Top 50 Telugu Actors
Best 50 Telugu Actors based only on their acting prowess
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- Actor
- Director
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Born into a farmer's family, Rama Rao Taraka Nandamuri got his bachelors of arts degree and took a job with the government. Married to Nandamuri Basavatarakam, he began acting in films, his first being Mana Desam (1949), in which he played a police officer. His first movie as a hero was Palletoori Pilla (1950), which was a huge hit. His subsequent movies--Showkar (1950), Pathala Bhairavi (1951), Malliswari (1951) and Chandraharam (1953)--established him as the premier hero in the Telugu film industry. He acted in a mythological role as Lord Krishna for the first time in Mayabazar (1957) and acted in most of the major roles in "Ramayana" and "Mahabharatam", even in Tamil films. He acted in a total of 254 films, including some Tamil and Hindi films. He suffered some career reversals in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but came back with a bang in the late 1970s with some major hits like Adavi Ramudu (1977), Yamagola (1977), Vetagadu (1979). Some of his major hits in the early 1980s include Sardar Papa Rayudu (1980), Bobbili Puli (1982), Kondaveeti Simham (1981). He became the first superstar of the Telugu films a position which was held by Chiranjeevi till around 2001. An intensely emotional person, he also directed films, built a studio and produced films. He established the TeluguDesam party in 1982 and within a year became the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. He was an avid advocate of Telugu Pride and made sure his native state. He married Lakshmi Parvathi in 1993. He was re-elected by a landslide in 1994, but was ousted from power by an internal party coup in which his son-in-law and the present Chief Minister, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, took over in 1995. He died less than six months later, in 1996 because of heart attack. His son Nandamuri Balakrishna is a famous actor in Telugu films. He is survived by six sons and three daughters.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
S.V. Ranga Rao was born on 3 July 1918 in Nuziweedu, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Chadarangam (1967), Mayabazar (1957) and Bala Bharatam (1972). He was married to Leelavathi. He died on 18 July 1974 in Madras, India.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Akkineni Nageswara Rao was born on 20 September 1923 in Venkataraghavapuram, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Meghasandesam (1983), Laila Majnu (1949) and Devadasu (1953). He was married to Annapurna Akkineni. He died on 22 January 2014 in Hyderabad, India.- Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
Chittor V. Nagaiah was born on 28 March 1904 in Repalle Taluk, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and composer, known for Thyagayya (1946), Ramadasu (1964) and Naa Illu (1953). He died on 30 December 1973 in Madras, India.- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
This Telugu Star was a student at the Madras Film Institute and an amateur stage actor. His first public performance was in the Republic Day parade ballet of Andra Pradesh on 26 January, 1976. His film debut was Punadhirallu (1978). His brother-in-law is producer Allu Aravind. His success started with Initilo Ramayya Vidhilo Krishnayya (1981). He is known for his extraordinary dances and fights apart from his power packed performances in movies. His movies carry a reputation of being the best entertainers along with carrying a social message across to the audience. He has done a couple of Hindi movies as well viz., Pratibandh (1990), Aaj ka Gunda Raaj etc and was well recognized for them too.
He is one of the highest paid actors in India today and commands an extraordinarily huge (and cult-like) fan following not only in Andra Pradesh, his native state but all over India and other countries as well. His films are released in US, Europe and Asia Pacific.
Apart from movies, he is also widely known for his philanthropy. He set up a Chiranjeevi Trust for Eye and Blood donations and his fans take an active part in it.
He was awarded the 'Padmabhushan' recently along with a 'Doctorate'.- Sobhan Babu was born on 14 January 1937 in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor, known for Jeevana Jyoti (1975), Kurukshetra (1977) and Soggadu (1975). He was married to Santha kumari. He died on 20 March 2008 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Writer
Kamal Haasan was born November 7, 1954 in Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. He debuted as a child artiste in the film "Kalathoor Kannamma" (1960). Since then, he has starred in nearly 220 films in the major Indian languages - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. He has been a part of the film industry for 60 years, as of 2020. His journey in cinema has seen him do various roles - from child artiste, to romantic lead to one of the most respected and revered heroes of the film industry today.
He has famously said that he is a reluctant actor. He has an avid interest in every aspect of film making and is known for his work as a choreographer, director, and writer, as well.
