HYDERABAD: Actor Potti Veeraiah, best known for his roles in Jaganmohini and Gaja Donga, passed away on Sunday in Hyderabad due to age-related ailments. He was 74.Born in Phanigiri village in Nalgonda district as Gattu Veeraiah, he later adapted his screen name to make a mark as a dwarf comedian. After making his debut in 1967 with Vittalacharya’s Aggi Dora, Veeraiah went on to act in over 500 films across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam film industries. Some of his most popular films include Yugandhar, Gola Naagamma, Atthagari Petthanam, Gaja Donga, Raadhamma Pelli, and Tarzan Sundari, to name a few.
In one of his old interviews, he mentioned that actors Shobhan Babu and Raja Babu had encouraged him to meet filmmaker Vittalacharya for acting gigs. He had also mentioned that Dasari Narayana Rao was equally important in propelling his career as a comedian.Veeraiah is survived by three daughters. His youngest daughter Vijayadurga is an actor in the Telugu film industry.Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his condolences to the bereaved family members.