Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, the famous filmmaker noted for his unique style of filmmaking, died at the age of 94 on October 3, 2026. Singeetham shot films in various languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and others, during his film career that lasted for more than five decades.
Singeetham Srinivasa Rao breathed his last in Chennai
Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, who made an indelible mark in Telugu cinema with his experimental films, is dead. It is said that he has left for the heavenly abode from Kauvery Hospital in Chennai because of health problems related to old age. Singeetham gave films of different kinds to audiences through his long film career and carved a special niche in Indian film history.
Jr NTR pays tribute
Jr NTR paid tribute through X post as he wrote, ‘The news that Singeetam Srinivasa Rao garu is no more is deeply heartbreaking. Aditya 369, Pushpaka Vimanam, Mayuri… a visionary who thought ahead of his time, delivering films that feel fresh even across generations. My deepest condolences to his family members. Om Shanti’.
Singeetham Srinivasa Rao was also a writer, producer and music director
Singeetham was born on September 21, 1931. Besides being a filmmaker, Singeetham was a writer, producer and a music director too. He directed films in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and other languages. His speciality was presenting even ordinary stories on screen through innovative ideas, while giving considerable importance to experimentation.
A career spanning six decades and multiple languages
Films such as Pushpaka Vimana, Aditya 369 and Bhairava Dweepam remain among the notable works associated with Singeetham. His collaborations with actors including Kamal Haasan and Balakrishna were also widely appreciated. Singeetham developed a distinctive style by combining entertainment with technical experimentation and unconventional storytelling. His work often explored ideas that were unusual for mainstream Indian cinema at the time.
Pushpaka Vimana, made without conventional dialogue, became one of his best-known experiments. Aditya 369 explored science fiction and time travel, while Bhairava Dweepam drew from fantasy and folklore.
Singeetham returned to direction with Sing Geetham at 94
Even at the age of 94, Singeetham continued to work in cinema. His final directorial, Sing Geetham, was released in 2026 and marked his return to filmmaking after several years. Produced by Nag Ashwin under Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema, Sing Geetham was conceived as a musical fantasy. The film was particularly unusual because its dialogues were presented in the form of songs. Singeetham completed the film in 77 shooting days.
The film marked his 61st directorial venture. It featured Ahilya Bamroo, Ayaan, Shalini Kondepudi, Siva Narayana and Banerjee among others. The film’s official material credits Singeetham as director and lists Nag Ashwin as producer and Devi Sri Prasad as music director.
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