He wrote his first script at age 18 for the film "Unarchigal" (1976), which was then followed by films that have gone on to become cult classics - Rajapaarvai (1981), Sathya (1988), Apoorva Sahotharargal (1989), Thevar Magan (1992), Mahanadi (1994), Kurudhippunal (1995), Avvai Shanmugi (1996), Hey Ram (2000), Pammal K Sambandam (2002), Panchathanthiram (2002), Anbe Sivam (2003), are a few of the films etched in popular memory for having set the bar for craftsmanship in the fields of screenplay, script, and dialogue.
He is also a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction in Tamil and his published work is testament to his constant exploration of structure and form.
Kamal Haasan's strong convictions in his art have led to some of Indian cinema's most path-breaking films like Pushpak / Pushpaka Vimaanam / Pesum Padam (1987). Kamal Haasan also worked as a choreographer while transitioning as a well-known child artiste to the lead actor in a feature length film. Some of his best-known work as a dancer can be seen in Saagara Sangamam (1983) and the popular hit Punnagai Mannan (1986).
Kamal Haasan is also a student of Carnatic music, studying under musical maestro Dr. Balamuralikrishna. One of his biggest hits as a playback singer was the song "Inji Iduppazhagi" for the film Thevar Magan.
His career as a director began with the film Chachi 420 (1997), the Hindi remake of Avvai Shanmugi. Since then he has called the shots for critically acclaimed films like "Hey Ram" and "Virumaandi".
He has never hesitated to state his opinions and encourage debate about topics that are socially relevant. He is a rationalist in thought and moderate in opinion and a humanist in philosophy. The need to be socially conscious is seen in the way his fan clubs have revamped themselves into entities that carry out charity and volunteer work.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Krishna was born to Veeraraghavayya Chowdhary and Nagaratnamma Ghattamaneni in a remote village called Burripallem, near Tenali in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was the eldest of the five children from a middle income agrarian family. He could not afford to have convent education, so he attended the school in his village to get his primary education before moving to Tenali and Narsapur to do his S.S.C and Intermediate. Impressed by his scholastic achievements, his father raised money to send his son to the prestigious C.R.R. college in Eluru. There, he shared a room with two aspiring actors, Shoban Babu and Murali Mohan, who later became stars in their own right. Krishna played an active role in various cultural events organized by his college. His performance in the play "Cheesina Paapam Kaasiki Velleena" brought him critical acclaim, thus encouraging him to pursue acting more seriously. After he graduated from college, he married Indira Devi on November 1, 1962. She provided him emotional support during his salad days. In 1965, she gave birth to their first child Ramesh Babu Ghattamaneni about the same time when Krishna made his feature film debut with "Tenemanasulu", which became a big hit and made him an overnight star. He soon developed a reputation as a trend-setter by starring in the first Telugu detective film "Gudachari 116." He was the hero of the first Telugu cowboy film in "Mosagallkau Mosagadu." He played a James Bond type in "Agent Gopi" and became known as "Andhra James Bond" during that time. He also starred in "Alluri Sitarama Raju," which is the first color scope film. He later starred in the first 70 MM film that he also produced and directed titled "Simhasanam." "Simhasanam" was the first of 17 feature films he directed.
In 1968, Krishna's daughter Padmavathi was born. In 1969, Krishna married his frequent leading lady Vijaya Nirmala and this created fodder for the gossip columns as they were still married to their respective spouses with children. Krishna continues to be married to his first wife Indira Devi and would have three more children with her: Manjula Ghattamaneni in 1970, Mahesh Babu in 1975, and Priyadarshini in 1979. He never had children with Vijaya Nirmala but he apparently raised her son Naresh from her first marriage as his own. He also supported Vijaya Nirmala's directorial aspirations by starring in the films she directed and was later proud when she made the Guinness Book of Records as the most prolific female director in 2002. Krishna established the prestigious "Padmalaya Studios" with his brothers in 1983 and has won respect for donning several hats as actor, producer, director, distributor and exhibitor. He also acted in many political targeted movies. During Rajiv Gandhi times, he was inclined towards Congress and even won from the Eluru constituency. After the death of Rajiv Gandhi, Krishna quit politics and has continued to be involved in films and supporting his son Mahesh Babu's success as an actor.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Relangi Venkatramaiah was born on 9 August 1909 in Ravulapalem, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Bala Nagamma (1942), Goodachari 116 (1967) and Aatma Balam (1964). He died on 26 November 1975 in Tadepalligudem, Andhra Pradesh, India.- Actor
- Producer
Kaikala Satyanarayana was born on 25 July 1935 in Kauthavaram, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Kurukshetramu (1977), Sri Krishnarjuna Yudham (1963) and Daana Veera Soora Karna (1977). He was married to Kaikala Satyanarayana. He died on 23 December 2022 in Hyderabad, India.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Kota Srinivasa Rao is an Indian film actor, known for his works primarily in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre. He has also starred in few films in Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam.
