Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD: Veteran Telugu film producer Dukkipati Madhusudhana Rao who made several immortal classics and launched several film stars over the decades passed away here on Sunday.
He established the successful Annapurna Pictures banner and produced great films like `Donga Ramudu', `Velugu Needalu', `Dr. Chakravarthy', `Thodi Kodallu', `Chaduvukunna Ammayilu', `Sudigundalu', `Athmeeyulu' and so on. He was also awarded the prestigious Raghupati Venkaiah award by the State Government for his outstanding contribution to Telugu cinema in 1993.
Several Telugu film stars and filmmakers visited his house and paid floral tributes. Rao is survived by a son and two daughters and his funeral will take place on Monday.
In a statement, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, expressing shock and grief over the demise of the veteran film producer, said Rao's invaluable contribution to Telugu cinema for over five decades would be long remembered. "His death is a great loss not just to the Telugu film industry, but to Indian cinema too as he left an indelible mark on the Indian film industry with his artistic excellence," he said.
Former Chief Minister and Opposition Leader N. Chandrababu Naidu described Rao as a filmmaker with great taste and values and this was reflected in all his classics. "He elevated Telugu cinema to great heights."
