Veteran Actor And Former BJP MLA Kota Srinivasa Rao Dies At 83 After Prolonged Illness

Veteran Telugu actor Kota Srinivasa Rao breathed his last at 4 am today, July 13. Also a former BJP MLA and Padma Shri awardee, the actor passed away at the age of 83 due to prolonged illness and age-related issues. He has featured in nearly 750 films across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi languages. Kota Srinivasa Rao celebrated his 83rd birthday just two days before his passing. 

Kota Srinivasa Rao is survived by his wife, Rukmini and two daughters. He also had a son, Kota Venkata Anjaneya Prasad, who passed away in a tragic road accident in Hyderabad in 2010. Details of his last rites are yet to be made public. His colleagues, fans, and celebrities have shared heartfelt tributes on the passing of the industry's legend.

Who was Kota Srinivasa Rao? 

Kota Srinivasa Rao is one of the most celebrated actors in the Telugu and other regional film industries. The actor has proved his mettle in over 750 movies by playing villainous roles, character roles and comic roles. His iconic performances include films like Siva, Gaayam, Money, Satruvu, Aha Naa Pellanta, Bommarillu, Athadu, Rakta Charitra, Leader, S/O Satyamurthy, and Attarintiki Daredi. In 2003, he made his Tamil debut in the movie Saamy. He played the antagonist, Perumal Pichai, a character who has been immortalised.

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In 2015, Kota Srinivasa Rao was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours. Over the years, the veteran actor has also been conferred with over nine Nandi Awards.

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Andhra Pradesh CM mourns demise of Kota Srinivasa Rao

The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu, took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to share a photo of Kota Srinivasa Rao. He shared the photo with the caption, “The demise of the renowned actor Kota Srinivasa Rao, who won the affection of cinema audiences with his versatile roles, is deeply saddening. 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. 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."

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Kota Srinivasa Rao also served as a BJP MLA from the Vijayawada East Assembly constituency from 1999 to 2004.