Sun Jul 13 00:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Veteran Telugu Actor Kota Srinivasa Rao Passes Away at 75
**Hyderabad, India** – Renowned Telugu actor and former MLA Kota Srinivasa Rao passed away at his residence in Hyderabad early Sunday morning, as confirmed by his family. He was 75. Rao had been suffering from age-related ailments for some time.
Kota Srinivasa Rao had a prolific career spanning four decades, during which he acted in over 750 films across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi languages. Known for his versatility, he effortlessly transitioned between negative roles, comedic characters, and character artist roles.
Starting his journey with a dream of becoming a doctor, Rao was drawn to the world of theatre and eventually carved a niche for himself in Telugu cinema. His ability to portray both rustic villains and sophisticated urban antagonists with equal finesse earned him widespread recognition.
Beyond cinema, Kota Srinivasa Rao also had a successful political career, winning the 1999 election as a BJP MLA from Vijayawada East constituency in Andhra Pradesh.
Throughout his career, Rao received numerous accolades including Nandi Awards, SIIMA Awards, and the prestigious Padma Shri in 2015.
His demise has been met with an outpouring of grief from prominent figures in the film and political spheres. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed his condolences, stating, “The death of Kota Srinivasa Rao, a prominent actor who won the hearts of moviegoers with his diverse roles, is saddening. My deepest condolences to his family members.” Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also mourned his loss, calling it an irreparable loss to the film industry. BJP Senior Leader and Union Minister Kishan Reddy also expressed his grief.
Actor Chiranjeevi remembered starting his career with Kota at the same time and lauded him for entertaining Telugu audiences with his unique and distinctive acting style. Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan mourned the loss and spoke about Rao’s command of Telugu language and his ability to embody different roles.
Film personalities such as Manchu Vishnu and Minister for Cinematography Komatireddy Venkat Reddy also expressed their condolences and praised Kota Srinivasa Rao’s immense talent and contribution to Indian cinema.
Director Trivikram Srinivas, in a recent social media post celebrating Rao’s birthday, had described him as a rare actor capable of evoking laughter, tears, and fear with equal skill.
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