Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry, the award-winning Telugu poet and lyricist, died at 4.07 pm on Tuesday, due to lung cancer-related complications. He was 66.
The late lyricist was undergoing treatment for pneumonia at KIMS Hospital in Secunderabad. He was admitted there on November 24. Sastry was put on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) to support his lungs and was kept under close observation in the the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), according to a health bulletin issued by the hospital.
However, on Tuesday evening, Sastry breathed his last.
With over 3,000 songs to his credits, the lyricist was best known for winning the most number of Nandi Awards, 11 in all. Besides this, he was also the winner of four Filmfare South awards.
In 2019, Sastry was bestowed the prestigious Padma Shri by the Government of India.
Known for the positive approach to life expressed in his songs, Sastry made his debut as a lyricist with the 1984 Telugu film Janami Janmabhoomi. He earned the moniker ‘Sirivennela’ after the success of the 1986 romance film of the same name, directed by K Vishwanath. Sastry won his first Nandi Award for the song Vidhata Thalapuna in Sirivennela, which was sung by late SP Balasubrahmanyam and P Susheela. SPB also won the Best Male Playback Singer Award that year for the same song.
Sastry frequently collaborated with Telugu filmmakers K Vishwanath, Trivikram Srinivas, Krishna Vamsi, and Ram Gopal Varma. The lyricist was also known for his collaborations with Annapurna Studios and Sumanth Art Production.
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He recently contributed lyrics to 2021 films such as Venkatesh Daggubati’s Narappa and the Akhil Akkineni and Pooja Hegde-starrer Most Eligible Bachelor. He has also penned the lyrics for two songs in the Nani-starrer Shyam Singha Roy, scheduled to release in December, and wrote the song Dosti for director SS Rajamouli’s upcoming pan-Indian film RRR, which has music composed by MM Keeravani.
Prominent personalities mourned the demise of the lyricist and paid their respects on social media.
Director Srinu Vaitla wrote, “Shattered by the news. Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry garu is a true legend, who enriched Telugu Cinema Literature with versatile and top class lyrics. I always cherished my association with such a great personality.”
“No Telugu playlist is complete without your songs, sir. Many memories from childhood till date, growing up listening to your amazing and inspiring lyrics. We miss you, sir,” wrote cricketer Venu Gopala Rao.