Director AS Ravi Kumar Chowdary passed away on Tuesday night, following a cardiac arrest. He was 54. The news has left the Telugu film industry in shock, with tributes pouring in from colleagues and fans.

Hailing from Narakoduru in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district, Chowdary began his career in the film industry in 1994 as an assistant director. He made his directorial debut with Manasutho (2002) but rose to prominence with Yagnam (2004), starring Gopichand. The film was a commercial success and brought him widespread recognition.

Over the next two decades, Chowdary directed a series of action and family entertainers including Veerabhadra (2006) with Nandamuri Balakrishna, Aatadista, Soukhyam, and Em Pillo Em Pillado. He also directed Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitham (2014), the debut film of Sai Durgha Tej, which remains one of his most successful works. His most recent directorial was Tiragabadara Saami starring Raj Tarun.

Chowdary also made brief acting appearances in films such as Jagadam. In recent years, he had been away from active filmmaking and was reportedly living alone. He is survived by his wife and children.