✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › Singeetham Srinivasa Rao

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao photo for featured biography, wiki and celebrities profileFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 21, 2026 • 4 min read

Request CorrectionClaim Profile

Quick Info

Date of birth21 September 1931

Age95 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceGudur, Andhra Pradesh, India

ProfessionFilm director, screenwriter, producer, composer, actor

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidower (at time of death)

SpouseLakshmi Kalyani

FamilyDaughter - Sudha Kartik

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao Biography

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao was an Indian filmmaker whose career spanned decades and multiple languages. A director, screenwriter, producer, composer and ocas

Early life and background

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao was born on 21 September 1931 in Gudur, then part of the Madras Presidency (now in Andhra Pradesh). He grew up in a Telugu Madhva Brahmin family; his father, Ramachandra Rao, worked as a headmaster and his mother, Sakunthala Bai, was a violinist. He pursued higher education in Chennai, taking a physics degree at Presidency College and studying at the University of Madras. From childhood he showed an affinity for theatre and music, and while still young he developed a lasting interest in writers such as Vemana, Mark Twain and P. G. Wodehouse.

Career

Singeetham began his career in the film world after a period of writing plays, working as a journalist and editing Telugu magazines. An important turning point came when he met director K. V. Reddy in 1954. Reddy invited him to adapt a short story and soon brought him into his unit; over the following years Singeetham served as an apprentice and associate director on many of Reddy’s productions, contributing to landmark Telugu films of the 1950s and 1960s.

He made his directorial debut in Telugu with Neeti Nijayiti in 1972 and directed his first Tamil film, Dikkatra Parvathi, in 1974. Throughout the 1970s he made socially conscious films and also began a longstanding collaboration with Kamal Haasan with the 1979 comedy Sommokadidhi Sokokadidhi. That association led to Raja Paarvai (also released as Amavasya Chandrudu) in 1981, which marked Kamal Haasan’s 100th film.

The 1980s expanded his reach into Kannada cinema. He directed the blockbuster Haalu Jenu (1982) starring Rajkumar, and went on to helm a series of successful Kannada films through the decade, many produced by Parvathamma Rajkumar. He became notable for directing Rajkumar as well as the actor’s sons, and for repeatedly collaborating with certain actors and technicians across multiple projects.

Singeetham combined commercial appeal with experimentation. In 1988 he produced, wrote and directed Pushpaka Vimana, a dialogue-free black comedy starring Kamal Haasan; the film earned international recognition and remains widely cited among notable Indian films. He also worked across genres, directing the widely admired Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990), the science-fiction hit Aditya 369 (1991), and the fantasy Bhairava Dweepam, both of which are regarded as landmarks in Telugu genre cinema.

Across languages and formats, Singeetham was prolific. He composed music on occasion, directed animated features such as Son of Aladdin (which premiered at the International Film Festival of India) and Ghatothkach, and by 2010 had directed nearly 60 films in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and English. He later mentored younger filmmakers and contributed inputs on high-profile projects, including providing guidance on contemporary science-fiction productions.

Public profile

Singeetham’s work won recognition from national and state bodies throughout his life. His films received multiple awards, including National Film Awards, Filmfare Awards, Nandi Awards and Karnataka State Film Awards. In later years he received lifetime achievement honors from film organizations and festivals. He also served on juries and selection committees, including chairing the Indian Panorama jury at the Chennai International Film Festival and participating in the Sundance Institute’s screenwriters lab selection committee.

Personal life

Singeetham was married to Lakshmi Kalyani; the couple had a daughter, Sudha Kartik. His wife predeceased him in 2022. He was known to be a widower at the time of his death. He maintained public-facing social media profiles on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.

Latest updates

Late in his career he returned to direction after a gap with the fantasy-comedy Sing Geetham (released in July 2026), billed as his first film in ten years and described as well received. He had announced another project, SSR61, in 2026.

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao passed away on 3 October 2026 at Kauvery Hospital in Chennai at the age of 95. The reported cause was natural reasons related to old age.

Legacy

Across a career that brought together mainstream successes and daring formal experiments, Singeetham Srinivasa Rao worked in multiple languages and formats, left behind films that are frequently cited for their inventiveness, and earned recognition from both critics and the film industry. His collaborations with actors such as Kamal Haasan and Rajkumar and his willingness to embrace different genres contributed to a reputation as one of India’s versatile filmmakers.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

Accuracy

Request a Correction

Tell us what needs to be updated and share a reliable source so the editorial team can review it.

Ownership

Claim This Profile

If this profile is about you or your client, send your contact details and verification context.

◈

Recent Work

Sing Geetham

Fantasy comedy released in July 2026; marked his return to direction after a decade and was reported as well received.

2026
Welcome Obama

Telugu film released in 2013 dealing with commercial surrogacy

2013
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Directed nearly 60 films across Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and English by 2010
  2. Produced, scripted and directed Pushpaka Vimana (1988), the first Indian film made without dialogues
  3. Directed landmark Telugu films Aditya 369 (1991) and Bhairava Dweepam
  4. Worked extensively with actors Kamal Haasan and Rajkumar across multiple decades
  5. Received multiple National, Filmfare, Nandi and Karnataka State awards, and several lifetime achievement honours
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

People Also Search For

Instagram InfluencersBollywood ActorsSouth Indian ActorsCelebrities biographies
?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Singeetham Srinivasa Rao born?

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao was born on 21 September 1931.

What is Singeetham Srinivasa Rao known for?

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao is known for film director, screenwriter, producer, composer, actor.

What is Singeetham Srinivasa Rao’s marital status?

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao's marital status is listed as Widower (at time of death).

Who is Singeetham Srinivasa Rao married to?

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao is publicly listed as married to Lakshmi Kalyani.