Veteran Telugu star of yesteryears Shobhan Babu (70) passed away on Thursday while performing yoga at his home in Chennai. He was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.

 He is survived by wife, son and three daughters.

Born as Uppu Shobana Chalapathy Rao on January 14, 1937, Shobhan Babu made his debut in Daivabalam. After playing minor roles in many films, he played his first major role as hero in Veera Abhimanyu (1965), which was a big hit.

But it was the success of Manushulu Maarali that propelled him to stardom in Tollywood. Babu and actress Sharada were a hit pair for over 15 years.

Winner of four Filmfare awards, besides Andhra Pradesh government’s “Nandhi Awards” for a record six times, Shobhan Babu was affectionately called “Andhra Andagadu” (handsome man of Andhra Pradesh).

He bagged the Central government’s award for the best classical film hero for Bangaru Panjaram in 1970.
The matinee idol was also said to be romantically linked to former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha, though Babu never confirmed or denied it.

Babu’s body was taken to his residence in a western suburb here for the Telugu film industry to pay its homage.