Veteran Actor Kota Srinivasa Rao Passes Away at 83

Veteran Telugu actor and former Andhra Pradesh MLA Kota Srinivasa Rao passed away at the age of 83. He breathed his last on July 13, 2025, after a life dedicated to cinema, theatre, and public service. His death marks the end of an era in Indian cinema, where he acted in over 750 films across multiple languages.

Early Life and Entry into Tollywood

Kota Srinivasa Rao was born in 1942 in Kankipadu, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh. He worked at the State Bank of India (SBI) but had a deep love for theatre since his college days. In 1978, he made his debut in the Telugu film Pranam Khareedu. Starting with comedy and character roles, he later became famous for playing powerful villain roles.

Career and Achievements in Film

Rao appeared in over 750 films, including 8 Kannada, 30 Tamil, 10 Hindi, and 1 Malayalam movie. Some of his popular films include Pratigatana, Aha Naa Pellanta!, Sarkar, Shiva, Attarintiki Daredi, Leader, and Bommarillu. His last film appearance was in Suvarna Sundari (2023). He also sang songs in a few Telugu films. Rao won nine Nandi Awards for his excellent performances.

In 2015, he was honoured with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for his contribution to Indian cinema.

Political Journey

In 1999, Kota entered politics and was elected as an MLA from Vijayawada East on a BJP ticket. He served in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly till 2004. Though his political career was brief, he remained active in social issues and public welfare.