He will be cremated with official honours, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said.
Born on May 31, 1943, in Burripalem in the Guntur district of present-day Andhra Pradesh, Krishna, the original superstar of Telugu films, was also known as “James Bond” after he starred in the 1977 hit film James Bond 777. He also played the role of a spy in the Telugu movies Agent Gopi and Gudachari 117.
Krishna, who acted in more than 300 films and directed and produced dozens of films, is credited with bringing in new technology including producing the first film to be shot in CinemaScope, Alluri Sitarama Raju, in 1974 in which he played the tribal freedom fighter, and first Eastman colour film Enadu in 1982, and the first 70 mm Telugu film Simhasanam in 1986.
Awarded a Padma Bhushan, Krishna had entered electoral politics in 1989 as a Congress candidate when he became an MP from Eluru. His son, G Mahesh Babu, is a popular actor.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed his grief over the demise of Krishna, who he described as the Andhra James Bond with a large following during his long innings in Tollywood. The chief minister also conveyed his condolences to his son Mahesh Babu and other bereaved family members.
KCR, meanwhile, remembered Krishna’s services to the Telugu film industry for over 5 decades as an actor, producer, director and head of the famous production company Padmalaya Studios.
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He said that apart from diverse family drama films, Krishna was popular for films which created social consciousness among people.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
