Veteran Telugu actor and former Andhra MLA Kota Srinivasa Rao passed away on Sunday (July 13 2025) at his Jubliee Hills residence in Hyderabad. According to several unverified reports the 83-year-old passed away after battling age-related aliments over the past few years. Known for his remarkable versatility and powerful screen-presence Rao left a lasting impression on theatre stage with his performances. In a career spanning nearly four decades his choice of roles seamlessly transitioned between strong antagonists and lovable characters in Telugu cinema. How Kota Srinivasa Rao began his journey in cinema? Srinivasa Rao made his acting debut in 1978 with the Telugu film Pranam Khareedu. He then went onto to establish himself as a notable performer across Telugu Tamil Hindi Kannada and Malayalam film industries. He quickly garnered recognition for his iconic performances in films like Pratighatana Muthyala Muggu Gaayam and Aahaa! Srinivasa Rao received several accolades for his exceptional range of acting. The Government of India honoured him with the Padam Shri in 2015 the countrys fourth-highest civilian award for his remarkable contribution to Indian cinema. He also won nine prestigious Nandi awards in categories including villain supporting roles and others. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu paid tribute to Rao on X On Sunday Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu took to his X account to mourn the loss of the veteran actor. Calling his death an irreparable loss he wrote The demise of the renowned actor Kota Srinivasa Rao who won the affection of cinema audiences with his versatile roles is deeply saddening. His artistic contributions to the fields of cinema and theater over nearly four decades and the roles he portrayed will remain unforgettable. The numerous memorable roles he played as a villain and character artist will forever stay etched in the hearts of Telugu audiences. His passing is an irreparable loss to the Telugu film industry. In 1999 he won as an MLA from Vijayawada and served the public. I express my profound condolences to his family members. Featuring in over 500 films Raos one of the most memorable Bollywood appearances was in Ram Gopal Varmas Sarkar opposite Amitabh Bachchan. In addition to his film achievements Srinivasa Rao entered politics in 1999 and was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Vijayawada.