Indian cinema mourns filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao at 94

Filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao has died in Chennai at the age of 94 after being treated for age-related health complications, prompting tributes from across India’s Tamil and Telugu film industries. Rao’s career included landmark films such as Pushpaka Vimanam, Michael Madana Kama Rajan, Aditya 369, Mayuri and Apoorva Sagodharargal. Tributes described him as an innovator who continued to experiment with cinema into his 90s.

Actor Kamal Haasan, who worked with Rao on several films including Raja Paarvai and the dialogue-free Pushpaka Vimanam, described himself as one of the filmmaker’s disciples. Haasan said Rao showed that “dying young need not be a tragedy” and that he aspired to live as Rao had. Director S.S.

Rajamouli said Rao had influenced an entire generation of filmmakers. He highlighted the director’s willingness to attempt ideas before the necessary technology or budgets were widely available, as well as his movement between comedy, fantasy, time travel and human drama. Rajamouli said Rao had demonstrated that imagination was cinema’s defining limit and possibility.

He added that filmmakers who had tried something different in Telugu cinema owed him something, knowingly or otherwise. Jr NTR remembered Rao as a visionary ahead of his time and cited Aditya 369, Pushpaka Vimanam and Mayuri as films that remained fresh across generations. Mahesh Babu called him a giant of Indian cinema, praising his imagination, courage and brilliance.

Chiranjeevi said Rao’s willingness to explore unfamiliar ideas produced some of Indian cinema’s most memorable films. He also pointed to Sing Geetham, Rao’s final directorial venture, as evidence of his continuing passion for storytelling. Other figures, including Venkatesh Daggubati, composer Devi Sri Prasad, Vijay Deverakonda and producer Nag Ashwin, also paid tribute.

They remembered Rao’s curiosity, originality and encouragement, and expressed condolences to his family and loved ones.