Legendary Lyricist Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry Passes Away

Tollywood’s legendary lyricist and one of the most reputed song writers ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry passed away. He had a great command on Telugu language and literature. He was battling with pneumonia-related health issues. He was hospitalised on November 24th for treatment and since then he was treated in Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital. He succumbed to lung-related ailment. Due to severity and complications of his disease, he was treated on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), but in vain. According to media reports, the infection had spread to the whole body, thus resulted in his demise.

He was born on 20th May, 1955 at Anakapalle in Andhra Pradesh. He was 66 year old. He was survived by wife and two sons – Yogeshwar Sharma and Raja. Elder son Yogeshwar is into music industry whereas younger son Raja is an actor.

Sastry had penned lyrics for over 3,000 songs and made an indelible mark with his command on language. His impact on Telugu songs was unparalleled.

Sastry was awarded Padma Shri, 11 state Nandi Awards and four Filmfare Awards South for his outstanding achievement and contribution as a lyricist. Sastry was a close relative of top director Trivikram Srinivas. Tollywood is grieving Sastry’s untimely demise.

Sastry had started his filmy career with Nandamuri Balakrishna’s ‘Janani Janmabhoomi’. He shot to fame with veteran director K Viswanath’s ‘Sirivennela’ movie which eventually turned out to be his surname. His notable songs include ‘Adibhikshuvu Vadinedi Koredhi’, ‘Ee gali Ee Nela’, ‘Andela Ravamidi Padamuladaa’ and ‘Ardha Shatabdapu’ from ‘Sindhuram’ besides several others. He wrote, sung and acted for the song ‘Niggadeesi Adugu Ee Sigguleni Jananni’ from Ram Gopal Varma’s Gaayam movie.

He wrote all the songs in Nagarjuna and Krishna Vamsi’s ‘Ninne Pelladatha’. “Entha Varaku” from Krish’s Gamyam is often described as one of his best works and won him his tenth Nandi Award for Best Lyricist. He also wrote ‘Samajavaragamana’ from Allu Arjun and Trivikram Srinivas’ Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo.

Condolence messages are pouring in from who’s who of Tollywood. From top stars to ace directors, producers, musicians, singers and all technicians are recalling their association with the legendary lyricist and expressing their condolences.

We at Gulte.com, express our sincere condolences to Seetharama Sastry Garu’s family, relatives, close friends and lakhs of his followers, fans whom he had influenced through his writing.