May 30, 2017
Well-known Telugu film director and
former Union Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayana Rao died here
on Tuesday after prolonged illness. He was 75.
Rao, who holds Limca World Record for directing the most films, died at
a private hospital due to health complications.
According to doctors at Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS),
he died at 7 p.m. due to sudden cardiac arrest while undergoing
treatment.
Rao, who was suffering from multiple health problems, was in hospital
for more than two months before being discharged on March 28.
He was again admitted to KIMS last week and underwent reconstructive
surgery of the oesophagus. Following the surgery, he had developed
renal failure.
Born in Palakollu in West Godavari district of present Andhra Pradesh
on May 4, 1942, he began his career as a stage artist and later entered
the film industry.
Rao directed about 151 films in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. He produced 53
films and worked in more than 250 films as a dialogue writer, and
lyricist. He received two National Film Awards, nine state Nandi
Awards, and four Filmfare Awards South.
Some of his famous films include "Premabhishekam", "Megha Sandesham",
"Osey Ramulamma" and "Tata Manavadu".
Rao had produced and directed some memorable movies for thespian N. T.
Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao and introduced many actors to the
industry.
He planned to make a biopic on late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.
Jayalalithaa.
Rao, who was a Minister in the Manmohan Singh government, was also
chargesheeted in the coal scam.
Rao's death plunged the Telugu film industry into gloom. Veteran actor
Mohan Babu, who was one of the actors introduced by Rao, broke down.
Veteran actor Vijayashanti, Venkatesh, several others actors, producers
and directors rushed to Rao's Jubliee Hills residence to pay their last
respects.
The last rites will be performed at Rao's farm house at Chevella near
Hyderabad on Wednesday with full state honours.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, Telangana
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.
Chandrababu Naidu, Union Ministers M. Venkaiah Naidu, Bandaru
Dattatreya, Y. S. Chowdary and others condoled Rao's death.
Cinema theatres in both Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
said they will remain shut on Wednesday as a mark of respect while the
Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce announced that shooting of films and
other activity in Telugu film industry will also come to a halt on
Wednesday.