Celebrated film-maker Tatineni Rama Rao passed into the ages in Chennai early on Wednesday, April 20, his family said.
T Rama Rao directed almost 70 movies between 1966, when he was a young man of 28, to 2000 when he turned 62.
He began his career in Hindi cinema in 1980 with Judaai starring Jeetendra and Rekha.
Among his well-known Hindi movies are Andhaa Kanoon (Rajinikanth's first Hindi film though it is mostly remembered for Amitabh Bachchan's histronics), Maang Bharo Sajana (Jeetendra, Rekha, Moushmi Chatterjee), Inquilaab (Amitabh, Sridevi), John Jani Janardhan (Rajinikanth in a triple role), Naache Mayuri (Sudha Chandran), Khatron Ke Khiladi (Dharmendra, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit). His final two movies were Bulandi (Anil Kapoor, Rekha, Raveena Tandon) and Beti No. 1 (Govinda, Rambha).
T Rama Rao Rao was considered the man who established the 'Madras movie', notes Wikipedia, meaning Hindi films produced by South Indian producers.
Anupam Kher expressed grief over Rao's death in a tweet: 'Deeply saddened to know about the demise of veteran filmmaker & a dear friend Shri #TRamaRao ji. I had the privilege of working with him in #AakhriRaasta and #Sansaar!! He was compassionate, commanding & had a great sense of humour. My condolences to his family! Om Shanti!'
