Veteran film producer and former Chairman of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) DVS Raju passed away on Saturday after a short illness.
Mr Raju was undergoing treatment at the Care Hospital, where he was admitted after falling ill, following the death of his son recently. He was 82.
The noted film producer’s body was shifted to his residence at Film Nagar so that his friends, fans and followers can pay their respect. According to information, his last rites will be performed at Erragadda cemetery later in the evening.
Following the news of his passing away, a horde of admirers from the film industry and beyond, thronged to the film producers residence to express their grief.
Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, actor-turned-politician K Chiranjeevi, Allu Aravind, Tammareddy Baradwaj, Kaikala Satyanarayna, Communist Party of India State Secretary Narayana, actor and Telugu Desam Party legislator Nandamuri Harikrishna and Nandamuri Balakrishna, Paruchuri Gopala Krishna and others paid their respects to the filmmaker by laying wreaths on his body.
Chief Minister K Rosaiah, in a message, expressed his profound grief over the veteran film producer’s death.
The Chief Minister recalling the yeoman services of late DVS Raju to the Film Industry in the country in general and Telugu celluloid world in particular said Raju was a highly respected man in the film industry.
Mr Rosaiah wrote, “Mr DVS Raju was personally known to me and some of his Telugu films like “Gandikota Rahasyam, Chinnanati Snehithulu, Chanakya Sapadham, Jeevana Jyothi” were all time popular hits.”
The Chief Minister also lauded DVS Raju’s services to the film industry as the Chairman of the National Film Development Corporation and he was also closely associated with the works of South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce.
He said that, with the passing away of DVS Raju, the Telugu film industry in fact lost a fatherly figure. Mr Rosaiah conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members.
PRP chief K Chiranjeevi said, "I owe my place in the film industry to D V S Raju as he was the one who helped me get a footing here. I am what I am today only because of him."
DVS Raju famous films are Gandikota Rahasyam, Chinnanati Snehithulu, Jeevana Jyothy, Jeevita Nouka, Dhanama-Daivama, President Peramma, Chanakya Sapadham, Bhanumathigari Mogudu are some of the other films that he produced.
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