Son is a superstar, father an ordinary pharmacist; Ravi Teja's father Bhupathiraju Rajagopal Raju passes away

HYDERABAD: Veteran Telugu actor Ravi Teja’s father, Bhupathiraju Rajagopal Raju, has passed away at the age of 90. He died at Ravi Teja’s residence in Hyderabad due to age-related health issues.

Rajagopal Raju was a pharmacist by profession. Despite his son’s rise to superstardom in the Telugu film industry, he continued his work as a pharmacist. Over the years, he worked in various cities across India, including Jaipur, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bhopal.

He is survived by his wife, Rajya Lakshmi, and two sons — Raghu Raju and Ravi Teja (whose full name is Bhupatiraju Ravishankar Raju). Another son, Bharat Raju, had passed away in a car accident in 2017.

Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi expressed his condolences on Rajagopal Raju’s passing. He recalled that the last time he met him was on the sets of Waltair Veerayya, a film in which both he and Ravi Teja acted together.

Ravi Teja began his career in the Telugu film industry as an assistant director before becoming a leading actor. He eventually changed his screen name to Ravi Teja. The actor had shared a heartfelt photo with his father on social media on Father's Day.