He starred in over six hundred and fifty feature films. He has received nine state Nandi Awards as best character, villain and supporting actor. In 2015, he received India's fourth highest civilian honor Padma Shri for his contribution to Indian cinema.- Jaggayya is known for Bhoot Mera Saathi (1974) and Dharma Kshetram (1992).
- Actor
- Art Director
- Producer
- J.V. Somayajulu was born on 30 June 1928 in India. He was an actor, known for Thyagayya (1981), Sankarabharanam (1980) and Aditya 369 (1991). He died on 27 April 2004 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Mohan Babu, christened Bhaktavatsalam Naidu by his parents, is known throughout the Indian continent for his film work on and off screen. As a child he was more interested in the stage than in schoolwork, appearing regularly in school plays from the age of 14.
His father was a head teacher and was keen for his son to follow an academic career. However, after graduating, he left home for Madras where he worked in the YMCA College of Physical Education as an instructor, eventually entering the film industry in the mid 70s as an assistant director.
After some years in the industry, Mohan Babu was keen to move from directing to acting, but had no luck until he met his guru Dr. Dasari Narayana Rao, who rechristened him Mohan Babu. His first break was in the film Swargam Narakam (1975) directed by Dr. Dasari in 1975.
To the present day, Mohan Babu has made 502 films in the 25 years since he began working in the industry, 80 of them featuring him as lead male, and including a dual role in Peda Rayudu (1995). Sivaji Ganesan initiated him into Tamil films, and to date he has 20 Tamil films to his credit.
He produced his first hit film Prathigna (1983) in 1982, and in all has produced more than 30 films to date, including "Major Chandrakanth" which was a tribute to the late actor Dr. N.T. Rama Rao, the latter's last picture before his death in 1996.
Mohan Babu's most recent film, released in 30th May, 2008, is Pandurangadu as Special role.- Actor
- Producer
- Sound Department
Krishnamraju was born on 20 January 1940 in Mogultur, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Bobbili Brahmanna (1984), Tandra Paparayudu (1986) and Amaradeepam (1977). He was married to Syamala Devi and Seeta Devi. He died on 11 September 2022 in India.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Music Department
Raogopalrao was born on 14 January 1937 in Ganganaparu, East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Thyagayya (1981), Kondaveeti Donga (1990) and Ooriki Monagadu (1981). He was married to Rao Kamala Kumari. He died on 13 August 1994.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Nandamuri Balakrishna is a leading actor and producer who works in Telugu cinema and is also a politician. He has acted in more than a hundred films. His father was N.T. Rama Rao, a legendary actor, and three-time Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He is the uncle of N.T. Rama Rao Jr.. Balakrishna is colloquially known as Balayya, NBK, Natasimham, and Yugaratna.
Over the years, he has appeared in films like Janani Janmabhoomi (1984), Mangamma Gari Manavadu (1984), Pattabhishekham (1985), Muddula Krishnaiah (1986), Muvva Gopaludu (1987), Muddula Mavayya (1989), Lorry Driver (1990), Rowdy Inspector (1992), Bangaru Bullodu (1993), Peddannayya (1997), Sultan (1999), Goppinti Alludu (2000), Sri Rama Rajyam (2011), Jai Simha (2018), and Akhanda (2021), among others.
Balakrishna grew up in Chennai before moving to Hyderabad during his adolescent years. He was a student of the Nizam College in Hyderabad, where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Commerce.
He began his career in the film industry when he was 14. His debut film was Tatamma Kala (1974), in which he played the role of Balakrishna. His father, the late N. T. Rama Rao, played the lead role in the film.
