File photo: Telugu actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao
Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner and doyen of Telugu cinema, legendary actor and producer Akkineni Nageswara Rao (fondly called ANR), died in the early hours in Hyderabad today. He was 89.
Battling cancer for years, Mr Rao had an acting career spanning 75 years and had acted in the lead role as hero in 240 Telugu films apart from working in several Tamil films as well.
He was honoured with India's second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan in 2011. He was also honoured with Padma Shri.
He is credited with being a pioneer in shifting Telugu film industry from then Madras to Hyderabad.
He established Annapurna studios and his son Nagarjuna , daughter-in-law Amala and several grandsons followed in ANR's footsteps to become actors.