abhinandana]]''
|
|-
|''[[Neerajanam]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Raktabhishekam]]''
|
|
|-
|1989
|''[[Swara Kalpana]]''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1990
|''[[Jayasimha (1990 film)|Jayasimha]]''<ref>{{Cite AV media |title=JAI SIMHA {{!}} FULL MOVIE {{!}} SUMAN {{!}} BHANUPRIYA |work=Telugu Cinema Club |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HGBbI5DMhI |date=6 November 2018 |access-date=2023-10-13 |language=en |via=YouTube |archive-date=15 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015044511/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HGBbI5DMhI |url-status=live }}</ref>
|Mukunda Rao, DFO
|
|-
|''[[Magaadu (1990 film)|Magaadu]]''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1991
|''[[Aditya 369]]''
|Mahamantri Thimmarusu
|
|-
|''Tharaka Prabhuni Deeksha Mahimalu''
|
|
|-
|''[[Rowdy Alludu]]''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1992
|''[[Appula Appa Rao]]''
|Sankara Sastri
|
|-
|''[[Allari Mogudu]]''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1993
|''[[Mutha Mestri]]''
|MLA Raghavayya
|
|-
|''Adivaram Amavasya''
|
|
|-
|''[[Govinda Govinda (1994 film)|Govinda Govinda]]''
|TTD Chief Priest
|
|-
|1994
|''[[Sarigamalu]]'' || ||
|-
|1995
|''[[Khaidi Inspector]]''<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=a0NjRSKKYTU |title=Khaidi Inspector Full Length Telugu Movie {{!}}{{!}} Suman, Rambha, Maheshwari {{!}}{{!}} Ganesh Videos |date=2014-11-05 |last=Ganesh Videos |access-date=2024-11-24 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
|Sivaramakrishnaiah
|
|-
|1996
|''Puttinti Gowravam''
|
|
|-
|1997
|''Super Heroes''
|
|
|-
|1998
|''Subbaraju Gari Kutumbam''
|
|
|-
|2003 ||''Kabirdas'' || ||
|-
|}

===Tamil films===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of Tamil films and roles
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role(s)
|-
|1984
|''[[Neengal Kettavai]]''|| Music teacher
|-
|rowspan="2"|1985
|''[[Sri Raghavendrar]]''
|Saint Sudheendra
|-
|''[[Yaar? (film)|Yaar?]]''
|Swamiji
|-
|1988
|''[[Idhu Namma Aalu (1988 film)|Idhu Namma Aalu]]''
|Srinivasa Sastry
|-
|1989
|''[[Thiruppu Munai]]''
|Sathyamoorthy
|-
|1990
|''[[Pagalil Pournami]]''
| Monk
|-
|1997
|''[[Mannava (film)|Mannava]]''
|Astrologer
|-
|}
=== Kannada films ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of Kannada films and roles
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role(s)
|-
| 1983 ||''[[Gandharvagiri]]''
| Narasimha Joshi
|-
|1988
|''Sri Venkateshwara Mahime''
|
|-
|1995
|''[[Mutthinantha Hendathi]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2003
|''[[Raktha Kanneeru]]''
|Chandhra's father
|-
|''[[Ondagona Baa]]''
|Raghavayya (Ajja)
|-
|}

=== Hindi films ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of films and roles
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role(s)
|-
|1984
|''[[Jaag Utha Insan (1984 film)|Jaag Utha Insan]]''
|Panditji
|-
|1990
|''[[Pratibandh]]''
|Chief Minister Satyendra
|-
|2005
|''[[Bhagmati (2005 film)|Bhagmati]]''
|
|-
|}

===Malayalam films ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of Malayalam films and roles
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role(s)
|-
|1994
|''[[Sopanam (film)|Sopanam]]''
|Raja Raja Varma Thamburan
|-
|1997
|''[[Itha Oru Snehagatha]]''
| Hema's Grandfather
|-
|2001||''[[Naranathu Thampuran]]''||Guruji
|-
|}

=== Television ===
* [[Abhay Charan (TV series)|''Abhay Charan'']] as [[A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami]] (1996)
* [[Nagamma (TV series)|''Nagamma'']] as Rayudu (2002–2004)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0004468}}

{{Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Somayajulu, J. V.}}
[[Category:1920s births|Somayajulu, J.V]]
[[Category:2004 deaths|Somayajulu, J.V]]
[[Category:Telugu male actors|Somayajulu, J.V]]
[[Category:Male actors from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Indian male stage actors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:People from Srikakulam district]]
[[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Male actors in Telugu cinema]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Male actors in Malayalam cinema]]
[[Category:Male actors in Kannada cinema]]
[[Category:Male actors in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:People from Uttarandhra]]

J. V. Somayajulu - Revision history

Sherrie7069 at 21:08, 16 March 2026