Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao, Indian director, screenwriter, and choreographer
Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao (born 23 May 1942) is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter and choreographer, known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema besides having directed a few Hindi films. He has garnered seven state Nandi Awards, the IIFA Award, the SIIMA Award, five Filmfare Awards South and two CineMAA Awards. In a film career spanning more than five decades, Rao has directed more than a hundred feature films, of which around ninety were box office hits, across multiple genres such as romantic comedy, fantasy, melodrama, action thriller, biographical and romance films.Rao received the state Nandi Award for Best Director for his works such as Bobbili Brahmanna (1984), and Pelli Sandadi (1996). He garnered the Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu for the drama film Prema Lekhalu (1977), the super natural fantasy film, Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990), and the romance film Allari Priyudu (1993). Rao is known for his works in hagiographical films such as Annamayya (1997), which won two National Film Awards, and was also showcased at the 1998 International Film Festival of India in the mainstream section. Rao also received the Nandi Award for Best Direction, the Filmfare Award for Best Direction for his work in the film. His other hagiographic works such as Sri Manjunatha (2001), Sri Ramadasu (2006), Shirdi Sai (2012) and Om Namo Venkatesaya (2017), received several state honors.

His mainstream works such as the 1987 Social problem film Agni Putrudu, and the 1988 action thriller Aakhari Poratam, were screened at the 11th and 12th International Film Festival of India respectively in the mainstream section. In 1992, he directed the melodrama Gharana Mogudu, premiered at the 1993 International Film Festival of India in the mainstream section, which became the first Telugu film to gross over ₹ 10 crore at the box office. Next, he directed the instant hit Allari Priyudu, which was also premiered at the 1994 International Film Festival of India in the mainstream section.