Veteran actor Sarath Babu passed away at the age of 71

New Delhi: Veteran actor Sarath Babu passed away on Monday at a private hospital in Hyderabad. He was 71 years old.

Sarath Babu breathed his last at AIG Hospital, where he was admitted last month. Family sources said that he succumbed to sepsis throughout the body and multi-organ failure.

The actor was brought to Hyderabad from Bengaluru on April 20 and admitted to AIG.

While undergoing treatment for multi-organ damage, he suffered from sepsis, which affected the functioning of the kidneys, lungs, liver and other organs.

His body is likely to be taken to Chennai for the last rites. The news of Sarath Babu’s death sent shockwaves through the southern film industry. Prominent film personalities and political leaders have expressed condolences.

Sarath Babu, whose real name was Satyam Babu Dixitulu, began his acting career in 1973 through the Telugu film “Rama Rajyam” and later appeared in the Tamil films “Pattina Pravesham” (1977) and “Nizhal Nijamgiradhu” (1978). Directed by Balachander.

Primarily known for his work in Telugu and Tamil films, he acted in over 200 films including a few Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi films. He has won the Nandi Award nine times for Best Performance in a Supporting Role.

Sarath Babu, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, wanted to become a police officer but could not realize his dream due to some vision problem. His father wanted him to join his business but with the support of his mother, he entered the film industry and established himself as an actor.

Born on July 31, 1951, in Amudalam village in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, Sarath Babu worked with top actors like NT Rama Rao, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Chiranjeevi.