Veteran Telugu actor Vijaya Rangaraju, widely recognised for his portrayal of villainous and supporting characters, passed away in Chennai earlier today. According to reports, the actor, who sustained an injury on a film set last week, suffered a heart attack and succumbed to medical complications.

Born as Raju Kumar, Rangaraju began his acting career with the 1994 Telugu film Bhairava Dweepam (1994), where he played a sorcerer. He later adopted the screen name Vijaya Rangaraju to avoid confusion with Kannada actor Rajkumar. Over the years, he appeared in several Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam films. His last notable role in Telugu was in the Gopichand starrer Yagnam (2004).

Reports suggest that Rangaraju had been admitted to a government hospital in Chennai due to financial constraints. Allegedly, inadequate medical care contributed to his untimely demise. Rangaraju is survived by two daughters. Colleagues and other senior actors have expressed their condolences, remembering him as a versatile and underrated talent.