Veteran actor Kota Srinivasa Rao passes away

Veteran actor-politician Kota Srinivasa Rao, who played character roles in movies, left for the heavenly abode in the Indian state of Hyderabad on Sunday (July 13). 

He was 83 years old. Reportedly, Rao was undergoing treatment for a prolonged illness.

Rao died due to age-related ailments at his residence in Film Nagar. Regarded as one of the finest actors of all-time in Telugu cinema, Kota Srinivasa Rao navigated through many roles that enthralled the audiences in his illustrious career spanning over four decades.

Celebrities like Chiranjeevi and Mahesh Babu have mourned his loss on social media.

Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi took to X to mourn the loss of Kota Srinivasa Rao. Chiranjeevi penned a lengthy note while paying tribute to the late actor. In his tweet, he mentioned that his demise has "deeply saddened" him.

Chiranjeevi remembered how both of them started their respective careers with the Telugu film Pranam Khareedu in 1978.

"...Be it a comedic villain, a serious villain, or a supporting character, every role he played was performed with such brilliance that it felt only he could do it justice. Recently, the personal tragedy in his family deeply affected him mentally," an excerpt from his tweet reads.

He added, "The void left by an actor like Sri Kota Srinivasa Rao is one that the film industry and cinephiles will never overcome. Praying for peace to his soul, I express my profound condolences to his family members, well-wishers, and fans."

Mahesh Babu also posted a heartfelt note after learning about Kota Srinivasa Rao's death on X. The actor expressed that this loss feels "personal". "Saddened to hear about the passing of Kota Srinivasa Rao garu.. This loss feels personal to all of us who grew up watching and learning from him…May his soul rest in peace. Sending Strength and prayers to his family," Mahesh Babu tweeted.

Kota Srinivasa Rao was a theatre artiste and was part of several stage plays during his college time. Soon, he quit his job at a bank and made his film debut with Pranam Khareedu in 1978. Soon he featured in super hit films like Vande Mataram, Pratighatana, Tandra Paparayudu, Repati Pourulu and Santhi Nivasam. But he got his first major breakthrough with the film Aha Na Pellanta (1987). Kota Srinivasa Rao’s role as ‘miser father’ Lakshmipathi struck a chord with the audiences. His next big break came with the film ‘Sri Kanaka Maalakshmi Recording Dance Troop in the same year. Since then, he hasn’t looked back.