Veteran Telugu film director Dasari Narayana Rao dies at 75

Acclaimed Telugu film director and former union minister of state for coal, Dasari Narayana Rao has died. He was 75 years old.

Rest in Peace Dr Dasari Narayana Rao Garu. A huge loss to the Telugu Film Industry. Praying for strength to the family

— Kalyanram Nandamuri (@NANDAMURIKALYAN) May 30, 2017

Big blow to Telugu filmdom. Veteran filmmaker Dasari Narayana Rao, who has over 120 films to his credit, is no more. Tragic.

— Haricharan Pudipeddi (@pudiharicharan) May 30, 2017

Our industry has lost a guiding light. RIP Dasari Narayana Rao garu. pic.twitter.com/kNIbfinrwA

— Allari Naresh (@allarinaresh) May 30, 2017

Rao, who holds the Guinness Book of Records for directing 125 films in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi, died at a private hospital due to health complications. The National Award-winning director had produced 50 other films.

He had been in and out of hospital for quite some time and had undergone surgery for infection in the lungs and kidneys earlier this year.

Rao, who was a minister in the council of Ministers headed by Manmohan Singh, was also chargesheeted in the coal scam.

Some of his famous films include “Premabhishekam”, “Megha Sandesham”, “Osey Ramulamma” and “Tata Manavadu”.

Rao had planned to make a biopic on late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.