Across five decades, Giri Babu moved effortlessly from leading man to menacing villain to beloved comic character — and in doing so became one of the most familiar faces in Telugu cinema.
Born Yerra Seshagiri Rao in Ravinuthala village in Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, he developed an early interest in acting and theatre. His released debut, Jagame Maya, arrived in 1973, beginning a career that would run until 2022, according to his son Raghu Babu.
The numbers tell the story of his longevity: more than 600 films, with his son putting the total above 650. He kept working well into his 70s, with roles in A Aa, Geetha Govindam, Jathi Ratnalu, Sreekaram and Most Eligible Bachelor among his later credits. His final screen appearance came in Anni Manchi Sakunamule, released in 2023.
His range was his trademark. He was convincing as a villain in films such as Athadu and Kurukshetram, and equally at home in comic and character roles that made him a favourite with family audiences. Few actors of his generation matched his longevity or his ability to move between genres, from leading roles in his early years to the character parts that defined his later career.
That versatility kept him working when many of his contemporaries had faded from the screen. As Telugu cinema moved from the star-driven films of the 1980s and 1990s into the multiplex era, Giri Babu adapted — playing fathers, mentors, village elders and comic relief with the same ease he once brought to leading and villain roles. Directors kept casting him because audiences recognised him instantly, and because he could carry a scene without overshadowing the stars around him.
Giri Babu was more than an actor. He also worked as a producer, director and writer, and he was associated with producing Devathalara Deevinchandi, which his son credited as the first black-and-white Telugu CinemaScope film — a small but telling footnote in the technical history of Telugu cinema.
His death in Hyderabad on 14 November 2026, after a period of ill health, closes a long chapter in Telugu film history. He is survived by his son Raghu Babu, himself a prominent actor and comedian. The tributes that followed his death — from Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan, Chandrababu Naidu and the Movie Artistes Association — were a measure of how widely he was respected, not just as a prolific actor but as a steady, dependable presence in an industry that changed completely around him.
Giri Babu: Career at a Glance
| Born | Yerra Seshagiri Rao, Ravinuthala village, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh |
| Debut | Jagame Maya (1973) |
| Films | More than 600 (his son Raghu Babu puts the total above 650) |
| Career span | 1973 to 2022; final screen appearance Anni Manchi Sakunamule (2023) |
| Known for | Villain and character roles in Athadu and Kurukshetram; comic and family roles in Geetha Govindam, A Aa and Jathi Ratnalu |
| Other roles | Producer, director and writer; produced Devathalara Deevinchandi |
| Family | Son Raghu Babu, actor and comedian |