Sarath Babu, a star in his own right in both Tamil and Telugu film industries, has turned the hearts of the audience heavy with his demise. Though most of his iconic works were films that starred other actors as the male lead, he always proved that he was no lesser than them. The gentleman, both on and off-screen, was known for his iconic smile and pleasant screen presence.
The go-to actor for the hero’s best friend roles, always ensured that he had something new to bring to the table. The man who delivered the most-lovable roles in Nizhal Nijamagiradhu, Sagara Sangamam, Swati Mutyam, Annamalai, Velaikkaran, and Muthu, also played the most-dreaded villains in Anveshana and Uchakattam with the same finesse.
He was one of the few actors to have an uninterrupted five-decade-long career in cinema. Despite his age, he was never away from acting and expanded his range to the small screen and played integral roles in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada series. His journey that started with Rama Rajyam in 1973 is still continuing as he will be seen in upcoming releases like Malli Pelli and Por Thozhil.
When we reached out to members of the film community to recount their memories of Sarath Babu, all of them had two common things to talk about: The outstanding performer he was on screen and the most humble and calm human he was in real life.
KS Ravikumar (Muthu)
He was someone who was remembered for his pleasant and charming appearance. He was large-hearted and had a childlike character. He had a charismatic screen prescence and was blessed with features that helped him fit into all types of roles. I have never seen him sad or angry. I met him at a function about one year back. Despite age-related ailments, he had his smile intact and we had a warm conversation. It’s sad that such a personality is not with us today.
Rekha (Annamalai)
Sarath Babu never crossed the professional and personal lines and had set clear boundaries with everyone. He was a stellar performer in front of camera and a calm, pleasant and kind-hearted person in real life. Despite being a star, he respected everyone equal and was fond of his co-stars. He had set a great standard for actors during his prime, I learnt a lot while working with him. It is shocking to realise that he is not with us anymore.
Suresh Krissna (Annamalai, Vedan, Aalavandhan)
I was beyond shocked to hear about Sarath Babu’s demise. When I first met him for Annamalai, he was already a star. But he had no airs around him and I was impressed by his warmth and charming persona. It was his performance in K Balachander and Vishwanathan’s films that made me choose him for Annamalai. Rajini sir used to call us brothers, as we were both tall and had similar features. He entered my life to play Rajini sir’s onscreen best friend in Annamalai, but very soon became mine in reality. I am still finding it hard to process that I won’t be able to see my friend again.
P Vasu (Love Birds, Nagavalli)
I knew Sarath Babu since the time he worked with my father Peethambaran’s production company in the 1970s. It was during his early days in the film industry. Slowly he became a very close friend of mine. I will always remember his ever-smiling face and the lovely time I spent with him while shooting for the Telugu film Nagavalli and many others. In fact, I wanted to cast Sarath Babu for Prathap Pothen’s role in my debut film, Paneer Pushpangal. He loved the script. However, at that time, Sukumaran, who was first supposed to back this film, could not afford him. So we could not do it. He was a natural actor, and delivered even subtle expressions effortlessly. I am unable to believe that he is no more.
Eminent film personalities from the south condoled the death of the veteran actor. Rajinikanth tweeted that he lost a close friend and a wonderful man. “It is an irreparable loss,” he wrote.
"A great actor and a great friend, Sarath Babu has passed away. The days of acting with him are a shadow in my mind. Introduced by my Guru in Tamil. He excelled in many timeless roles. Cinema has lost a good actor. My tribute to him,” tweeted Kamal Haasan.
Prakash Raj described Sarath Babu as an “ever smiling soul”. “Will cherish his warmth and encouragement throughout my career.. thank you dearest #SarathBabu for everything . RIP ,” he further wrote in social media.
Actor Chiranjeevi remembered Sarath Babu, who was his co-star in many films, for the ‘beauty’ and ‘sophistication’ in his performances. He wrote on Twitter in Telugu, “Silver screen 'Zamindar', popular actor. The news of Sarath Babu's death was shocking. He has earned a place in the hearts of the audience with his performance that exudes beauty and sophistication. I have a lot of connection with Shri Sarath Babu. He has been my co-star in many films. To his family members, My deepest condolences to all the fans. Oh peace
“Sad to hear about the passing of veteran actor Sarath Babu garu. His contributions to Indian cinema will be remembered forever. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends. Om Shanti,” tweeted Jr NTR.
Actress and filmmaker Suhasini Maniratnam also paid tributes to her “dearest screen brother Sarath babu”. “Time to remember his greatness as a human and his gentleness as an actor. I lost a gem. Rip my anna,” she tweeted.