As a child artiste, he appeared in a string of interesting films directed by various directors, such as Annadammula Anubandham (1975), Rowdy Ramudu Kinte Krishnudu (1980), Anuraga Devatha (1982), and Simham Navindi (1983), among others.
He also acted in various films directed by his father, such as Daana Veera Soora Karna (1977), Shrimad Virata Parvam (1979), Akbar Saleem Anarkali (1979), and Shri Tirupati Venkateswara Kalyanam (1979).
Balakrishna made his debut as a solo lead actor in 1984 in Saahasamey Jeevitham (1984), directed by Bharathi Vasu. In the same year, he appeared in another directorial venture of his father, Sri Madvirat Veera Brahmendra Swamy Charitra (1984), a biographical movie based on an Indian saint named Potuluri Veerabrahmendhra Swami Varu.
In K. Raghavendra Rao's action film Apoorva Sahodarulu (1986), Balakrishna acted in a dual role, which was the first among several other dual roles that he went on to play in his career.
A versatile actor, Balakrishna has portrayed various characters in his films, including an intelligence officer, a rowdy mechanic, a royal prince, a journalist, a smuggler, a sage from ancient times, an industrialist, a Hindu God, and a legendary actor.
He stepped into science fiction films with Aditya 369 (1991), directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, which was the first Telugu film belonging to this genre. He played a dual role in this movie.
He appeared in the role of a warrior in Singeetam Srinivasa Rao's mythological fantasy film Bhairava Dweepam (1994). It became the second highest-grossing Telegu movie that year and won nine Nandi Awards.
In 1999, Balakrishna played the title role in Gopal B.'s action-drama film Samarasimha Reddy (1999). It became a commercial hit and started the trend of faction-themed movies in Telugu cinema. The film also gave a boost to Balakrishna's career.
In 2001, Balakrishna acted in Narasimha Naidu (2001), a vigilante action-drama movie directed by Gopal B. The film was commercially successful and broke many records at the box office. Balakrishna's performance in the film won him Nandi Award for Best Actor in 2001.
Balakrishna essayed triple roles in Adhinayakudu (2012), where he appeared in the characters of a grandfather, father, and son.
His appearance in faction dramas continued with films like Chenna Kesava Reddy (2002), Simha (2010), and Legend (2014). Balakrishna portrayed dual roles in all these three movies.
Simha, directed by Boyapati Srinu, became one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of 2010, and Balakrishna won the Nandi Award for Best Actor in 2010.
Legend (2014) was another movie that became a massive hit at the box office. Balakrishna won his third Nandi Award in 2014 under the Best Actor category for his performance in this film.
Gautamiputra Satakarni (2017) marked the 100th film of Balakrishna as an actor. It was an epic historical action film based on the life of the 2nd century AD ruler Gautamiputra Satakarni. The film was directed by Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi.
For his performance in this film, Balakrishna won the TSR - TV9 National Film Award for Best Actor (Telugu) in 2019. He also bagged the 7th South Indian International Movie Award for Critics' Choice Best Actor - Telugu in 2018.
In 2019, he appeared in NTR Kathanayakudu (2019), a biographical film based on his father's acting career. In the same year, he acted in NTR: Mahanayakudu (2019), another biographical film based on his father's political career.
He appeared in a dual role in Gopichand Malineni's action-drama film Veera Simha Reddy (2023), which earned Rs. 48 crores at the box office on the opening day.- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Nagarjuna did his schooling at Hyderabad Public School and later went to Little Flower Junior College to do his intermediate. After that, he went on to do mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI and later got a masters degree in automobile engineering at San Jose State University.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Venkatesh Daggubati has worked in the Telugu film industry for over 37 years. He has also done a few Hindi movies.
His father, D. Rama Naidu, was a film producer and former Parliament Member; his mother, Rajeshwari, is a housewife. He completed his schooling at Don Bosco, Egmore.
He completed his B.Com from Loyola College, Chennai, and his MBA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, US.
He started his film career as a child artist in the movie Prema Nagar (1971) in 1971, in which he played the role of Keshav. It was directed by K.S. Prakash Rao.
