Actor and comedian M.S. Narayana, a veteran with over 750 films to his credit, passed away at a corporate hospital here on Friday morning. He was 63. He is survived by daughter Sasikiran and son Vikram.

Doctors cited multi-organ failure as the cause of death. He was initially diagnosed with malaria at a hospital in Bhimavaram and brought to a corporate hospital here about four days ago. He then complained of chest pain and was put on ventilator for the last two days. When his kidneys did not function properly he was given dialysis too. He was declared dead at 9.40 a.m. on Friday.

Born in Nidamarru near Bhimavaram in West Godavari District on April 16, 1951, Mylavarapu Surya Narayana dabbled in theatre while working as a lecturer and entered the film industry as a writer before being introduced as an actor.

Among his latest films is ‘Manam’ (2014) in which three generations of the Akkineni family acted and the last in which thespian, late Akkineni Nageswara Rao acted. Other prominent films include ‘Badshah’ with NTR in 2013, ‘Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu’ with Pawan Kalyan and ‘Julayi’ with Allu Arjun in 2012 and Mahesh Babu’s runaway success ‘Dookudu’ in 2011, in which he appeared as Bokka Venkateswara Rao.

He won Nandi awards of the AP Government as the best male comedian for the films ‘Maa Nanna ki Pelli,’ ‘Ramsakkanodu,’ ‘Sardukupodam Randi,’ ‘Sivamani’ and ‘Dookudu.’ He made his debut as a director in the film Koduku starring his son Vikram and directed another film ‘Bhajantrilu’.

Condolences pour in

Chief Ministers K. Chandrasekhar Rao (Telangana) and N. Chandrababu Naidu (AP) condoled the death of Narayana, saying the film industry has lost a good actor, as did YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan, apart from actor-MP K. Chiranjeevi, actor Pawan Kalyan and several others.

There was a steady stream of visitors to the AP Film Chamber of Commerce where the body was kept to enable people to pay their last respects. Comedians, including Vennela Kishore, Srinivas Reddy and others, could not hold back their tears. The late comedian virtually lived the role of an alcoholic in several films that he was asked several times if he really came ‘drunk’ to shootings.

Comedians Ali and Babu Mohan shared their memories with Narayana on Youtube, while ‘Gabbar Singh’’ director Harish Shankar regretted that he never got to direct a great writer and comedian.” Popular comedian Brahmanandam visited Narayana while he was in hospital on Thursday itself.

“Narayana was one of the few who could carry off an entire film single-handedly, with the comedy track and be a pillar for its success,” said Mamidi Harikrishna, Director of Culture (Telangana), also an avid film buff and critic.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Suresh Krishnamoorthy / Hyderabad – January 24th, 2015

Used and low-priced editions of literature, fiction, philosophy and history etc. are in high demand at stalls

‘Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read,’ says Athenaeus. True to it, old books do have patronage at the ongoing Vijayawada Book Festival. One can find people frantically trying to find a pearl of great price within the piles of old books that are stacked at the festival.

English books from literature to philosophy, management to medicine and general books are available at stalls like Padam Book Stall, M.R. Books, and Pratik Books.

“It is not just price, but the rare collection and out-of-print ones that drag the people to old book stores,” explains Dhanunjay Pandey of Pratik Books (stall No. 337).

People who visit these stalls are diverse, students, professionals and reading enthusiasts are just some of those who buy books. Used and low-priced editions of literature, fiction, philosophy and history etc. are in high demand at these stalls.

“People still love to buy old books. They don’t overlook the old ones even at the book fairs like this,” says Md. Latif of M.R. Books.

Good collection

Used books, second-hand books or old books whatever be the epithet, the sellers have good collection, opines Kiranmayi, an engineering student.

The books may be soiled and do not have scent of fresh book, but they still carry value and are worth reading. The books come at throwaway prices, she points out.

An original hardcover of some of these books can cost around Rs.1,000 at a normal bookstore but the used books are sold for just Rs.100 to Rs.400, she adds.

Used books need not essentially have dog-eared pages, cracked spines and scratched covers. The collections are so eclectic that book lovers are seen lost browsing through the pages of old books neatly exhibited.

The seller-speak for novels, memoirs, whodunits, quiz books, classics, encyclopaedias, coffee-table books, pulp fiction, foreign magazines and sometimes, rare first editions.

“For book lovers, it’s an opportunity to discover new books and browse through used books. One can spy out many books that are out of print,” says S. Tejaswi, a resident of Krishnalanka.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by G.V.R. Subba Rao / Vijayawada – January 04th, 2014

Andhra Natyam performance by Kala Krishna and troupe, Kuchipudi dance ballet by Pasumarthi Ramalinga Sastry and troupe and fusion music concert by Raghu Koushi and troupe are the events to be performed on the main dais of ‘Kakinada Beach Festival’ to be held at Vakalapudi beach on the city outskirts from January 10.

On the first day, Mr. Kala Krishna, a disciple of the late Nataraja Ramakrishna will perform ‘Andhra Natyam,’ a dance form that was born in East Godavari district centuries ago.

Fusion music concert

On the second day, Mr. Ramalinga Sastry, dean, Kuchipudi dance in Hyderabad Central University, will perform Kuchipudi dance ballet along with his troupe, while the fusion music concert will mark the valedictory of the festival on January 12. Along with these programmes, folk arts will be performed by the hereditary artistes in the beach and several competitions will be conducted for women and the youth. Arrangements are in place for conducting a fashion show on the sidelines of the festival.

Competitions will be conducted in sports and quiz events.

Further details can be had from phone numbers 95507-29892 and 94411-08150.

The last date for registrations is January 10.

Prizes will be presented to the winners and certificates will be presented to all the participants.

‘Kakinada Beach Festival’ will be held at Vakalapudi beach on outskirts of Kakinada from January 10 to 12

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Kakinada – January 10th, 2014