Veteran Tollywood actor Krishna passed away at a hospital in Hyderabad earlier today while undergoing treatment after he suffered cardiac arrest. He was 79. According to reports, the actor breathed his last at Continental Hospital, where he was admitted late Sunday night. Sources said that according to the doctors he was brought to the hospital in an unconscious state but was revived after 20 minutes of CPR. He was put on a ventilator and his condition was critical. Reports added that Krishna's son and popular actor Mahesh Babu and other family members were also present at the hospital.
Ghattamaneni Siva Rama Krishna Murthy or Krishna, as he was popularly known, acted in more than 350 films in a career spanning five decades. He also produced and directed a few films. He was born on May 31, 1942, at Burripalem in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. Krishna entered the film industry in the early 1960s with small roles. He debuted as the lead actor in the 1965 movie, Thene Manasulu, which became a hit at the box office. Gudacchari 116 (1966), a spy film starring him, proved to be a super hit, making Krishna one of the most sought-after actors in the Telugu film industry.
Krishna is known for many landmark movies like Alluri Seetharama Raju (19767), which was the first cinemascope movie in Tollywood, Eenadu (1982), the first Telugu Eastman colour film and Simhasanam (1986), the first 70 mm film in Tollywood. The superstar founded Padmalaya Studio in 1970 and produced some highly successful movies.
Krishna married Indira Devi in 1965. They had two sons including Mahesh Babu and three daughters. In 1969, he married actor Vijaya Nirmala and had one son with her. She passed away in 2019. The superstar was reported to be depressed since the death of his wife Indira Devi in September, this year. He also lost his elder son Ramesh Babu in January 2022.
Reports added that Krishna was considered close to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He joined the Congress party in 1984 and was a critic of legendary actor N.T. Rama Rao and his Telugu Desam Party. He also made a few films criticising NTR and his government.
Krishna was elected to Lok Sabha from Eluru in 1989 but lost the election in 1991 from the same constituency. After Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, Krishna distanced himself from politics He received several awards including NTR national award in 2003. In 2009, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to Indian cinema.