After his MBA, he returned to India and wanted to pursue a career in film production. However, he became a Telugu actor and starred in his first movie as a lead in Kaliyuga Pandavulu (1986).
This movie was directed by K. Raghavendra Rao and was also the debut movie of actress Kushboo. It was a huge success and won the Nandi Special Jury Award.
After appearing in five movies in 1987, he was a part of two major hits in 1988, Brahma Puthrudu (1988) as Shakthi, which got him a Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Telugu, and Swarnakamalam (1988) as Chandra Sehkar (the role of a painter), which won the Nandi Special Jury Award.
Swarnakamalam was also featured in the 12th IFFI, the Asia Pacific Film Festival in the Indian Panorama section and the Ann Arbor Film Festival.
He starred as Pruthvi in Prema (1989), for which he got his first Nandi Award for Best Actor.
In 1990, he appeared in a dual role in the movie Aggiramudu (1990) as Aggi Ramudu and Vijay. He also appeared in the action movie Bobbili Raja (1990) along with the late actress Divya Bharti. These films were featured at the Fribourg Festival.
He made his Bollywood debut with the movie Anari (1993) opposite Karisma Kapoor. He also starred in another Hindi movie, Taqdeerwala (1995), opposite Raveena Tandon.
In 1995, he did another movie, Pokiri Raja (1995), in a double role as Chanti and Balaraju. The film was directed by A. Kodandarami Reddy.
He delivered another significant role successfully with Dharma Chakram (1996), for which he was recognised with Nandi Award for Best Actor and Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Telugu. In this movie, he plays the role of an honest lawyer.
In 1998, he made another successful movie Ganesh (1998), again winning the Nandi Award for Best Actor and Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Telugu. His role as Ganesh fought with the vices of the Indian healthcare system.
His movie Kalisundam Raa (2000), in which he played the role of Raghu, got him another Nandi Award for Best Actor and the Filmfare Special Award - South.
In the same year, he appeared in another blockbuster success Jayam Manadera (2000), in a dual role as Mahadeva Naidu and Rudrama Naidu/Abhiram, for which he got the Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Telugu.
In 2007, he appeared as Ganesh in Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule (2007), which got him another Nandi Award for Best Actor.
Daggubati has also starred in several multi-starrer movies like Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (2013), along with Mahesh Babu.
In 2014, he appeared as Rambabu in the crime thriller Drushyam (2014) and reappeared in its sequel Drushyam 2 (2021) in 2021. Drushyam 1 got him the Best Actor (Jury) award at TSR - TV9 National Film Awards in 2015.
His hit movie Guru (2017) won him Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor - South. In 2019, he starred in Venky Mama (2019) along with his nephew Naga Chaitanya Akkineni, which grossed more than 72 crores across the globe.
Daggubati has voiced the role of Genie in the Telegu Version of the Hollywood movie Aladdin (2019), originally voiced by Will Smith.
He appeared as Naga Naidu in the popular web series Rana Naidu (2023) on Netflix, a Hindi-Telugu bilingual series, along with Rana Daggubati and Surveen Chawla.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Rajendra Prasad was born on 19 July 1956 in Nimmakuru, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is an actor and producer, known for Aa Naluguru (2004), Julayi (2012) and Srimanthudu (2015).- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Known for his action star persona, N.T. Rama Rao Jr. , commonly referred to as Tarak or Jr NTR is the grandson of legendary Telugu actor and politician N.T. Rama Rao. Tarak is the most successful star from Nandamuri family working in the Telugu film industry.
Tarak was born on 20th May 1983 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (currently in Telangana), India to Nandamuri Harikrishna and Shalini Rao. Tarak learnt the Kuchipudi dance form in his early childhood and gave many stage performances in India and abroad.
