Veteran Telugu actor Devadas Kanakala, who helped many budding actors hone their skills through his film institute, died on Friday. He was 75. His wife had predeceased him.
“Devadas Kanakala was admitted to a private hospital in the city on July 27, and he breathed his last at 3.30 pm”, hospital sources said.
The cause of death was sepsis with multi-organ dysfunction, they said.
Kanakala, who hailed from Yanam (neighbouring East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh) in Pondicherry, began his career about five decades ago. He acted in about 100 films.
Superstar Chiranjeevi had also reportedly honed his skills with Kanakala’s institute in Chennai.
The Telugu film industry was based in the southern metropolis before shifting to Hyderabad.
He is survived by a son, Rajeev Kanakala, a popular Telugu actor and a daughter. Rajeev Kanakala’s wife Suma is a hugely popular anchor in the Telugu television industry.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao condoled the death of Devadas Kanakala.
In his condolence message, he said the death of Devadas had caused a void in the Telugu film industry.