Telugu Actor Kota Srinivasa Rao Dies
Rao made his silver screen debut with ‘Pranam Khareedhu’ in 1978 and acted in over 750 films
Hyderabad: Popular Telugu film actor and former MLA, Kota Srinivasa Rao (83) passed away due to prolonged illness at his residence in Filmnagar in Jubilee Hills here on Sunday.
Rao was famous for his roles especially as villain characters in Telugu films. Born on July 10, 1942, in Kankipadu of Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh, Rao made his silver screen debut with ‘Pranam Khareedhu’ in 1978.
Over a career spanning more than four decades, he acted in over 750 films, leaving a lasting impression with his versatile performances.
His roles in ‘Aha Naa Pellanta!,’ Pratigatana,’ ‘Khaidi Number 786,’ ‘Shiva,’ and ‘Yamaleela,’ brought him fame. He also served as a BJP MLA from Vijayawada East Assembly constituency from 1999 to 2004.
Rao redefined villainy and character roles with his unique acting style. Starting his career as a stage actor, he transitioned into cinema and went on to work with generations of stars — from Superstar Krishna, Chiranjeevi, Balakrishna, Nagarjuna, and Venkatesh to younger stars like Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan, and Sai Dharam Tej.
Telugu cinema mourned the loss of an irreplaceable talent who entertained audiences for decades with his unmatched screen presence.
Expressing grief over the demise of Rao, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said the film industry suffered a major loss following the death of Rao, who impressed the audience with his unique performance. He extended condolences to Rao’s family members.