Veteran Telugu actor, producer and director Giri Babu died on Saturday, 14 November 2026, while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kondapur, Hyderabad. He was 80, according to several reports, although some publications gave his age as 83 — a discrepancy that reflects conflicting records of his birth year.
His son, actor and comedian Raghu Babu, said his father had been suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease along with a lung infection for about two and a half years. He had been bedridden for six to seven months, and died at around 3 p.m. on Saturday after his blood pressure and blood sugar fell suddenly, according to the family's account.
Born Yerra Seshagiri Rao in Ravinuthala village in Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, Giri Babu made his acting debut with Jagame Maya in 1973 and went on to appear in more than 600 films across five decades. His son put the total at more than 650, including two or three films in other languages.
Tributes poured in from across the Telugu film industry and politics. Megastar Chiranjeevi described his passing as an irreparable loss to the Telugu film industry. Pawan Kalyan's office acknowledged his remarkable contribution and the memorable characters he brought to life. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu described the demise as deeply saddening, and former chief minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy also paid tribute. The Movie Artistes Association mourned the death of its life member.
Giri Babu's career spanned a period in which Telugu cinema changed completely — from the era in which he began in the early 1970s to the big-budget productions of the 2020s. He remained in demand throughout, moving from leading roles in his early years to the villain and character parts that made him a household name, and he was still appearing on screen in his late 70s. His final screen appearance came in Anni Manchi Sakunamule, released in 2023.
The response to his death reflected that standing. The Movie Artistes Association, of which he was a life member, mourned his passing, and colleagues from across generations of Telugu cinema paid tribute. His son said the family would take him back to Ravinuthala, his native village, for the last rites — the same village where he was born Yerra Seshagiri Rao and where his journey in cinema began.
The actor's remains were placed at the Film Chamber in Hyderabad so members of the film fraternity and the public could pay their last respects. His last rites are scheduled to be held in his native village of Ravinuthala on Sunday, 15 November, after 3 p.m., according to the family's announced plan.
Giri Babu Death: Key Facts
| Name | Giri Babu (born Yerra Seshagiri Rao) |
| Died | Saturday, 14 November 2026, at a private hospital in Kondapur, Hyderabad |
| Age | Reported as 80 in several reports; some publications say 83 (birth year given as 1946 or 1943) |
| Career | Actor, producer and director; more than 600 Telugu films over five decades |
| Debut | Jagame Maya (1973) |
| Family | Survived by his son, actor and comedian Raghu Babu |
| Last rites | Native village Ravinuthala, Prakasam district, Sunday 15 November, after 3 p.m. (announced plan) |