Hyderabad: Veteran Telugu actor, director and producer Giri Babu died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kondapur, Hyderabad, on Saturday. He had been suffering from age-related ailments for some time. He was 80.Born Yerra Seshagiri Rao on June 8, 1946, in Ravinuthala village of Prakasam district, Giri Babu made his acting debut with the 1973 film ‘Jagame Maya’. Over a career spanning five decades, he acted in more than 600 films, establishing himself as one of Telugu cinema’s most versatile performers.Starting as a lead actor, he later earned recognition for his powerful negative roles before seamlessly transitioning to character and comic roles. His notable films include ‘Annadammula Anubandham’, ‘Kurukshetram’, ‘Mallepoovu’, ‘Pasivadi Pranam’, ‘Ninne Pelladatha’, ‘Athadu’, ‘Geetha Govindam’ and ‘Jathi Ratnalu’. His last screen appearance was in the 2023 film ‘Anni Manchi Sakunamule’.Giri Babu also made a mark behind the camera, producing films such as ‘Simha Garjana’, ‘Merupu Daadi’ and ‘Indrajith’, and directing ‘Ranarangam’, ‘Indrajith’ and ‘Nee Sukhame Ne Korukunna’.His death has left the Telugu film fraternity mourning the loss of a veteran artiste whose career spanned generations. He is survived by his sons, actor Raghu Babu and Bose Babu. His wife died in 2016.Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and IT minister Nara Lokesh condoled his demise. Chandrababu recalled Giribabu’s five-decade-long career and his ability to entertain audiences in villainous, comic and character roles across more than 600 films. Lokesh described his death as an irreparable loss to Telugu cinema and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.
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