Veteran South Indian actor Vijaya Rangaraju, best known to Malayalam audiences for his iconic role as ‘Rowther’ in the Mohanlal-starrer ‘Vietnam Colony,’ passed away due to a heart attack at a private hospital in Chennai. The Telugu Film Producers Council confirmed the news on their social media platform.

Born in Pune and raised in Mumbai, Vijaya Rangaraju attended school with Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff before completing his higher education in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. His real name was Rajkumar.

The actor had sustained injuries during a film shoot in Hyderabad and was later shifted to Chennai for treatment, where he succumbed to his condition. His funeral rites will be conducted in Chennai. He is survived by his two daughters, Deekshita and Padmini.

Vijaya Rangaraju gained recognition for his villain roles in Telugu and Malayalam films. He made his Telugu debut with Nandamuri Balakrishna’s ‘Bhairava Dweepam’ and later gained attention with ‘Yagnam.’