C. Aswani Dutt Explained

C. Aswani Dutt
Birth Name:Chalasani Aswani Dutt
Birth Date:15 September 1950
Birth Place:Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India
Occupation:Film producer
Organization:Vyjayanthi Movies
Spouse:Vinaya Kumari
Children:3 including Swapna Dutt, Priyanka Dutt
Party:Telugu Desam Party
Awards:National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu - Mahanati (2018)

Chalasani Aswani Dutt (also spelled Ashwini Dutt; born 15 September 1950) is an Indian film producer known for his work in the Telugu cinema.[1] [2] He established the film production company Vyjayanthi Movies in 1974, one of the biggest production houses in the Telugu film industry. In a career spanning nearly five decades, he has produced over 40 films with a majority of them in Telugu and a few in Hindi and Tamil languages.[3] [4] [5] He is known for producing big-budget films that have lavish production values.[6]

He also contested for the Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency in the year 2004 General Elections as a Telugu Desam Party candidate.

Early and personal life

Aswani Dutt was born into a well-to-do family in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. His father was a contractor and the sole distributor for Kalinga Pipes in the state for many years. He completed his graduation.[7] Jandhyala, who would later go on to become a noted film director and screenwriter, was Aswani Dutt's childhood friend. They were classmates from fourth standard till their graduation and lived in neighbouring houses.[8] [9]

He has three daughters Priyanka Dutt, Swapna Dutt and Sravanthi Dutt. Priyanka is married to film director Nag Ashwin who previously directed the film Yevade Subramanyam (2015).[10]

Film career

Dutt started his film career as an executive producer for the black-and-white film O Seetha Katha (1974) directed by K. Viswanath.[11] He wanted to produce a film with his favourite actor N. T. Rama Rao (NTR) and approached him. Named by NTR after the garland which is in Lord Krishna’s neck, Vyjayanthi Movies commenced production, under the proprietorship of Aswani Dutt.[12] The logo of the production house contains the image of NTR as Lord Sri Krishna, with a Sankha in his hand and Earth behind him. The first film produced under Vyjayanthi Movies banner was Eduruleni Manishi (1975) starring NTR and Vanisri.

The production house went on to make films with the biggest stars of Telugu cinema: NTR, ANR, Krishna, Sobhan Babu, Krishnam Raju, Chiranjeevi, Balakrishna, Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, Pawan Kalyan, Mahesh Babu, Ram Charan, Jr. NTR, Prabhas. They also worked with Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Dulquer Salman.[13] Many of the films produced by Vyjayanthi Movies were directed by K. Bapayya and K. Raghavendra Rao.

Vyjayanthi Movies also has subsidiary banners Three Angels Studio, Swapna Cinema run by Aswani Dutt's daughters Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt. Of late, his daughters take care of the production part of the films produced by their production house, while the music is handled Aswani Dutt.[14]

Vyjayanthi Movies had a successful run until it hit a rough patch with Sakthi in 2011. After this, Aswani Dutt took a seven-year hiatus. He produced Mahanati in 2018 which became one of the highest-grossing films of the year.

Dutt mentions Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990) as his most favourite among all the films that he produced.

Shelved projects

After the success of Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990), Dutt wanted to do fantasy film highlighting the CGI. So a film titled Bhooloka Veerudu was started in the direction of Singeetam Srinivasa Rao with Chiranjeevi in the lead role. After completing two schedules, they realized that they didn't have a proper story in hand and hence shelved the film.

Ram Gopal Varma narrated a story to Aswani Dutt which he liked. Varma was making Daud at that time and felt that the shooting of Daud might be stalled due to Sanjay Dutt's legal issues. So Varma narrated the story to Aswani Dutt and Chiranjeevi which they liked. Aswani Dutt started the project with Chiranjeevi as the lead in the direction of Ram Gopal Varma.[15] After Sanjay Dutt's release, the shooting of Daud resumed. Then Aswani Dutt realized that the storylines for these two films are similar. As he was not comfortable in doing a film which had the same storyline to another film, he stalled the project.

Filmography

Films produced under Vyjayanti Movies banner.

YearFilmNotes
1975Eduruleni ManishiDebut in Telugu cinema
1978Yuga Purushudu
1981Guru Sishyulu
1983Adavi Simhalu
1985Agni Parvatam
1986Brahma Rudrulu
1988Aakhari Poratam
1990Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari
1992Aswamedham
1994Govinda Govinda
Subhalagnam
1998Choodalani Vundi
1999Rajakumarudu
Ravoyi Chandamama
2000Azad
2001Premakke SaiDebut in Kannada cinema
2002CompanyDebut in Hindi cinema
Indra
2005Balu ABCDEFG
Subhash Chandra Bose
Jai Chiranjeeva
2006Sainikudu
2007Chirutha
2008KathanayakuduMade simultaneously with Kuselan
Kantri
2011Shakthi
2018Mahanati
Devadas
2019Maharshi
2022Sita Ramam
2024Kalki 2898 AD

Swapna Cinema

Release YearFilm Name
2001Student No.1
2002Okato Number Kurraadu
2015Yevade Subramanyam
2018Mahanati
2021Jathi Ratnalu
2022Sita Ramam
2023Anni Manchi Sakunamule

Raghavendra Movie Corporation, Siri Media Arts, and United Producers (Aswani Dutt, Allu Aravind, and K. Raghavendra Rao)

