Telugu actor, producer Costumes Krishna passes away

Having begun his career as a costume designer in the 1950s, he turned an actor with Kodi Ramakrishna’s Bharat Bandh

Costumes Krishna

Popular actor, producer Costumes Krishna is no more. He breathed his last at his Chennai residence this morning. He was believed to be ailing in the recent times. The Vizianagaram native was well known for his negative roles in early 90s. Costumes Krishna is survived by two daughters and two sons. Having left for (then) Madras in 1954, he began his career in the costumes department, assisting leading technicians and rose to prominence as a costume designer in quick time.

From NTR to ANR, Chiranjeevi and other leading ladies like Vanisri, Jayasudha, Jayaprada, Sridevi, he worked on the costumes of the who’s who of the industry. His career took a different turn when director Kodi Ramakrishna decided to launch him as an actor with Bharat Bandh. Ever since his acting break, he has been eternally grateful to the filmmaker.

With his performance being widely appreciated in Bharat Bandh, he bagged a handful of roles as a villain, character actor in several noted films in the coming years. He produced seven Telugu films including Jagapathi Babu’s Pelli Pandiri, Arundhati (the remake of a Kannada hit film), to name a few. Several celebrities have mourned the death of Costumes Krishna and conveyed their condolences to his family.

Leading Telugu producer Dil Raju, from the social media handle of his banner wrote, “Sad to hear about Costumes Krishna Garu's demise. Condolences to his family members. You will be missed. RIP..” Some of Krishna’s popular films as an actor include Allari Mogudu, Kondapalli Raja, Devullu, Maa Ayana Bangaram, Villain, Sambhavi IPS, Puttintiki Ra Chelli, Maa Avida Collector and Pellam Chepthe Vinali.

He has bid goodbye to the industry many years ago, continuing to stay in the same city that gave him name and fame. Talking about his entry into films in a recent interview, he said, “I was a small-time tailor who came to Madras and was standing outside Sobhanachala Studios for an opportunity. The security asked me to leave, but I stayed on and suddenly someone from the unit asked all of us outside the gate to come inside the studio and they needed junior artistes.”

“The supplier paid me about 50 np a day and it was enough to eat two meals a day. One day, a Rajahmundry native noticed me and told he turned a producer recently and asked me to join his film. The unit member was surprised when I told was a tailor who could work on shirts, pants and not saris and blouses. I worked under Narayana Murthy for the film and they treated me well. I adapted according to needs of the industry and never had to look back later,” he added.

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