Veteran Actor Kota Srinivasa Rao No More

Kota Srinivasa Rao – In Tollywood, he is a brand for acting. There are many actors, but Kota Srinivasa Rao truly lived through his performances. There are numerous examples to prove that he didn’t just act in his roles, but fully lived them. One such example is his portrayal of a paralyzed man in the film Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu, which left viewers stunned because his performance was so realistic. Not only in acting but also in delivering dialogues according to the character, Kota had a unique style. All these qualities together established him as a distinctive actor in Tollywood. It’s no ordinary feat that he acted in over 750 roles. Kota Srinivasa Rao, who had been suffering from health issues for some time, passed away at 4 a.m. on Sunday. He was 83 years old. As a comedian, politician, or miserly character – whatever role he was given, he completely embodied it. So much so that no one else could play such roles as effectively as Kota Srinivasa Rao. His roles in films like Pratighatana, Aha Naa Pellanta, Ganesh, Gaayam, Money, Hello Brother were highly special in his career.

There are many more such roles. In Telugu, his last appearance was in the 2023 film Suvarna Sundari. He acted in over 30 Tamil films, 10 Hindi films, 8 Kannada films, and 1 film each in Malayalam and Deccan languages. He even sang songs occasionally. Coming to politics, in 1999, representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he won as MLA from Vijayawada East constituency and earned a reputation as a good leader through his public service. Later, he retired from politics and focused solely on films. He received 9 Nandi Awards from the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh government in categories such as Best Villain, Best Character Artist, and Best Comedian. For his contribution to the film industry, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, in 2015. Tollywood is drowned in grief over the demise of Kota Srinivasa Rao.