CM Naidu mourns legendary director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A towering voice of Telugu and Indian cinema has fallen silent. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep grief on Sunday, October 4, 2026, over the passing of celebrated film director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, calling his death 'extremely painful' and offering heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
A son of Udayagiri who lit up the silver screen
Born in Udayagiri, Nellore district, Singeetam Srinivasa Rao rose from a small Andhra town to become a guiding compass — diksuchi — for the Indian film industry. CM Naidu noted that the director's bold experiments on the silver screen earned widespread audience admiration across generations, cementing his status as a true innovator in a craft that demands both courage and vision.
A legacy that outlives the man
Chief Minister Naidu said that while Singeetam has departed physically, he will live on permanently in the hearts of cinema lovers — a sentiment that captures the rare depth of the director's cultural imprint. Naidu also offered a prayer to the Almighty for peace to his soul, and extended his 'profound condolences' to the family members left behind.
Singeetam Srinivasa Rao was widely regarded as one of the most technically inventive directors of his era, equally at home in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi cinema. His passing marks the end of an era for Indian filmmaking.