Kannada filmmaker Vijay Reddy of ‘Gandada Gudi’ fame passes away at 87

Vijay Reddy was admitted to Chennai’s Apollo Hospital a few days ago and he died on Friday evening after a prolonged illness.
Vijay Reddy
Vijay Reddy
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Renowned Kannada filmmaker Vijay Reddy died on Friday evening after prolonged illness. He was 87 years old. 

He was residing in Chennai, which he always called his “home”. He passed away in Apollo Hospital around 6 pm on Friday due to multiple organ failure, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce President DR Jairaj told TNM. 

One of the most prolific filmmakers of the 70s and 80s, Vijaya Reddy has directed some of the most famous Kannada films including Gandada Gudi and Badavara Bandhu starring Dr Rajukumar. 

Born in Tadepalligudem of West Godavari, he made his debut in films after working as an assistant editor to B Vittalacharya for the film Mane Tumbida Hennu in 1953. In 1970, he directed his first film Rangamahal Rahsya, which became a hit. However, his next two films Modala Ratri and CowBoy Kulla, did not receive good response.

Vijay Reddy became a sensation after he directed Dr Rajkumar’s 150th film Gandada Gudi. One of the most iconic films in Sandalwood, the film surrounds the sandalwood mafia.  

Vijay Reddy then went on to direct the next five films that Dr Rajkumar acted in, and all of them were hits at the box office. The films Sri Srinivasa Kalyana, Maurya, Naa Ninna Mareyalaare, Badavara Bandhu and Sannadi Appanna, are some of Sandalwood’s greatest films of all time, which he directed. He even directed movies in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. In Telugu, he debuted with Srimathi

He is also credited with giving Shankar Nag his image of “the angry young man” with the film Auto Raja in 1980. He cast Aarati and Ananth Nag in Mullina Gulabi, which was also a hit. His film starring Ananth Nag titled Naa Ninna Bidalare, a horror film released in 1979, became a superhit.

Dr Rajkumar’s son Puneet Rajkumar in a tweet said, “Vijay Reddy, who directed my father's unforgettable films, Gandhaga Gudi, Mayura, Naan Nee Mareyalaare and several others, has passed away. I am fortunate to have acted in his film Bhakta Prahlada. May his soul rest in peace.”

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