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Raghu Babu mourns father Giri Babu's death, says last rites to be held in Ravinuthala as per veteran actor's final wish

Veteran Telugu actor Giri Babu died on November 14 at the age of 83. His son, actor Raghu Babu, spoke to the press.

Published on: Nov 15, 2026, 09:12:43 IST
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Veteran Telugu actor Giri Babu died on November 14 at the age of 83. His passing left the film industry in shock, with many actors, including Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalyan, paying tribute. His elder son, actor Raghu Babu, spoke to the press as Telugu actors turned up at the Film Chamber to pay their respects. Raghu also revealed that his father’s last rites will be held in Ravinuthala, Andhra Pradesh, as per the actor’s final wish.

Raghu Babu grieves father Giri Babu’s death

Raghu Babu is veteran actor Giri Babu's eldest son and also an actor in Tollywood.
Raghu Babu is veteran actor Giri Babu's eldest son and also an actor in Tollywood.

After Giri’s death, his body was kept at the Film Chamber for fans and his colleagues and friends from the film industry to pay tribute. “My father had a great attachment to his birthplace, our hometown, Ravinuthala, near Ongolo. He expressed a wish for his last rites to be performed there once. It was his last wish that the ceremony be held there. The rites will take place from 3 PM tomorrow (Sunday). This is why his body was kept here (at the Film Chamber) only for 2-3 hours. It heartens me to see so many people turn up here in this short time,” said Raghu.

After Giri’s body was brought to the Film Chamber, several Tollywood actors turned up to pay their respects. Veteran actor Annapurna, who shared the screen with Giri in several films, got emotional as she held Raghu’s hand. “I was close to Giri Babu garu and knew him as more than just an actor,” she said, almost breaking down while adding, “He felt lonely since his wife passed away a while ago. He felt alone, and his health deteriorated. He was such a good friend to everyone, someone who would feed everyone before eating.”

Movie Artists Association (MAA) president and actor Vishnu Manchu, along with Rajasekhar, Jeevitha, Rajeev Kanakala, Sivaji Raja, and several others, bid Giri Babu an emotional farewell. The actor’s last film was the 2023 Nandini Reddy film Anni Manchi Sakunamule.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeshita Nyayapati

Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.

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