That Resemblance With NTR Helped Kaikala Much

Legendary actor Kaikala Satyanarayana breathed his last at 87 today due to age-related ailments when he retired from films a decade ago. After joining a theatre group while studying Intermediate in Vijayawada, Kaikala made it to films and debuted as a hero with movie “Sipayi Koothuru” in 1959. But then, it is not this film’s success that helped him actually to survive in the Madras-centric Telugu film industry. 

Though Kaikala has bagged many big opportunities post his debut, his close resemblance to NTR made him act like a dupe for the legendary actor. As Kaikala did a guest role in Apoorva Sirascheda Sahasra Chintamani, NTR found out that he has a stunning screen presence in the role of a prince. Later when the director of that film SD Lal started making many folklore movies with NTR, Satyanarayana became a must-actor in those movies.

From acting as NTR’s dupe in the film Ramudu-Bheemudu to acting as a villain to NTR in many films. However, director Vitalacharya is the first one to cast Satyanarayana as a villain in Kanaka Durga Puja Mahima opposite Kanta Rao in 1960 itself. But the association of NTR-Kaikala went ahead for almost 101 films, and he even joined Telugu Desam Party to contest on an MP ticket successfully from Machilipatnam.

In 1990 he has even produced films, starting with Megastar Chiranjeevi’s Kodama Simham. Kaikala won lots of awards for his work including Raghupathi Venkaiah Award in 2011.