Tollywood actress and director Vijaya Nirmala passes away at 73

Vijaya Nirmala

Tollywood actress and director Vijaya Nirmala passed away at the age of 73. She was ill from the last few days and was undergoing treatment at Continental Hospital in Hyderabad when she passed away on Wednesday.

Nirmala, known for her acting and direction in Tollywood film industry has directed over 40 films. She had also marked her entry in the Guinness book of world records as the female director with the highest number of films in 2002.

Nirmala is survived by a son, Naresh Vijaya who is also an actor in Tollywood. She is also the step-mother of popular Telugu actor Mahesh Babu. Naresh Vijaya took to Twitter to confirm the news of her passing. He tweeted:

Jr NTR, too, expressed condolences on the demise of famous director and actress. He tweeted, "Vijaya Nirmala Garu was a pioneering filmmaker whose life is an inspiration for many. Extremely saddened to hear the news. Extending my deepest condolences to her family. #RIPVijayaNirmalaGaru"

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates