Star in over 300 films, Telugu actor Ranganath left all savings to maid before dying by suicide

From ticket collector to cinema star

Born Tirumala Sundara Sri Ranganath in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, in 1949, Ranganath joined the Railways as a ticket collector after graduating from Sri Venkateswara University, as reported by Deccan Chronicle.

However, he eventually found his calling in the world of cinema. He made his acting debut in director Bapu’s Buddhimantudu (1969), starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Vijaya Nirmala in the lead roles.

He then went on to star as the male lead in over 40 films before transitioning to villain and character roles. In a prolific career spanning over four decades, he appeared in more than 300 films.

He was best known for his performances in movies such as Zamindharugari Ammayi (1975), America Ammayi (1976), Panthulamma (1977), Devathalara Deevinchandi (1977), Intinti Ramayanam (1979), Khaidi (1983), Ee Chaduvulu Makkodu (1984), Kalisundam Raa (2000), 3 Deewarein (2003), Manmadhudu (2002), and Nijam (2003).

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Personal tragedy: Loss of wife, battle with depression

While soaring high in the film industry, Ranganath unfortunately lost his wife in 2009. According to The Hindu, he slipped into depression after this incident. His daughter Neeraja stated that he started talking frequently about suicide in the years that followed, which led them to take him to psychologists for counselling.

He was found dead at his house in Gandhinagar near Musheerabad, Hyderabad, on December 19, 2015. Reportedly, he was last seen that afternoon by his maid, Meenakshi, who used to prepare his food. In the evening, a group of people had come over to meet him and invite him to an event. However, when there was no response from inside, they informed Neeraja, who lived nearby with her family.

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Ranganath was reportedly alone at the time, as Meenakshi had left in the afternoon after cooking for him. When they broke down the doors, they found him dead. Subsequently, the police were informed about the incident. Although no suicide note was recovered from the house, Ranganath had jotted down a few words on the wall.

While he wrote the word “destiny” prominently, he had also penned a line in Telugu asking his family to hand over the “bonds” to Meenakshi. “Give this to her (the maid). Do not trouble her,” he reportedly wrote on the wall. However, there was no clear mention of why he took this extreme step. He had also sent “Goodbye” messages to a few friends before dying by suicide.

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Meenakshi had reportedly been by the side of Ranganath and his wife ever since the latter fell very ill. She admitted to noticing some changes in his behaviour in the month leading up to his death. “He used to play tennis regularly. But, for a month, he used to skip that, stating that he had pain in his arms and hip. He also delayed or skipped meals,” Meenakshi told Deccan Chronicle.

How Ranganath’s family honoured his final wish

Aside from Neeraja, Ranganath had two more children, a son and another daughter, who both lived in another city. Following his last rites, his children decided to fulfil his last wish and hand over his savings to Meenakshi. “She has been working with us for six years. So we will give his savings to her,” Ranganath’s son T Nagendra Kumar said.

Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is dealing with emotional distress, depression, or thoughts of self-harm, please reach out for help. Mental health challenges can be overwhelming, but compassionate support and professional guidance are available. You do not have to go through this alone—please reach out to one of the trusted support services below.

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