Kethineni Ajay Kumar

# K. Ajay Kumar

K. Ajay Kumar (whose real name is Kethineni Ankа Rao) is an Indian film director who worked primarily in the Telugu film industry. He is best known for directing *Mathru Devo Bhava*, released in 1993, which received tremendous appreciation from audiences.

## Early Life and Education

Ajay Kumar was born on March 1, 1954, in Pedakondapalem village, Vinukonda taluk, in Guntur district. His parents were Kethineni Kotaiah and Anjamma. He had two brothers, Prasad Rao and Rama Rao. His elder brother, Prasad Rao, was adopted by their maternal grandmother's family.

He studied up to the tenth grade in Santamavuluru, his maternal grandmother's village. He completed his matriculation in Narasaraopet and earned his degree from J.K.C. College (Jagarlamudi Kuppuswamy College) in Guntur. From his school and college days, he was passionate about writing plays, directing them, and acting in them.

While studying for his matriculation in Narasaraopet, he frequently visited Satyanarayana Talkies, where he learned film projection and operation. Noticing his intense interest in cinema, his father forcibly took him to Guntur and arranged for him to continue his education under the supervision of their relative, Lecturer Koteswara Rao.

After completing his degree, he tried to secure a Sub-Inspector (SI) position through the assistance of then state minister Chebrolu Hanumaiah, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Later, when his friends were studying Chartered Accountancy (CA) in Madras, he obtained permission from his family to pursue the same course and moved there. Although he told his family that he was going to study CA, his primary ambition was to enter the film industry by any means possible.

## Film Career

### As an Assistant Director

While studying CA in Madras, Ajay Kumar became acquainted with an auditor named Ramamohana Rao, who handled auditing work for prominent film personalities. On his recommendation, Ajay Kumar began his film career as an apprentice assistant director under renowned filmmaker K. Raghavendra Rao for the film *Nippulanti Nijam*.

He subsequently joined the direction department of V. Madhusudhana Rao and worked on films featuring Shoban Babu, including *Mr. Vijay*, *Jebu Donga*, and *Jeevitha Chakram*. Later, he joined A. Kodandarami Reddy as an associate director and worked on approximately ten films, including *Sandhya*, *Abhilasha*, *Challenge*, and *Rakshasudu*.

### As a Director

While working on several films under the Creative Commercials banner owned by K. S. Ramarao, Ajay Kumar's talent came to the producer's attention. Ramarao gave him an opportunity to direct *Konguchatu Krishnudu*. The film was a good success.

Soon afterward, Ajay Kumar was entrusted with directing the Telugu remake of the successful Malayalam film *Akashadoothu*. The Telugu version was titled *Mathru Devo Bhava*. Adaptations were made to suit Telugu culture and audiences, and the film became a sensational success in Telugu, winning an even more enthusiastic response than its Malayalam original.

The song “Ralipoye Puvva Neeku Ragalen d uke,” written by Veturi Sundararama Murthy for the film, received a National Award.

Another notable event in his career was the screening of his film *Preminchanu Ninne*, produced by Chadalavada Srinivasa Rao. The film's first show was attended by Farooq Abdullah, then Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir; N. Chandrababu Naidu, then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh; and Ramoji Rao, chairman of the Ramoji Group. They watched the film at Sudarshan Theatre on RTC Cross Roads in Hyderabad.