Telugu star Shoban Babu passes away

CHENNAI: Romantic Telugu hero of yesteryears Shobhan Babu, who had won the hearts of millions as a style icon in a three-decade long career, died here on Thursday following cardiac arrest.
     
He was 71 and survived by wife, three daughters and a son.
    
Shobhan, whose roles in soft family entertainers earned him a massive fan following among women, was counted among the top four Telugu stars of his time, sharing laurels with N T Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageshwara Rao and Krishna.
  
Shobhan, a fitness buff, collapsed while performing yoga at his home. He was shifted to Apollo hospital when he started bleeding from his nose. The doctors said he died of a massive heart attack.
    
After making a mark in the tinsel world for over three decades, he has been leading a reclusive life, away from media glare, since 1997.
   
Shobhan, who made his debut in 1965 with mythological film "Veerabhimanyu", kept himself away from public functions and film industry for the last ten years.
   
It is said in film circles that the reason for the veteran actor not appearing in public is that he did not want his fans to see him as an old man.
   
"He wanted to live in the hearts of his fans as a young, romantic hero. That is why he did not want to make public appearance," a well-known script writer P Gopalakrishna said.
    
Born in Krishna district on Jan 14, 1937 as Uppu Shobana Chalapathi Rao, Shobhan, an arts graduate, epitomized a "perfect family man", both on-screen and off-screen.
    
Known for his strict regimentation and discipline, Shobhan acted in about 200 films, many of them becoming box office hits.
    
Some of his popular films were Manushulu Marali, Bangaru Panjaram, Jeevana Tarangalu,  Soggadu, Jeevan Jyothi, Balipeetham, Gorintaku , Kodenagu, Gorintaaku, Puttinillu- Mettinillu, Andaru Dongale and Kaarthika Deepam.
    
His performance in 1970 film "Bangaru Panjaram" earned him the central government award for the best classical film hero.
   
In a career spanning 32 years, he won the coveted best actor awards from the Andhra Pradesh government five times and four Filmfare awards.
   
Shobhan worked with leading directors and production houses of his time. He acted in nine films made by veteran producer D Rama Naidu.
    
After bidding good-bye to the films a decade ago, he settled down in Chennai and switched over to real estate business. He has not allowed any of his children to take to films.