After experiencing a heart arrest, veteran actor Chalapathi Rao passed away early on Sunday morning (December 25). Age-wise, he was 78. With almost 600 films to his credit, Chalapathi Rao was best recognised for his comedic and villainous performances in Telugu cinema.
Chalapathi Rao was an Andhra Pradesh native from Baliparru. In Tollywood, his son Ravi Babu works as an actor, director, and producer. Rao has a large filmography, appearing in movies including Sakshi (1966), Driver Ramudu (1979), Vajram (1995), and even the Bollywood movie Kick (2009).
Following the announcement of his passing, there was a flood of condolences and expressions of grief on Twitter, with many referring to him as one of the “finest and boldest” performers of the present. Fans posted old videos of him from movies on social media. “Finest and boldest actor of the past and present generation,” one person wrote. Om shanti, I miss you and your suitable roles. We lost another brilliant performer, another expressed sympathy. A third person added that Tollywood had a “bad” year.
He leaves behind his wife Indumaty and three children, including the actor-director Ravi Babu.
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