Tarak was selected by acclaimed Telugu director Gunasekhar to star as the mythological character Lord Ram in the children's film Ramayanam (1996), marking his debut in movies. After starring in a few TV serials, he made his adult debut in movies with Ninnu Choodalani (2001) directed by V.R. Pratap. He has since then starred in over thirty movies in leading roles. He is the recipient of two Filmfare Awards, two Nandi awards and four CineMAA awards.- Actor
- Producer
Jagapathi Babu was born on 12 February 1962 in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is an actor and producer, known for Rangasthalam 1985 (2018), To Father with Love (2016) and Legend (2014).- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Rajasekhar was born on 4 February 1962 in Lakshmipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor and writer, known for Evadithe Nakenti (2007), Satyameva Jeyathe (2009) and Ghatotkachudu (1995). He has been married to Jeevitha since 1991. They have two children.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Music Department
Sai Kumar was born on 27 July 1960 in Vizianagaram, Karnataka, India. He is an actor, known for RangiTaranga (2015), Prasthanam (2010) and Samanyudu (2006). He is married to Surekha. They have two children.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Considered as the greatest comedian Telugu film industry ever produced, Brahmanandam is a native of Muppala village near Sattenapalli, Brahmanandam completed his M.A. (Telugu) and worked as a Lecturer in Telugu before Jandhyala introduced him to the silver screen with a role in the movie 'Chantabbai (1986).'
Much before that, he won the Best Supporting Actor in an inter-collegiate competition in Narasaraopet in 1968 and won the fancy dress competition award for portraying the character of 'Modabbayi.' After a brief hiatus, he was given a role by D. Rama Naidu in 'Aha Naa Pellanta (1987)' and Brahmanandam never looked back.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
J.D. Chakravarthy (born Nagulapati Srinivasa Chakravarthy) is an Indian film actor and director known for his works in South Indian film industry and Bollywood.[1] He has starred in Hindi films like Shiva, Satya, Vaastu Shastra and Aag. He made his film directing debut, with Darwaza Bandh Rakho. He then went on to direct story 5 of Darna Zaroori Hai, which was archived at the New York Institute of Technology, as part of the film course, Homam and Sidham. He is best known in Telugu cinema for his performances in Money, Gulabi, Anaganaga Oka Roju, Premaku Velayara, Wife of V. Varaprasad, Egire Paavurama, Bombay Priyudu, Pape Naa Pranam, Deyyam, Mrugam and Madhyanam Hathya.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Prakash Raj is an established actor, producer, director, and television presenter in the Indian film industry. He is known for his works in South Indian and Hindi films.
Starting in the early 90s, he went on to appear in about 400 films. He has received several awards and accolades in his career, spanning more than three decades.
Raj was born in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, to Manjunath Rai and Swarnalatha Raj. Actor Prasad Raj is his brother. His original name is Prakash Rai. He started using the surname Raj instead of Rai on the advice of director K. Balachander.
Raj studied at St. Joseph's Indian High School and St. Joseph's College of Commerce in Bengaluru. His first brush with acting was in a play he did in seventh grade. Later, when he was in college, he began acting in theatre but didn't think much about it.
His love for stage shows developed after he started going to Kalakshetra in Bengaluru and participating in theatre rehearsals. He used to perform in back-to-back stage shows for a meagre monthly payment of Rs. 300. After performing in 2,000 street theatre shows, he felt the urge to explore bigger opportunities in this field.
His journey into the acting world started with television. He also worked in the film industry as an assistant director and editor, then got the opportunity to act in films.
Raj started his acting career on television with serials like Guddada Bhootha (Kannada and Tulu) and Bisilu Kudure (Kannada) that were aired on Doordarshan. Later, he started acting in Kannada movies in supporting roles.
His performance in Harakeya Kuri (1992) caught the attention of the movie's lead actress Geetha. She introduced Raj to director K. Balachander, who gave him the scope to play a major role in his Tamil film Duet (1994).
After appearing in a few more Tamil and Kannada movies, he made his debut in Telugu cinema in 1995 with Sankalpam (1995). The same year, he appeared in Mani Ratnam's Tamil romantic drama Bombay (1995). It featured among the top 20 Indian movies in the rankings of the British Film Institute.
Raj ventured into Malayalam cinema in 1996 with The Prince (1996), helmed by Suresh Krishna. He played an antagonist in K. Balachander's Kalki (1996), for which he won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award 1996 for Best Villain.
After acting in a few more movies, such as Priyam (1996), Pavitra Bandham (1996), Alexander (1996), Suswagatham (1997), and Hitler (1997), he appeared in Mani Ratnam's political drama Iruvar (1997). The film revolves around the relationship between two politicians. Raj received the National Film Award 1997 for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.
He then appeared in a prominent role in T.S. Nagabharana's film Nagamandala (1997), which was among the selected movies for the International Film Festival of India in 1997 under the Indian Panorama.
