Actor Jaya Prakash Reddy (popularly known as JP) died in Guntur on Tuesday morning after suffering a massive cardiac arrest, his family said.
Born on May 8, 1946, at Sirivella village in Allagadda mandal in Kurnool district, JP settled down in Guntur. He was a well-known personality in the world of theatre but it was in the Venkatesh starrer Brahmaputrudu that JP launched himself into movies.
Later, he went on to play lead villain roles in many movies, but it was after he perfected the Rayalaseema dialect in the movie Preminchukundam Raa that he shot to fame. His distinct dialogue delivery and histrionics were lapped up by fans, and the movies in which he played a role, Samarasimha Reddy and Narasimha Naidu, went on to become blockbusters. His last movie was Sarileru Neekuevvaru, a Mahesh Babu film, which was also a hit.
JP endeared himself to theatre lovers when in 2014 he began a series of plays enacted at Sri Venkateswara Vignana Mandiram in Guntur — Nela Nela JP tho — which he ran for over three years.
Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy and Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu condoled the death of JP.
Expressing grief, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that JP had carved a special place for himself in the film world through his inimitable dialogue delivery and mannerisms. He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members.
Mr. Naidu said that the Telugu movie industry had lost a gem and added that JP had carved a special place among the movie-goers in the State.
