Chennai: Veteran director-producer T Rama Rao, who had helmed 70 films in Telugu and Hindi besides bankrolling blockbusters in Tamil, passed away in Chennai during the early hours of today. He was 83.
He is survived by wife Tatineni Jayashree and children Chamundeswari, Naga Suuseela and Ajay.
Rama Rao had worked with many top stars like NTR, ANR, Shoban
Babu, Krishna, Balakrishna, Sridevi, Jayapradha, Jayasudha etc. and directed films like Navarathri, Jeevana Tarangalu, Bramachari, Aalumagalu, Yamagola, Presidenti Gari Abbayi, Illalu, Pandani Jeevitham, Pachani Kaapuram, etc., in Telugu.
He entered the Hindi film industry in 1979 and worked with top actors like Amitabh Bachan, Jeetendra, Dharmendra, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor, Govinda, Mithun Chakraborty. He has the distinction of introducing Rajinikanth in Hindi with movie Andhaa Kanoon.
He made Tamil films under the banner Sri Lakshmi Productions and produced movies with leading actors like Vikram, Vijay, Jayam Ravi, Vishal. He made super hit movies like Dhil, Youth, Arul, Something Something Unakum Enakum and Malaikotai. Many film personalities have condoled his death.