Release YearFilm Name
1996Pelli Sandadi
1997Mere Sapno Ki Rani (Hindi)
1998Paradesi
Ninaithen Vandhai (Tamil)
2003Pellam Oorelithe
Gangotri
Calcutta Mail (Hindi)
2004Intlo Srimathi Veedhilo Kumari

Sri Priyanka Pictures

Roja Art Productions

References

  1. Web site: Jonnalagedda . Pranita . 2016-12-19 . Dil Raju, Ashwini Dutt for Mahesh Babu . 2022-09-03 . Deccan Chronicle . en . 10 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181210203118/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/191216/dil-raju-ashwini-dutt-for-mahesh-babu.html . live .
  2. Web site: 2016-12-30 . Director Vamshi Paidipally lands in soup for Mahesh Babu’s next . 2022-09-03 . The Indian Express . en . 10 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181210202735/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/director-vamshi-paidipally-lands-in-soup-for-mahesh-babus-next-4451519/ . live .
  3. Web site: 2 December 2004 . Aswini Dutt - Producer of Vyjayanthi banner - Interview by Jeevi . 2022-09-03 . . Aswini Dutt, who is been[sic] one of the most consistent and successful film producer during spanning period over 27 years .... . 3 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220903181414/http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/interview-aswinidutt.html . live .
  4. Web site: Interview of Producer C Ashwini Dutt about Sita Ramam . 2022-09-03 . Ragalahari . en . 3 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220903181414/https://www.ragalahari.com/celebrity-interview/1931/interview-of-producer-c-ashwini-dutt-about-sita-ramam . live .
  5. Web site: 17 August 2002 . Interview with Aswini Dutt by Jeevi . 2022-09-03 . . Aswini Dutt, the man behind Telugu Cinema's one of the prestigious banners - Vyjayanthi Movies, is a senior most producer of Telugu film industry. He has produced blockbusters with all the stars of Telugu Cinema ranging from NTR to Taraka Rathnaa. . 3 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220903181416/http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/inter_aswinidutt1.html . live .
  6. News: Mary . S. B. Vijaya . 2020-05-07 . Celebrating 30 years of the Chiranjeevi-Sridevi Telugu blockbuster ‘Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari’ . en-IN . The Hindu . 2022-09-03 . 0971-751X . Vyjayanthi Movies, known for big budget and lavish productions had a successful run, till it hit a rough patch with Shakti in 2011. . 13 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201013080042/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/celebrating-30-years-of-the-chiranjeevi-sridevi-telugu-blockbuster-jagadeka-veerudu-athiloka-sundari/article31524731.ece . live .
  7. Web site: 17 August 2002 . Interview with Aswini Dutt by Jeevi . 2022-09-03 . Idlebrain.com . 3 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220903181416/http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/inter_aswinidutt1.html . live .
  8. From 2:05 to 3:02
  9. News: Mary . S. B. Vijaya . 2020-05-07 . Celebrating 30 years of the Chiranjeevi-Sridevi Telugu blockbuster ‘Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari’ . en-IN . The Hindu . 2022-09-03 . 0971-751X . The late Jandhyala, who Ashwini Dutt informs, was his classmate from Kindergarten to SSLC, worked wonders with his trademark humour in the dialogues. . 13 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201013080042/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/celebrating-30-years-of-the-chiranjeevi-sridevi-telugu-blockbuster-jagadeka-veerudu-athiloka-sundari/article31524731.ece . live .
  10. Web site: 7 December 2015 . Ashwini Dutt's daughter Priyanka Dutt marries director Nag Ashwin . 2022-09-03 . DNA India . en . 3 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220903192726/https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-ashwini-dutt-s-daughter-priyanka-dutt-marries-director-nag-ashwin-2152884 . live .
  11. News: Mary . S. B. Vijaya . 2020-05-07 . Celebrating 30 years of the Chiranjeevi-Sridevi Telugu blockbuster 'Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari' . en-IN . The Hindu . 2020-08-09 . 0971-751X . 13 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201013080042/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/celebrating-30-years-of-the-chiranjeevi-sridevi-telugu-blockbuster-jagadeka-veerudu-athiloka-sundari/article31524731.ece . live .
  12. Web site: 2016-11-24 . Story Behind 'Vyjayanthi' Name Finally Revealed . 2022-09-12 . Mirchi9 . en-US . 29 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230629105502/https://www.mirchi9.com/movienews/story-behind-ashwini-dutt-vyjayanthi-movies-name/ . live .
  13. Web site: 6 August 2003 . Interview with Aswini Dutt by Jeevi . 2022-09-03 . . Aswini Dutt, the man behind Telugu Cinema's one of the prestigious banners - Vyjayanthi Movies, is a senior most producer of Telugu film industry. He has produced blockbusters with all the stars of Telugu Cinema ranging from NTR to NTR. . 18 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221118113337/https://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/inter_aswinidutt2.html . live .
  14. Web site: 2022-07-28 . Interview : Ashwini Dutt – Dulquer did a convincing job in Sita Ramam . 2022-09-03 . 123Telugu.com . en . 3 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220903181406/https://www.123telugu.com/interviews/interview-ashwini-dutt-dulquer-did-a-convincing-job-in-sita-ramam.html . live .
  15. Web site: 21 November 1997 . అశ్వనీదత్ చిత్రానికి దర్శకుడు మారాడు! . . 9 . te . 29 June 2023 . 11 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221111010335/http://www.zaminryot.com/pdf/1997/Nov/21-Nov-1997.pdf . live .