On July 13, 2025, Kota Srinivasa Rao, a super famous Telugu actor, passed away at his home in Filmnagar, Hyderabad. He was 83 and had been sick with old-age health problems for a while. A recent photo shared by producer Bandla Ganesh on social media showed he wasn’t doing well, which made fans sad. Kota, who also served as a BJP MLA, leaves behind his wife, Rukmini, and two daughters. His son, Kota Venkata Anjaneya Prasad, died in a car accident in 2010. Fans and movie stars are heartbroken, but Kota’s amazing work will live on forever.
This is so sad! Kota was in so many movies I love. It’s hard to believe he’s gone.
Who Was Kota Srinivasa Rao?
Kota was born on July 10, 1942, in Kankipadu, a village near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. His dad was a doctor, and Kota thought about being one too, but he loved acting more. He started acting in plays while studying science and worked at a bank before movies. His first film was Pranam Khareedu in 1978 with Chiranjeevi. Over 40 years, he acted in over 750 films in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, playing villains, funny guys, and other roles.
750 movies? That’s so many! Kota was a superstar in every kind of role!
His Awesome Movie Roles
Kota was known for his deep voice and cool way of talking, which made his characters stand out. He started with small and funny roles but became a big villain in Pratighatana (1985). He could speak Telugu in different styles, making every role feel real. Some of his hit movies were:
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Aha! Naa Pellanta (super funny)
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Yamudiki Mogudu (fun and magical)
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Shiva (exciting drama)
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Bommarillu (cute family story)
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Athadu (cool action movie)
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Race Gurram (really fun)
He acted with huge stars like Chiranjeevi, Balakrishna, Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, Mahesh Babu, and Pawan Kalyan. He also teamed up with comedian Babu Mohan in about 60 films, and people loved their duo so much they said it made movies a hit!
His voice was the best! Whether he was scary or funny, Kota made every movie better.
Big Awards He Won
Kota got lots of awards for his acting. In 2015, he won the Padma Shri, a super special award from India, for his work in movies. He also got nine Nandi Awards from Andhra Pradesh for being a great villain, comedian, and side actor. Movies like Gaayam (1993), Little Soldiers (1996), and Aa Naluguru (2004) showed he could do any role perfectly.
A Padma Shri and nine Nandi Awards? Kota was such a champ and totally earned them!
More Than Just Movies
Kota wasn’t only an actor—he helped people as a BJP MLA for Vijayawada East from 1999 to 2004. He brought the same energy to politics as he did to acting. He also did voice dubbing for Tamil actors like Goundamani, making him popular in Tamil films too. In the movie Julayi, his MLA role felt so real because he’d been one in real life!
An actor and a politician? Kota was like a real hero in movies and for his community!
Stars and Leaders Say Goodbye
After Kota passed away, big names shared their sadness. Chiranjeevi said on X, “Kota made every role special.” Jr NTR wrote, “He brought every character to life.” Ravi Teja, who worked with him in Idiot and Kick, called him “like family.” Director Ram Gopal Varma said his work in Shiva and Gaayam was amazing. Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy said his loss leaves a big hole in cinema. Stars like Pawan Kalyan, Prakash Raj, and Vishnu Manchu visited his home to pay respects.
Everyone loved Kota so much! These messages show how special he was to so many people.
His Family’s Loss
Kota faced a big sadness when his son, an actor in movies like Siddham, died in a 2010 car crash in Hyderabad. He’s survived by his wife, Rukmini, and two daughters. His younger brother, Kota Sankara Rao, is also an actor, keeping the family’s movie love alive. Kota’s funeral was held on July 13 in Hyderabad, with fans and stars coming to say goodbye.
Losing his son must’ve been so tough. I’m glad his family and fans are honoring him now.