The demise of veteran actor Sarath Babu has taken the Tamil and Telugu film fraternities by grief. Having starred in 100-plus films, his impactful performance in Suresh Krissna's Annamalai is definitely one of the highlights of his career. 

Still in a state of shock, Suresh Krissna says he expected his dear friend to live longer. "Generally, when someone's demise news comes out as rumours, the sentiment goes that the person will live for a long time. The sentiment was similar for Sarath Babu as well." 

Recollecting his first meeting with Sarath Babu, he shares, "I first met Sarath Babu for Annamalai, by which time he had already become a star, having acted in many films. When I first met him, his warmth, his absolutely charming persona, and his spree of laughter impressed me." He further adds that he thought Sarath to be apt for the role of Ashok in Annamalai after watching his performance in K Balachander and K Vishwanath films

Sharing the times he spent with Sarath Babu, the Annamalai director narrates, "When we stood together, Rajini sir used to jokingly call us brothers, as we were both tall and looked similar."

With a quiver in his voice, Suresh concludes, "From being Rajini sir's Ashok in Annamalai, Sarath Babu became my Ashok in real life. I still haven't reached home since I heard the news. I am sure I will break down as soon as I reach home."