Director K Vasu passes away; Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan convey their condolences

One of the many prominent filmmakers in Telugu cinema, who helmed several successful films over three decades, K Vasu, is no more. He was 72 and breathed his last at a private hospital in Hyderabad on Friday. His final rites will be performed today, his family confirmed. Some of his popular films include Sarada Ramudu, Aadapillala Tandri, Pranam Khareedu, Sri Shirdi Saibaba Mahatyam.

The nephew of veteran director Hemambaradhara Rao, Vasu gave up on education in his tenth grade and entered the film industry against the wishes of his parents. While he assisted the filmmaker, Vasu’s work ethic impressed NTR who agreed to work in a film under his direction later. Despite not having a liking for the script, he directed Sarada Ramudu with his love for the star. The film was a moderate success at the box office.

He was 22 when he made his directorial debut with Aadapillala Tandri with big names like Krishnam Raju and Naga Bhushanam, that performed well at the ticket window. He introduced Chiranjeevi with his second film Pranam Khareedu and directed him in Kothala Rayudu later, which enjoyed a 100-day run in theatres. Some of his other directorials, Arani Mantalu, devotionals like Ayyappa Swamy Mahatyam gained him fame. Gajibiji in 2008 was his last film.

As a filmmaker, K Vasu was versatile handling commercial entertainers, comedies, dramas, devotional films with relative ease. Chiranjeevi expressed his condolences to his family members over a tweet yesterday. He wrote, “I am saddened by the death of K Vasu (garu). He directed me in many films like Pranam Khareedu, Thodu Dongalu, Allullostunnaru, Kothala Rayudu. I convey my condolences to his family.”

Pawan Kalyan shared his gratitude to K Vasu for introducing his brother to the industry and credited him for spreading the word about Shirdi Sai Babu through his biopic. Writer Gopi Mohan, filmmaker Sreenu Vaitla, actress Anitha Chowdhary expressed grief over his death.