Hyderabad: Actor Sarath Babu breathed his last at a private hospital here on Monday due to a prolonged illness.

He was 71.

Sarath Babu's health had deteriorated some time ago, prompting his admission to the AIG Hospital in Hyderabad.

He had been under medical care at the hospital for nearly a month.

Doctors attending to him stated that his condition worsened on Monday morning, tragically resulting in his demise.

Sarath Babu' real name is Satyambabu Dixitulu, hailed from the village of Amudalavalasa in Srikakulam district. He was one of nine siblings.

The late actor had strong connections with the families of renowned actors such as Sivaji Ganeshan, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi and Sarath Kumar.

Sarath Babu made his debut in the film industry with the movie 'Rama Rajyam' in 1973.

In his early years in the industry, he was involved in a relationship with Rama Prabha, an actress who was a few years older than him.

However, he later clarified that he did not marry Rama Prabha.

Subsequently, in 1990, he married Snehalatha, the daughter of Nambiar, a popular actor in Tamil Nadu. However, after 20 years of being together, they separated in 2011.

He acted in over 200 movies.

He was last seen in the film 'Vakil Saab'.

The passing of Sarath Babu has created a void in the Tollywood industry, leaving the film fraternity and fans grieving deeply.

Numerous prominent film celebrities have expressed their heartfelt condolences and are mourning the loss.