The demise of legendary filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao at the age of 94 has left the Telugu and Indian film industries mourning the loss of one of their most innovative filmmakers. Several prominent personalities, including Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Jr NTR, Pawan Kalyan, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Nara Lokesh and Chiranjeevi, paid heartfelt tributes to the veteran director.
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy remembered Singeetham as “a creative director who showed Telugu cinema new paths by bringing diverse storylines and innovative ideas to the screen.” He added that Singeetham’s contribution as a director, writer and thinker, driven by his immense love for cinema, “will always be remembered.”
Jr NTR wrote, “Singeetham Srinivasa Rao garu is no more, and the news is deeply saddening. A visionary who thought ahead of his time and created films like Aditya 369, Pushpaka Vimanam and Mayuri that continue to feel fresh even as generations change.” Pawan Kalyan recalled the filmmaker’s experiments in films such as Pushpaka Vimanam, Vichitra Sodarulu, Mayuri and Aditya 369, adding that his direction of Singeetham at 94 was proof of his “dedication and interest in cinema.”
Balakrishna described Singeetham as a “true legendary director” and recalled their association through Aditya 369, Bhairava Dweepam and Sri Krishnarjuna Vijayam. He said the filmmaker’s death was “an irreparable personal loss” and a “huge loss to Indian cinema.” His complete statement reads:
I am deeply shaken by the demise of legendary director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao garu. He was very close to our family.
We created three distinct classics together: 'Aditya 369', which left a new mark not only on Telugu cinema but also on Indian cinema; 'Bhairava Dweepam', the first computer graphics-driven film in Telugu, which made history at the box office and remains unbeatable among folklore films; and 'Sri Krishnarjuna Vijayam' in the mythological genre. Through these three films, I portrayed characters across all four major genres — social, historical, folklore, and mythological — under a single director as captain. I will cherish those memories forever.
Singeetam garu started his career as an assistant to the great director K. V. Reddy garu for the immortal 'Mayabazar', where my father played Lord Sri Krishna for the first time. Later, he worked as an associate for many of my father's films. Hence, our family shared a special bond with him that went far beyond cinema.
Singeetam garu was truly a legendary director in every sense of the word, pursuing unforgettable cinematic experiments until his last breath at 94, across various Indian languages. His demise is a profound personal loss to me and an irreplaceable loss to the Indian film industry. May his soul rest in peace. My heartfelt condolences to his family members.
Nara Lokesh called his demise “an irreparable loss to the film industry,” recalling his experimental films with NTR and Balakrishna. Chiranjeevi wrote, “A true visionary, his imagination and courage to explore new ideas gave Indian cinema some of its most unforgettable films.”
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