Auto Raja (1980 film)
Auto Raja is a 1980 Indian Kannada language film directed by Vijay. The film stars Shankar Nag and Gayathri. It had Dwarakeesh, Balakrishna and Leelavathi playing supporting roles. The music of the film was composed by Rajan–Nagendra. The film was remade in 1981 in Telugu as Taxi Driver starring Krishnam Raju and in 1982 in Tamil with the same name starring Vijayakanth. The film, acquired a cult status over years,[1] and popularised Shankar Nag, previously popular only among the elite, among the masses.[2]
| Auto Raja | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Vijay |
| Written by | M. D. Sundar |
| Screenplay by | M. D. Sundar |
| Produced by | C. Jayaram |
| Starring | Shankar Nag Gayathri |
| Cinematography | S. V. Srikanth |
| Edited by | P. Bhaktavatsalam |
| Music by | Rajan–Nagendra |
| Distributed by | Sapthaswara Movie Makers |
Release date | 1980 |
Running time | 140 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Kannada |
Cast
- Shankar Nag as Raja
- Gayathri as Rani / Bhavani
- Dwarakish
- Balakrishna as Dr Dinakar, Sudhakar's father
- Thoogudeepa Srinivas as Bhaskar Rao, Bhavani's father
- Sundar Krishna Urs as Sudhakar
- Tiger Prabhakar as Rodrigues
- Leelavathi as Mahalakshmi, Bhavani's mother
- Musuri Krishnamurthy as Mahalinga
- Padma as Sudha, Raja's sister
- K. S. Ashwath
- Papamma as Raja and Sudha's mother
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack was composed by the famed duo Rajan–Nagendra with lyrics penned by Chi. Udayashankar.
| Track# | Song | Singer(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Hosa Baalu" | S. Janaki | |
| 2 | "Nanna Aase Hannagi" | S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 4:19 |
| 3 | "Paramaathma Aadisidante" | S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, Ramani | |
| 4 | "Naliva Gulabi Hoove" | S.P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:05 |
Legacy
Shankar Nag, who acted in the role of Raja, the humble auto driver, is credited with bringing a certain dignity to the profession of auto rickshaw drivers.[3] Three decades after the movie release too, Shankar Nag's photo adorns auto rickshaws across Karnataka.[4]
References
- "A high for city's 'Auto Rajas'". Bangalore Mirror. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- Sharadhaa, A (5 June 2013). "When autokaarans grab all the limelight". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- "Auto Raja's birth anniversary a memorable affair". The Hindu. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- Khajane, Muralidhara (29 September 2015). "The iconic Auto Raja". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2021.