Veteran writer and actor Gollapudi Maruthi Rao passes away

Veteran actor and writer Gollapudi Maruthi Rao passed away of illness on Thursday. The man from Visakhapatnam breathed his last while being treated at a private hospital in Chennai. He was 80 years old.

Gollapudi Maruthi Rao debuted as an actor with Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya in 1982 and went on to act in close to 300 films. Some of his memorable acts in films include Assembly Rowdy, Swati Muthyam, Aditya 369 and Leader among others.

Gollapudi Maruthi Rao did his schooling and college in Visakhapatnam. He was born on 14th April 1939, to Subba Rao and Annapoorna, in an ordinary family. He left Visakhapatnam to take up the sub-editor post at the Andhra Prabha, a Telugu daily and was the part of the team that launched its inaugural Chittoor edition. After that he joined the All India Radio (AIR) as first Transmission Executive, to finally leave as an Assistant Station Director after nineteen years. But all throughout this litterateur and playwright was busy penning masterpieces and acting on the stage.

His interest in the theatre was kindled in his school days itself. As a young lad, Gollapudi Maruthi Rao created his own theatre group called ‘Raghava Kala Niketan’, through which he produced, directed and acted as the main lead in many plays written by famous Telugu playwrights.

At a later stage, the man also helmed a television programme ‘Vandella Kathaku Vandanalu’ to recognise the works of noted Telugu writers.

The loss of Gollapudi Maruthi Rao is being mourned by several noted writers and members of the Telugu film fraternity.