Film Producer D V S Raju No More

Veteran film producer and former Chairman of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) D V S Raju passed away on Saturday after a short illness.

Raju was undergoing treatment at Care Hospital, where he was admitted after falling ill, following the recent death of his son. He was 82.

The noted film producer's body was shifted to his residence at Film Nagar. His last rites will reportedly be performed at the Erragadda cemetery later in the evening.

Following the news of his passing away, a horde of admirers from the film industry, and beyond, thronged to the film producers residence to express their grief.

Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, actor-turned-politician K Chiranjeevi, Allu Aravind, Tammareddy Baradwaj, Kaikala Satyanarayna, CPI State Secretary Narayana, actor and TDP legislator Nandamuri Harikrishna, and Nandamuri Balakrishna, Paruchuri Gopala Krishna and others paid their respects to the filmmaker by laying wreaths on his body.

Chief Minister K Rosaiah, in a message, expressed his profound grief over the veteran film producer's death.

The chief minister, recalling the services of late D V S Raju to the film industry in the country in general and to the Telugu celluloid world in particular, said Raju was a highly respected man in the film industry.

Rosaiah wrote, "Mr. D V S Raju was personally known to me, and some of his Telugu films like Gandikota Rahasyam, Chinnanati Snehithulu, Chanakya Sapadham and Jeevana Jyothi were all-time popular hits."

The CM also lauded D V S Raju's services to the industry as the Chairman of the National Film Development Corporation, and as a close associate of the works of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce.

He said that, with the passing away of DVS Raju, the Telugu film industry in fact lost a fatherly figure. Mr Rosaiah conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members.

PRP chief K Chiranjeevi said, "I owe my place in the film industry to D V S Raju as he was the one who helped me get a footing here. I am what I am today only because of him."

Some of D V S Raju's famous films are Gandikota Rahasyam, Chinnanati Snehithulu, Jeevana Jyothi, Jeevita Nouka, Dhanama-Daivama, President Peramma, Chanakya Sapadham and Bhanumathigari Mogudu.

Courtesy: INN