Telugu superstar Krishna dies

Telugu actor Krishna, known for his swagger and star power, died after being brought to the emergency ward of a hospital following a cardiac arrest. He was 79.

Krishna, the father of actor Mahesh Babu, was on the ventilator yesterday before his end. According to a report on NDTV, he died around 4am this morning.

Krishna was a dominant force in Telugu cinema and has acted in over 350 films in a career spanning five decades. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 2009 and has won several film awards throughout his illustrious career.

Born Krishna Ghattamaneni, he was fondly called Superstar Krishna by his legion of adoring fans. His iconic portrayal of Allurui Seetharama Raju remains one of his best works. He was also known as the swashbuckling hero who introduced the cow-boy theme into his films. His turn in films such as 'Mosagallaku Mosagadu' stand out from his prolific body of work. He has also acted in spy thrillers including Agent Gopi and James Bond 777.

Krishna was also called the James Bond of Telugu cinema.

Apart from lighting up the silver screen, Krishna had dabbled briefly in politics. He had joined the Congress party in the 1980s, but quit  after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's death.

In September, his first wife died and his elder son Ramesh Babu also passed away in January. It's been a tragic time for the Krishna household.