Telugu Actor ‘Sher Khan’ Srihari dies at 49
Hyderabad – Well-known Telugu actor ‘Sher Khan’ Srihari (49) died on Wednesday at Mumbai’s Leelavathi Hospital where he was undergoing treatment for a liver disorder.
Srihari was one of the very few actors from Telangana who made it big in Tollywood. Hailing from Balanagar area of Hyderabad, he married former actress ‘Disco’ Shanti in 1988. They have two sons. Shanti stopped acting after her marriage to Srihari. He was an active social worker and undertook charity works in four villages of Medchal from where he aspired to contest in the next elections on a Congress ticket.
Srihari was last seen in the big film ‘Toofan’ starring Ram Charan Tej. He had also played an important role as ‘Sher Khan’ in Ram Charan Tej’s hit movie ‘Magadheera’. His film titled ‘Police Game’ was released after several postponements last week. Incidentally, his first film as a hero was titled ‘Police’ (1996).
Srihari has appeared as hero, villain and even in character roles in his 2-decade film career. He made an appearance with his family in public last year for the audio release of ‘3’ starring Dhanush and Shruti Haasan in Hyderabad.
Telugu Film Directors’ Association V Sagar described Srihari as a talented actor with a helping nature. “Srihari never changed his behaviour even after he became a big actor,” Sagar said. He recalled that for the film ‘Ramasakkanodu’ in which Sagar cast him, Srihari won the best villain Nandi award. He also won the best character actor Nandi award for ‘Nuvvosthanante Nenoddantana’.
Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce president M Vijayendar Reddy, while condoling the death of Srihari, described him as a ‘good natured’ and ‘friendly person’. “Telangana has lost a good actor,” Vijayendar Reddy said adding that Srihari always maintained good relations with everyone.
As the protagonist, Srihari acted in several films including Dasanna, Srisailam, Mestri, Bhadrachalan, Poru, Simhachalam and Parusuram. He was introduced to the silver screen by Dasari Narayana Rao in 1986 and subsequently went on to portray hero roles since 1999. Srihari who began his film career as a stunt fighter through ‘Prithviputrudu’ shaped his career through sheer hard work and discipline. The other hit films of Srihari include Brindavanam, Don Seenu, Dhee, King, Nuvvosthanante Nenoddantana, Kubusam and Mesthri.
Srihari had earlier joined the YSR CP, but later returned to the Congress. His body will be kept at the AP Film Chamber of Commerce at Filmnagar on Thursday for people to pay their last respects. The last rites will be performed at the actor’s farmhouse at Bachupally on the city outskirts.
