Here are ten key things to know about the renowned Telugu poet Sri Sri (Srirangam Srinivasa Rao):
- Sri Sri (1910-1983) was a pioneering modern Telugu poet who moved poetry away from traditional mythological themes to reflect contemporary issues affecting common people.
- His seminal anthology Maha Prasthanam is considered one of his major works, featuring poems like “Jagannathuni Ratha Chakralu” that addressed social injustices.
- Sri Sri introduced free verse into his socially conscious poetry and utilized a fresh style and meter not used in classical Telugu poetry before.
- He was deeply influenced by Western writers like Edgar Allan Poe and Jean-Paul Sartre, as well as Russian revolutionary poets.
- Sri Sri was known for his to-the-point, rousing poetry that did not sugarcoat with unnecessary metaphors. He had a great sense of humor too, as seen in poems like “Rukkulu”.
- The 1980 film Aakali Rajyam had a strong undercurrent of Sri Sri’s poetry, with Kamal Haasan’s character reciting lines that symbolized youth angst.
- Sri Sri wrote over 1000 song lyrics for Telugu films, making him one of the best film songwriters in India. His patriotic song “Telugu Veera Levaraa” from the film Alluri Sitarama Raju is a classic.
- He received a National Film Award, Nandi Award, Sahitya Akademi Award, and was a member of Pen India, Sahitya Academy, and president of the Revolutionary Writers Association of Andhra.
- Sri Sri’s centenary celebrations in 2010 featured a Kuchipudi dance drama that interpreted several of his songs, choreographed by Koka Vijayalakshmi.
- Though he wrote a lot of film songs later in life, Sri Sri felt cinema was controlled by capitalists and art was sacrificed for money. He wanted writers to collectively control cinema for real progress.
