Legendary filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao passes away at 94 in Chennai

Legendary filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao died in Chennai on Saturday night following age-related complications at the age of 94.

Tributes

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, megastar Chiranjeevi, and several other film personalities condoled his demise. Revanth Reddy stated that Rao's contributions to the film industry would be remembered forever and offered condolences to the bereaved family. Chiranjeevi described the departed director as a true visionary whose imagination and courage gave Indian cinema some of its most unforgettable films. Pawan Kalyan highlighted Rao's creativity and experiments in films such as 'Mayuri', 'Aditya 369', 'Vichitra Sodarulu', 'Pushpaka Vimanam', and 'Michael Madana Kamaraju', noting that songs in his movies like 'America Ammayi' and 'Pantulamma' were extremely popular. Telugu actor and TDP MLA N Balakrishna recalled that he and Rao created three distinct classics together, namely 'Aditya 369', 'Bhairava Dweepam' which was the first computer graphics-driven film in Telugu, and 'Sri Krishnarjuna Vijayam'. Balakrishna noted that Rao worked as an associate for many films starring his father N T Rama Rao, creating a bond that went far beyond cinema. Additional tributes poured in from actors Jr NTR, Mahesh Babu, Vijay Deverakonda, and Vishnu Manchu, alongside filmmaker Bobby, who praised his timeless legacy and fearless imagination across Indian cinema.

Context

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao directed path-breaking movies across multiple Indian languages and genres throughout a career spanning several decades. Directors of his stature shape regional cinema by pushing technical boundaries and experimenting with new storytelling formats long before mainstream trends catch up.