Legendary film director Srinivasa Rao passes away at 95

Director Srinivasa Rao has passed away at the age of 95 in a private hospital in Chennai due to age-related health issues. He directed over 60 films in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi during a long career known for bold experiments and diverse stories. He was born on September 21, 1931, in Udayagiri, Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh. His father Ramachandra Rao was a headmaster and his mother Shakunthalabai was a violin player. He completed his tenth grade in Udayagiri, intermediate in Gudur, and a BSc in Physics from the University of Madras. He started his film career as an assistant director under K.V. Reddy for the film 'Mayabazar' in 1957. He also worked under music director Saluri Rajeshwara Rao. Rao married Lakshmi Kalyani in 1960. They wrote an autobiography titled 'Srikalyaniyam' together. Lakshmi Kalyani passed away in Chennai on May 28, 2022. Their daughter Sudha Karthick translated the book into English, and their grandson Abhinav released it. Rao lived in Saligramam, Chennai, with his family. One of his most famous works is the 1987 silent black comedy film 'Pushpaka Vimana', starring Kamal Haasan, which had no dialogue and won international praise. He directed his final film titled 'Singeetam' at the age of 94. He won two national awards, five Nandi awards, and several Filmfare awards. Film and political leaders expressed their condolences on social media, and his funeral will be held in Chennai.

Context

Srinivasa Rao is remembered as one of Indian cinema's most creative directors who crossed language boundaries to make memorable films. Directors who start as assistants often learn the technical and musical parts of filmmaking deeply, which helps them make lasting art. Such long and active careers in the film industry are rare.