C. Umamaheswara Rao

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C. Umamaheswara Rao is an Indian film director, screenwriter, aesthetician, and producer who has worked mainly in Telugu cinema. Born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, he has also written and directed television serials for Doordarshan and is active as a social and cultural activist.

Career highlights:
- Ankuram (1992): A human rights-themed film that won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. Rao also won the Nandi Award for Best Director for Ankuram.
- Sreekaram (1996): Won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film.
- Other works span Telugu and Malayalam cinema, including Sindhoora (Malayalam, 1992), Mounam (Telugu, 1995), Surya Putrulu (Telugu, 1996), Avuna (Telugu, 2003) and Itlu Amma (Telugu, 2021).
- Documentaries and telefilms: He created the documentary Stree about the exploitation of Indian women and made telefilms such as Hamsafar (Hindi) and Manchu Bomma (Telugu). He has also produced numerous short films on film aesthetics.

Other contributions:
- Rao founded the Center for New Perspectives in Film and Media in Hyderabad.
- He started the Dadasaheb Phalke School of Film and Media, with an advisory board that includes industry figures like Allu Aravind, Vijayendra Prasad, Resool Pookutty, Madhu Ambat, Neelakanta, Sreekar Prasad, Indraganti Mohan Krishna, and Paruchuri Bros.
- He has served on numerous juries and festival committees, including:
- Chairman of the West panel for the National Film Awards (2019)
- Jury member for the Oscars Indian Entry Selections (2020)
- Jury and festival roles with the AP State Awards Committee and UNESCO Ladli Awards

Selected filmography (as director):
- Pula Pallaki (1986, Telugu)
- Padandi Munduku (1987, Telugu)
- Ankuram (1992, Telugu)
- Sindhoora (1992, Malayalam)
- Mounam (1995, Telugu)
- Surya Putrulu (1996, Telugu)
- Srikaram (1996, Telugu)
- Avuna (2003, Telugu)
- Itlu Amma (2021, Telugu)

Personal life:
- Spouse: Durga Bhavani
- Children: Nandan Babu, Anand Babu, Pramod Babu, Vinod Babu