Veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, known for some of Indian cinema’s most inventive films, died at a hospital in Chennai on Saturday night. He was 94.
The director, best known for films including “Pushpaka Vimanam” and the time-travel drama “Aditya 369”, had been undergoing treatment at Kauvery Hospital for age-related ailments after his health deteriorated.
His family confirmed his death to the media. Singeetham’s grandson Ashwin said the filmmaker’s cremation would take place at 4:30pm today at the AVM Crematorium in Chennai.
Over a career spanning six decades and five languages, Singeetham carved out a distinctive place in Indian cinema through his experiments with genres, unconventional ideas and storytelling techniques.
Born on September 21, 1931, in Gudur, Andhra Pradesh, Singeetham began his career as an assistant filmmaker before making his directorial debut with “Neeti Nijayiti” in 1972. He went on to work across multiple languages and genres, from comedy and fantasy to science fiction and biographical drama.
His passion for filmmaking continued well into his 90s. His final film, “Sing Geetham”, a musical fantasy produced by Nag Ashwin, was completed earlier this year.
Following news of his death, actors, filmmakers and other members of the Indian film fraternity paid tribute to the veteran director.
Actor Jr NTR remembered Singeetham as “a visionary who thought ahead of his time”, adding that his films continue to feel fresh across generations.
Chiranjeevi Konidela also mourned the filmmaker, describing him as a visionary whose imagination and willingness to explore new ideas gave Indian cinema some of its most memorable films.
“His recent film ‘Sing Geetham’ was a beautiful testament to his undying passion for storytelling. At heart, he remained forever young, curious and eager to create,” Chiranjeevi wrote.
Actor Sudheer Babu remembered Singeetham as a “master storyteller” who blended innovation with emotion across languages, citing films such as “Pushpaka Vimanam”, “Aditya 369” and “Bhairava Dweepam”.
Kiran Abbavaram also paid tribute, writing, “We miss you, sir. Rest in peace Singeetham Srinivasa Rao garu.”
Venkatesh Daggubati recalled Singeetham’s curiosity and originality as a filmmaker. “He was a rare filmmaker who never stopped believing in the magic and possibilities of cinema,” he wrote, describing his death as the end of an extraordinary chapter in Telugu cinema.
Composer Devi Sri Prasad remembered the filmmaker for his positivity and innovative approach to cinema, saying his ideas and filmmaking techniques would remain lessons for future generations.
Among Singeetham’s most celebrated works was “Mayuri”, a biographical drama inspired by the life of classical dancer Sudha Chandran, who lost a leg in an accident and continued her dancing career with a prosthetic limb.
His 1987 film “Pushpaka Vimanam”, starring Kamal Haasan, became particularly notable for telling its black-comedy story without spoken dialogue. The film went on to win the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
With “Aditya 369”, starring Nandamuri Balakrishna and featuring music by Ilaiyaraaja, Singeetham ventured into science fiction with a story centred on time travel. He later collaborated with Balakrishna again on “Bhairava Dweepam”, which combined fantasy and adventure.
Across decades of filmmaking, Singeetham remained known for moving between genres and continually experimenting with the possibilities of cinema.
