After the release of "Devadasu" (1953), Akkineni Nageswara Rao wanted to trade his tragic-romantic-hero image for a comic role in "Missamma", and was cast as the detective A. K. Raju. Nageswara Rao reportedly accepted the role for financial reasons, until he said that "Missamma" was the only film of his career that he lobbied to participate in. Gummadi was recommended to Chakrapani by Madhavapeddi Venkatramaiah. After auditioning other actors, Chakrapani asked Gummadi to make a cameo appearance as an interviewer. He received 5001,000 for a day's work, a generous salary for the time; actors in major film roles received 2,000 for 20 days of work. Chakrapani justified Gummadi's salary by saying that the actor's family included three children who had moved to Madras (now Chennai). For a photoshoot, Rama Rao lent Gummadi his coat and placed a tilaka on his forehead.