Veteran Telugu Actor And Ex BJP MLA Kota Srinivasa Rao Dies At 83

Hyderabad: Three days after his 83rd birthday, Veteran Telugu actor and former BJP MLA from Vijayawada, Kota Srinivasa Rao, passed away due to prolonged illness on Sunday morning at his residence in Film Nagar in Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills.

Born on July 10, 1942, in Kankipadu village, a suburb of Vijayawada city in Andhra Pradesh, Rao had a significant body of work in Telugu cinema and theatre. He marked his debut in 1978 with the Telugu film Pranam Khareedu and never looked back thereafter. The veteran actor starred in over 750 films, including Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam. His last appearance was in the 2023 Telugu movie Suvarna Sundari.

Rao was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, in 2015, along with several other state awards during his prolific career. He served as the MLA from Vijayawada East in Andhra Pradesh from 1999 to 2004.

Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called Rao's demise "deeply saddening" and an "irreparable loss" to the Telugu film industry. In a post on X, Naidu said Rao had won the affection of cinema audiences with his versatile roles.

"His artistic contributions to the fields of cinema and theatre over nearly four decades, and the roles he portrayed, will remain unforgettable. The numerous memorable roles he played as a villain and character artist will forever stay etched in the hearts of Telugu audiences," he said.

"His passing is an irreparable loss to the Telugu film industry. In 1999, he won as an MLA from Vijayawada and served the public. I express my profound condolences to his family members," the Andhra CM said.

Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh also expressed his condolences. "In his four-decade cinematic journey, Kota Srinivasa Rao garu portrayed numerous distinctive roles, earning a special place in the hearts of Telugu audiences. With his unique acting, he breathed life into countless characters. He also earned acclaim for acting in other languages," Lokesh said in his post on X.

In 1999, he won as an MLA from the Vijayawada East constituency and gained recognition as a "good leader" through public service, he noted.

"His passing is an irreparable loss to the Telugu film industry. I pray to God that his sacred soul may find peace. I extend my deepest sympathies to the family members of Kota Srinivasa Rao garu," he said.

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