Veteran and legendary director Singeetham Srinivasa Rao passed away in Chennai on Saturday night. He was 94. According to reports, Singeetham was undergoing treatment for age-related ailments and breathed his last at a hospital in Chennai on Saturday. Many superstars and directors from the film fraternity have mourned the filmmaker’s loss.

Singeetham’s experimental approach

Regarded as one of the most versatile and innovative filmmakers, Singeetham was a screenwriter, producer, director, composer and actor. Recognised for transforming South Indian cinema, Singeetham directed around 60 films across Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and English, leaving behind an inspiring body of work. The director’s experimental approach to filmmaking was his biggest strength. He disrupted predictable commercial formulas, introduced raw realism and expanded the creative boundaries of mainstream cinema.

Industrious filmography

One of Indian cinema’s most prolific filmmakers, Singeetham’s nearly seven-decade career was marked by an extraordinary resistance to formula filmmaking. He started his film career as an associate to legendary director KV Reddy and worked on iconic films such as Mayabazar (1957) and Jagadeka Veeruni Katha (1961). His directorial debut came with the Telugu film Neethi Nijayithi (1972). Singeetham subsequently directed critically acclaimed social films such as Dikkatra Parvathi (1974), Tharam Marindi (1977), Panthulamma (1978), Mayuri (1985) and Anand (1986).

Singeetham’s 1987 film Pushpaka Vimana won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. His directorials Bhairava Dweepam (1994) and Aditya 369 were landmark films in the genres of science fiction and fantasy in Telugu cinema.

Association with Kamal Haasan

Experimental storytelling has been a key feature of Singeetham’s repertoire, and Kamal Haasan has frequently called himself a student of Singeetham. The two share a legendary bond, with their decades-long creative collaborations rooted in a shared passion for experimental cinema, artistic freedom and the desire to explore uncharted territories.

They first collaborated on the Telugu film Sommokadidhi Sokokadidhi (1979). Later, Singeetham directed Kamal Haasan in the actor’s milestone 100th film, Raja Paarvai (1981). Subsequently, the duo pushed the boundaries of cinema with path-breaking films such as the silent dark comedy Pushpaka Vimana (1987), the dwarfism-focused comic drama Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989), Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990) and the 1994 female buddy comedy Magalir Mattum, which was produced by Kamal.

Awards and recognition

During his legendary filmmaking career, Singeetham garnered numerous accolades. Apart from several state honours, he won two National Awards: Best Feature Film in Tamil for Dikkatra Parvathi (1974) and Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment for Pushpaka Vimana. He also won Filmfare Awards for Best Director for Mayuri and Pushpaka Vimana, as well as Best Film in Tamil for Dikkatra Parvathi.

Singeetham returned to the director’s chair after 13 years with Sing Geetham, which released in June 2026. Kalki 2898 AD director Nag Ashwin produced the musical fantasy drama. The film demonstrated his continued commitment to and passion for cinema.

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Superstars and top filmmakers from the Tollywood fraternity have been paying tribute following the passing of legendary filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao. Taking to social media, they expressed gratitude to the filmmaker for his contributions to Indian cinema.

Long before we had the tools or the budgets, he dared to dream bigger than anyone around him. 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 showed…

— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) October 4, 2026

Rajamouli shared that long before there were the tools or budgets available today, Singeetham dared to dream bigger than anyone. From making a silent film and transporting audiences to a different era to bringing together humour, fantasy and human drama, Singeetham made it seem as though no line existed between genres. “He showed a whole generation of us that the only real limit in cinema is imagination. Every filmmaker who has tried something different in Telugu cinema owes him something, knowingly or not. I certainly do.”

A giant of Indian cinema is no more…. Singeetam Srinivasa Rao garu was a legend in every sense of the word.. A filmmaker of extraordinary imagination, courage and brilliance.. Indian cinema will forever be indebted to him.. Rest in peace sir.. My deepest condolences to his…

— Mahesh Babu (@urstrulyMahesh) October 4, 2026

Mahesh Babu described Singeetham as ‘a giant of Indian cinema’. Noting that the director was a legend, he added that Indian cinema will remain indebted to the filmmaker, who possessed extraordinary imagination, courage and brilliance.

Deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary filmmaker ‘Singeetam Srinivasa Rao’ garu.

A true visionary, his imagination and courage to explore new ideas gave Indian cinema some of its most unforgettable films. His contribution to cinema will always be remembered with immense…

— Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) October 4, 2026

Deeply saddened by the passing of Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, Chiranjeevi described the legendary filmmaker as a true visionary. He said Singeetham’s imagination and courage to explore new ideas gave Indian cinema some of its most unforgettable films, adding that the filmmaker’s contributions to cinema will be remembered.

సింగీతం à°¶à±�రీనివాసరావà±� గారà±� ఇక లేరనà±�à°¨ వారà±�à°¤ ఎంతో బాధాకరం. ఆదితà±�à°¯ 369, à°ªà±�à°·à±�పక విమానం, మయూరి… కాలానికి à°®à±�ందే ఆలోచించి, తరాలà±� మారినా కొతà±�తగా అనిపించే సినిమాలà±� అందించిన దారà±�శనికà±�à°¡à±�. వారి à°•à±�à°Ÿà±�à°‚à°¬ సభà±�à°¯à±�లకà±� నా à°ªà±�రగాఢ సానà±�భూతి.
ఓం శాంతి �

— Jr NTR (@tarak9999) October 3, 2026

Reflecting on path-breaking films such as Aditya 369, Pushpaka Vimana and Mayuri, Jr NTR shared that Singeetham was a visionary who thought ahead of his time. He added that the filmmaker’s films always felt “fresh even across generations.”

Singeetham sir ��
Your beliefs, your thoughts and your stories will live on with us forever.

For everytime you called me since Pellichoopulu to shower love and effection, i hope it made you happy and brought a smile seeing me in one of your films – Sing Geetham â�¤ï¸�

I feel happy…

— Vijay Deverakonda (@TheDeverakonda) October 4, 2026

Vijay Deverakonda noted that Singeetham’s beliefs, thoughts and stories will live on forever. Expressing gratitude for having been part of his vision, Vijay said he remains indebted to the legendary filmmaker and cherished every interaction with him, particularly the way Singeetham could bring a smile to his face.

Dearest SINGEETAM SIR..
We wil MISS YOU Sir..

You will always live in our Hearts ��

You are an Unparalleled LEGEND..
An Everest of Positivity filled with Evergreen Youth..

The Movies You made with such Fururistic Ideas and Techniques are lessons to all of us and the Future… pic.twitter.com/DC5BvrhUrE

— DEVI SRI PRASAD (@ThisIsDSP) October 3, 2026

“You are an unparalleled legend,” described Devi Sri Prasad about Singeetham. The singer-composer felt that his films had ‘futuristic ideas and techniques’, which offered valuable lessons to the next generation.

Heartbroken to hear about the passing of Singeetam Srinivasa Rao garu. Few filmmakers have embraced cinema with the kind of curiosity, originality and playfulness that defined his work. He was a rare filmmaker who never stopped believing in the magic and possibilities of cinema.…

— Venkatesh Daggubati (@VenkyMama) October 4, 2026

According to Venkatesh, few filmmakers have embraced cinema with the kind of curiosity, originality and playfulness that defined Singeetham’s work. He added that Singeetham was a rare filmmaker who never stopped believing in the magic and possibilities of cinema.

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