[2] Govinda Rao's adopted father was involved with the traditional shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh, tholu bommalata.
His acting troupe performed the play Keechaka Vadham, traditionally depicted using leather puppets, as a live drama.
When the family started growing in numbers, the daughters with their husbands began establishing their own theatre groups, reaching up to 50, before dwindling to five in 2003.
[2] The biggest of these sub-groups was established in 1937 by Subhadramma, Govinda Rao's fifth daughter, and her husband R. Venkatarao, named Sri Venkateshwara Natya Mandali,[2] in Jimidipeta village of Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.
[citation needed] Under the direction of B. V. Karanth, the organization performed three plays: Bhishma (1996), a Telugu adaptation of Dwijendralal Ray's play of the same name, organized by the National School of Drama; Chandi Priya (1997), which spoke for women's rights and capabilities, by Alarippu, a New Delhi-based organization; and Basthi Devatha Yaadamma, an adaptation of The Good Person of Szechwan by Bertolt Brecht, in 1998.