Legendary filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao dies at 95

• Legendary filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao passed away in Chennai on October 4. He was 95.

• The veteran director leaves behind a massive legacy in Indian cinema.

• His dialogue-less film ‘Pushpaka Vimana’ (1987), starring Kamal Hassan and Amala, is considered a milestone in Indian cinema.

• He was born on September 21, 1931, in Gudur, Andhra Pradesh.

• Rao entered the film industry as an assistant to filmmaker L.V. Prasad. 

• He made his debut as a director with Telugu film ‘Neeti Nijayiti’ in 1972.

• In a career that lasted more than five decades, Rao worked in many languages. 

• Rao ventured into science fiction with ‘Aditya 369’, a 1991 Telugu film.

• Rao was celebrated for his creative genius and helmed several iconic films, including ‘Raja Paarvai’, ‘Little John’, ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal’, ‘Michael Madana Kama Rajan’, and ‘Kadhala Kadhala’. 

• He won a National Award for the film ‘Dikkatra Parvathi’.

• His final film ‘Sing Geetham’ was released in June 2026.