Jaya Prakash Reddy was like a father figure to me. I will miss him deeply: Sreenu Vaitla

On Tuesday morning, news of the sudden demise of actor Jaya Prakash Reddy shook the Telugu film fraternity. The actor, who passed away due to cardiac arrest in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh was known for his iconic roles in films like Nee Kosam, Julayi, Dhee and Ready, among others. Celebs like Rakul Preet Singh, Allu Arjun, Jr NTR, Mahesh Babu, Samantha Akkineni took to social media to express their grief and offer condolences to the late actor’s family.Director Sreenu Vaitla also shared a video reminiscing about his mentor and uncle, who has been a part of his entire filmography.
Sreenu Vaitla, who is still processing the news, knew the late actor for the kind, generous human being he was. He took to Twitter and wrote, “Nana we belong here.. we belong to the movies” this will always stay with me as your blessing. I’m so grateful to have known you. RIP Jp uncle you will be missed. My deepest condolences to the family. My dear uncle, I have known you since the beginning of my career, the warmth and love you had towards me is what I will always have in my cherished memories. You filled every scene with your enthusiasm. You always ended our telephonic conversations with”(sic).

Speaking to Hyderabad Times, the director, who worked with Jaya Prakash in over 10 films, said that he was deeply upset to hear about his demise. "I have lost a father figure in Jaya Prakash garu. I used to call him as 'uncle' and he would fondly call me as 'nanna'. We have such special memories of working with each other. There was always so much to learn from him. Since my first film with him, we struck a great bond. He was a passionate actor and he would put cinema before anything else, his personal life included," Vaitla said.
The filmmaker brought out the funny side in Jaya Prakash Reddy, who was earlier known for essaying negative roles. "He was a very jovial person and he wanted that to reflect onscreen as well. He would always tell me that he wanted to perform new characters. I developed a deep bond with him even on a personal level. In fact, I spoke to him just a month-and-a-half ago. I cannot believe he is no longer with us right now. His demise is a huge loss for the Telugu film industry," he added.
Jaya Prakash Reddy was last seen in Mahesh Babu’s Sarileru Neekevvaru.