Chiranjeevi bids emotional farewell to Kota Srinivasa Rao at his funeral, watch

Chiranjeevi pays tribute to late Kota Srinivasa Rao

Veteran Telugu actor and former BJP MLA Kota Srinivasa Rao, widely regarded as one of Indian cinema’s most versatile and commanding screen presences, passed away at the age of 83 in Hyderabad on Sunday due to age-related ailments.

The well-known actor, who had been ill for a while, passed away early at home, according to sources in the film industry.

Tributes poured in from all directions during Kota Srinivasa Rao's last journey. During the actor's funeral, Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi bowed his head solemnly in front of the portrait and placed a wreath of red roses on the mortal remains as a sign of respect. He also offered consolation and condolences to members of the bereaved family.

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Actor Prakash Raj was spotted at the late actor's home earlier in the day, where he comforted the family before discreetly departing in front of the media.

The impact Srinivasa Rao has had on Indian cinema is enormous. He starred in over 750 Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi films during his illustrious four-decade career.

In 1978, he made his cinematic debut in Pranam Khareedu, which also happened to be the film that started Chiranjeevi's career. He later starred in important films like Pratighatana, Satruvu, Ahana Pellanta, Hello Brother, Money, and Ram Gopal Varma's famous Siva and Gaayam. He became a mainstay in both villainous and character roles thanks to his performances, which frequently struck a balance between menace and nuance.

Kota Srinivasa Rao, who was awarded the coveted Padma Shri, also left his mark in politics as a BJP MLA from 1999 to 2004 who represented the Vijayawada East constituency.

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Condolences were sent by people from all walks of life. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan all expressed their deep sorrow over the loss. At his home, senior BJP officials also paid their respects, including former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu.

Jr. NTR, D. Suresh Babu, Murali Mohan, and numerous others from the film industry lamented the passing of a real legend. A close friend of the actor, Sivaji Raja, told PTI that after the actor's younger brother, Kota Sankar Rao, gets to Hyderabad, the funeral plans will start.