In what has come as devastating news for the Telugu cinema industry and fans, popular actor, writer, filmmaker and critic Kathi Mahesh succumbed to his injuries after a road accident where his car had rammed into a container truck on June 26. He had been rushed to a private hospital in Chennai after his vehicle crashed into a truck near Chandrasekharapuram village in Kodavalur Mandal of Nellore, with the Andhra Pradesh government providing funds of Rs. 17 lakhs for his treatment. However, his health had severely deteriorated after the accident and passed away due to respiratory problems on July 10. He was 44.

The news of Kathi Mahesh's tragic demise has come as a massive shock for the Telugu film fraternity and fans as many leading celebrities and personalities have taken to social media to express their condolences. Actor Nani wrote on Twitter, "Shocked to hear that Kathi Mahesh gaaru passed away. From what I’ve seen, he always tried to encourage films with unique content through his reviews. Strength to his family and friends."

Likewise, Manoj Manchu tweeted, "Shocked & saddened to hear the news about the demise of #KathiMahesh garu. My deep condolences to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace! Om shanti." 

Sudheer Babu too paid his respects saying, "The news of #KathiMahesh passing away comes as a shocker. May his family find strength in these tough times."

Tamil film director Pa. Ranjith too offered his condolences and tweeted, "Shocked to hear the demise of Actor and Critic Mahesh kathi. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.  #ripmaheshkathi." 

Kathi Mahesh garnered a huge following over the course of his career as a film critic. Over the years, he had also landed roles in many Telugu films after he made his debut in Edari Varsham and was last seen in Gopichand Malineni’s Ravi Teja and Shruti Haasan starrer Krack. He was also the co-write of Minugurulu, which became the first Telugu script to be preserved in the Oscar Library’s permanent collection. The 2014 film subsequently was also the first Telugu venture to contend for the Academy Awards in the Best Feature Film category. Kathi Mahesh also made the first Telugu crowdfunded short film titled Pesarattu, which made use of flowcam technology prominently employed by blockbuster director Ram Gopal Varma . 

Apart from his work in films and making a mark as a reviewer, Kathi Mahesh also appeared as a contestant on Bigg Boss Telugu season 1 hosted by Jr. NTR. He was also known to be an outspoken person and often expressed his views on many social issues, including sharing his opinions on politics, religion and notable names in the film industry.