Akkineni Nageswara Rao with Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya (Twitter/Nagarjuna Akkineni)
Akkineni Nageswara Rao with Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya (Twitter/Nagarjuna Akkineni)Twitter/Nagarjuna Akkineni

Several members of the Telugu film industry paid their last respects to legendary actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), who passed away in the wee hours of Wednesday in Hyderabad.

ANR, who was suffering from intestinal cancer, died at a hospital in Banjara Hills. His body has been shifted to Annapurna Studios, established by him, for fans and film industry members to pay their homage.

Several celebrities including Pawan Kalyan, Mahesh Babu and his wife Namrata, JR NTR, Venkatesh, Rana Daggubatti, Jayasudha, Ravi Teja, Nithiin, Sunil, Ram Pothineni, Siddharth, Anushka Shetty, Rajamouli and Allu Arjun among others visited Annapurna Studios and paid their last respects to the actor. To look at the pictures, click HERE

The final rites of ANR will take place tomorrow (23 January) at Erragadda Smashana Vatika. A grand funeral procession is expected to take place which is likely to be attended by well-known personalities from across the country.

As a mark of respect to the actor, the Telugu film industry will observe a bandh on 23 January. Film shooting and post production work will be stopped. Film screenings might also be halted in some areas, reported 123telugu.

ANR, who began his acting career in 1941, has starred in 256 films of mostly Telugu language. His last film "Manam", which has three generations of the Akkineni family including himself, son Nagarjuna and grandson Naga Chaitanya, is set to hit the screens this year.

ANR was battling cancer for several months and revealed to the public about his health condition last October. He underwent a surgery for intestinal cancer and was recuperating. On Wednesday early morning (22 January), ANR's health condition deteriorated and he was admitted to the hospital, where he breathed his last.