Chilkuri Sushil Rao

Hell hath no fury like a man scorned. The old saying has been tweaked a bit to describe Konijeti Rosaiah who was all fire and brimstone on this particular occasion.  He was angry. Furious is more like it. Niceties did not matter anymore. He had run out of patience. In fact, his patience was put to test beyond measure. Unreasonably. The senior Congress leader was known to shout his vocal cords dry if it meant he had to convey something to an audience that would not understand what could be understood when explained with simple words and in a matter-of-fact way. He would rip apart anyone with his acerbic tongue, and especially in the assembly, with high decibel levels.   In short, there can never be a dull moment when the seasoned politician takes to the mike to speak. And here was the mike. The whole nation was hooked on to the television. The results of the 1998 parliamentary elections were pouring in. I was associated with a team that was coordinating politicians in Hyd...

  “How does one kill a cockroach?” Jyotirmaya Sharma asked. This was during one of the morning meetings we used to have with him as Resident Editor of The Times of India, Hyderabad. This meeting with heads of departments would not be just about work. Philosophy would always take centre-stage. So, how does one kill a cockroach? Everyone sitting in his chamber for the meeting knew how they killed a cockroach. Jyotirmaya Sharma himself knew how people killed a cockroach. If he had a question, he also had an answer. “If a cockroach has to be killed, just use the little amount of force one would need to,” he said. Beyond that ‘little amount of force’ would mean ‘excessive violence’, is what I understand. That is because some stamp on it. Some stomp on it. Some crush it to death as if with vengeance. More about Jyotirmaya Sharma’s philosophy. He called me aside one day. “Just stand by him. Be his comfort,” he advised me. It was supposed to be the colleague’s last day in office. Jyoti...

"You are a cynical person,” chief minister Nedurumalli Janardhana Reddy said to me with a contemptuous look on his face. Dismissing a question I had posed to him, the former chief minister of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh chided me for asking what he told on my face was a ‘baseless question’. It perhaps was. But there was a need to ask him. And elicit a response. Not that anyone expects that all politicians give all right answers all the time. They are adept at dismissing questions. Ignoring them. Poking fun at them. Digressing and not giving a direct answer. And attributing motives to the person posing the question. Communal clashes had broken out at Musheerabad in Hyderabad. This was unprecedented. Despite such incidents in the old city, Musheerabad was largely incident-free. But not this time. Nedurumalli Janardhana Reddy was chief minister of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh from   December 17, 1990 to October 9, 1992 when the incident occurred. When a communal situa...

When R K Laxman demanded five rupees from me Remembering the legend on his birth centenary  “You have to pay me Rs 5,” R K Laxman told me. Sternly. Firmly. Looking at me straight in the eye. “Of course, of course,” I said reassuring the ‘uncommon man’ as I watched a smile escape his lips. And so, I perched myself on the hand rest of the sofa in which he was sitting. The photograph was clicked. I asked for another click. This time I squatted on the floor. Better.  “Now, you have to pay me Rs 10,” Laxman said. “Because you clicked two photographs when you asked for one!” Laxman said as he guffawed. The world knew his sense of humour. I experienced it directly. No money was paid – needless to mention – it was not expected as R K Laxman was being the best of himself – humorous. We built a rapport because of an incident that had taken place just a few minutes before that. The legendary cartoonist had flown down from Mumbai and walked into my office, The Times of India, Hyderabad ...

                   “Do you know who I am?” he asked. I was amused at the question.  Was I really expected to answer that question?  “Of course. I was there when you performed on stage last night. It was you who was singing for the most part of the concert,” I responded. That, as an answer, should have sufficed. Or so, I thought. “Do you know who you are speaking with?” he asked again. This time, I could notice a bit of amusement on his face. Just what did the question mean. I had spoken to him on the phone from the hotel lobby. He said I could come over and meet him after 45 minutes. After what seemed like hours of waiting – but not wasting time – I rang his door bell. He opened the door. Smiled. It was a warm welcome. He made me feel comfortable. Then I told Kumar Sanu, who was the rage of the country, how his songs from ‘Ashiqui’ were such a huge hit. Obviously, this was the way to start a conversation with the singer who...

              After the fight, a healing touch I was paying keen attention to what he was saying. It was providing an insight into his mind.  We were driving from Koti Women's college to Jubilee Hills. Koti Women's college was a shooting location. We decided to meet at his shooting location for a conversation.   That was good because I could also watch the shooting, how he went about his work, and then I could be on my work - which was to talk to him. Several things struck me. First, the manner in which he addressed everyone on the sets showing due respect to everyone - and also affectionate in responding to greetings. It was a fight sequence. The fight master was ready. To me, it looked like a tough thing to do.  Well, anyway, I was not the one who was acting. So, I waited to see how he would execute the fight. Of course, as a matter of abundant precaution, there was a safety arrangement on the ground. The fight choreographer calle...