# Singeetham Srinivasa Rao dies at 94, Rajamouli, Jr NTR and Kamal Haasan pay tribute

Published 2026-10-04T07:35:31Z

> Veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, the director behind Aditya 369, Pushpaka Vimanam and Mayuri, has died at 94, drawing heartfelt tributes from SS Rajamouli, Jr NTR and Kamal Haasan.

Veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao has died at the age of 94. The director, writer and composer passed away on Saturday, October 3, reportedly at Kauvery Hospital following health complications. Tributes poured in from across South Indian cinema, led by SS Rajamouli, Jr NTR and Kamal Haasan.

Rajamouli said Singeetham dared to dream bigger than anyone around him, long before filmmakers had the tools or the budgets. "He made a film without a single line of dialogue, took us travelling through time, and moved from comedy to fantasy to deeply human drama as if no line existed between genres," he wrote. He added that anyone who has tried something different in one report owes the veteran something, and that he certainly does.

Jr NTR called the news deeply heartbreaking. Naming Aditya 369, Pushpaka Vimanam and Mayuri, he described Singeetham as "a visionary who thought ahead of his time" whose films still feel fresh across generations. Mahesh Babu reportedly hailed him as a giant of Indian cinema and a legend in every sense of the word. Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy reportedly called him a true pioneer.

Kamal Haasan, who counts himself among Singeetham's friends and disciples, shared a deeply personal note. "Dying young need not be a tragedy. It can be glorious," he wrote, adding that he had admired the director ever since he first knew him and now hopes to live the way he did. The two made acclaimed films together, including Apoorva Sagodharargal and Michael Madana Kama Rajan.

Across several decades and several languages, Singeetham moved between genres with ease. Mayuri, his 1985 film based on the life of dancer Sudha Chandran, reportedly won multiple Nandi Awards. Pushpaka Vimanam, the dialogue-free black comedy starring Kamal Haasan, is said to have won a National Film Award. Aditya 369, his time-travel adventure, reportedly arrived when the genre was still uncommon in Indian cinema.

He kept working right to the end. His final film as director is reportedly Sing Geetham, an experimental musical fantasy comedy he made at 94. Backed by Nag Ashwin, it stars Ayaan Khan, Ahilya Bamroo and Shalini Kondepudi, with Vijay Deverakonda in a special appearance.

## Related people
- [Jr NTR](https://clapnumber.com/celebrities/jr-ntr)
- [Kamal Haasan](https://clapnumber.com/celebrities/kamal-haasan)
- [Singeetam Srinivasa Rao](https://clapnumber.com/celebrities/singeetam-srinivasa-rao)

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Retrieved: 2026-10-04