Udayagiri remembers filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao

Residents of Udayagiri in SPSR Nellore district paid tribute to filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, who died in Chennai on Saturday at the age of 94. The town remembered him as a prominent figure who had been born and educated there. Singeetham studied up to the Secondary School Certificate level at Althuri Rami Reddy Government High School in Udayagiri.

He later moved to Chennai in search of work and established a career in the film industry. His work included acclaimed collaborations with actor Kamal Haasan. Among them were ‘Apoorva Sahodarargal’, known in Telugu as ‘Vichitra Sodarulu’, ‘Michael Madana Kama Rajan’ and ‘Pushpaka Vimanam’.

The latter has been described in the film world as a muted masterpiece. Singeetham’s notable Telugu films included ‘Aditya 369’, ‘Bhairava Dweepam’ and ‘Rajahamsa’. His contribution to Telugu cinema also drew recognition from local political leaders after his death.

Udayagiri MLA Kakarla Suresh paid tribute to the filmmaker and recalled his contribution to taking Telugu cinema to global platforms. The town held silent tributes in his memory. Although Singeetham was born in Udayagiri, his links with the town had weakened in recent years.

His family members subsequently moved to Nellore and other places, according to the source material, and the family’s connection with Udayagiri became less active. The tributes reflected the town’s association with a filmmaker whose career developed after he left Udayagiri and moved to Chennai. Local residents remembered both his origins in the fort town and his contribution to Indian cinema.