Singeetam Srinivasa Rao (1931–2026): The Visionary Who Made a Silent Classic and Time Travel, Passes Away

October 6, 2026 filmverse.in

Indian cinema has lost one of its most inventive storytellers. Legendary filmmaker Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, the man behind the dialogueless classic Pushpaka Vimanam and the time-travel landmark Aditya 369, passed away on October 3, 2026, at Kauvery Hospital following health complications. He was 94, as per news agency ANI.

The news drew an outpouring of grief from across the industry, with S.S. Rajamouli, Jr NTR and Kamal Haasan among those paying deeply personal tributes to a six-decade career that refused to be boxed into any one genre or language.

A career that began with a classic

Rao’s tryst with cinema began under the legendary K.V. Reddy — he was associated with the iconic Mayabazar (1957) before stepping into the director’s chair himself. Over the years he directed more than 60 films across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi, moving effortlessly between comedy, fantasy, drama and science fiction.

The milestones

Mayuri (1985): Based on the life of dancer Sudha Chandran, the film won multiple Nandi Awards and remains one of Telugu cinema’s most honoured biographical dramas.

Pushpaka Vimana (1987): A black comedy starring Kamal Haasan made without a single line of spoken dialogue — a gamble that paid off spectacularly, winning the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. It remains the gold standard for visual storytelling in Indian cinema.

Aditya 369 (1991): A time-travel science-fiction film made at a time when the genre was virtually non-existent in Indian cinema — decades before it became fashionable.

His celebrated collaboration with Kamal Haasan also gave us Apoorva Sagodharargal and Michael Madana Kama Rajan, films that are still quoted and revisited by fans.

“A visionary who thought ahead of his time”

S.S. Rajamouli wrote: “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.”

Jr NTR echoed the sentiment on X, calling him a visionary whose films “continue to feel fresh and relevant even as generations change.” Kamal Haasan shared an emotional tribute of his own, while former Andhra Pradesh CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy called Rao “a true pioneer… from silent marvels to sci-fi epics.”

Rao was still making films at 94 — a fact Jagan underlined in his tribute, and perhaps the most fitting epitaph for a filmmaker who never stopped experimenting. In an industry that often plays safe, Singeetam Srinivasa Rao spent sixty years proving that the biggest risk is not taking one.

Om Shanti.