He continued to appear in several other movies before playing a pivotal role in Anthahpuram (1998). The film revolves around a feudal society. Raj won the National Film Award 1998 for Best Actor (Special Jury) for his performance.
In Vaanavil (2000), Raj played the role of an antagonist, which earned him the Tamil Nadu State Film Award 2000 for Best Villain.
He essayed the role of Kaala Bhairavan in the Indian fantasy drama Little John (2001). He was seen in a supporting role in the war film Kannathil Muthamittal (2002). He won the ITFA Best Supporting Actor Award in 2003 for portraying the character of Dr Herold Vikramesinghe in the film.
In 2004, he acted in Rajkumar Santoshi's Hindi thriller action movie Khakee (2004), starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Atul Kulkarni, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The film revolved around an Indian police team and its assignment involving an accused terrorist. Raj played the role of a corrupt ACP in the movie.
He essayed the character of DCP Prabhakar in Anniyan (2005), a psychological thriller helmed by S. Shankar. The story revolved around a disillusioned common man and his multiple personality disorder. He received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award 2005 for Best Villain for his performance in this movie.
Raj was then seen in the role of a silk weaver in Priyadarshan's period drama film Kanchivaram (2008), starring opposite Shreya Reddy. The film highlighted the miserable condition of silk weavers as they struggled through life in Kanchipuram. It was screened at the 33rd Toronto International Film Festival held in 2008. He won the National Film Award 2007 for Best Actor and the Filmfare Award 2009 for Best Actor in Tamil for his acting in the movie.
He appeared in the role of a villain in several Bollywood films as well, including Wanted (2009), Singham (2011), Dabangg 2 (2012), and Mumbai Mirror (2013).
In Singham, he played the role of a powerful politician cum criminal who creates problems for the protagonist police officer. He won the Zee Cine Award 2012 for Best Actor in a Negative Role for this movie.
In 2015, he starred with Kamal Hassan in the pacy action thriller Thoongaa Vanam (2015). He then appeared in T.J. Gnanavel's legal drama Jai Bhim (2021). He went on to feature in films like Sita Ramam (2022) and Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022).
Raj was previously married to actress Lalitha Kumari. The couple legally separated in 2009. They have two daughters, Pooja and Meghna. They also had a son named Sidhu, who passed away in 2004. Raj married Pony Prakash Raj Verma, a choreographer, in 2010. Their son Vedhanth was born in 2015.- Chandramohan was born on 23 May 1945 in Pamidimukkala, Madras Province, British India. He was an actor, known for Kurukshetramu (1977), Padaharella Vayasu (1978) and Holi (2002). He died on 11 November 2023 in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
- Rami Reddy was born on 1 January 1959 in Valmikipuram, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor, known for Gunda (1998), Jeevan Yudh (1997) and Anaganaga Oka Roju (1997). He died on 14 April 2011 in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
- Ranganath was born in 1949 in Madras, India. He was an actor, known for Kondaveeti Donga (1990), Nijam (2003) and Veta (1986). He died on 19 December 2015 in Hyderabad, India.
- Actor
- Producer
V.K. Naresh was born on 20 January 1960 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor and producer, known for Rangasthalam 1985 (2018), Shatamanam Bhavati (2017) and Ante Sundharaniki (2022).- Actor
- Stunts
- Music Department
Pawan Kalyan's actual name is Konidela Kalyan Babu. He began to call himself as Pawan Kalyan when he worked on his first film, Akkada Abbai Ikkada Ammayi, in 1996. He has worked in several critically and commercially successful films and has established himself as one of the leading actors in Telugu cinema. He is also an accomplished choreographer. Pawan Kalyan was born in Chirala, to Sri Venkat Rao and Smt Anjana Devi. He is the youngest brother of actor Chiranjeevi and actor-producer, actor Nagendra Babu. Pawan Kalyan married Renu Desai, an actress who co-starred with him in the movies Badri and Johnny.
Renu Desai and Pawan Kalyan have two children: a son named Akira Nandan born in 2004, and a baby girl named Aadhya born in 2010.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Ravi Teja, also known as Bhupatiraju Ravi Shankar Raju, is a well-known Indian film actor and producer. He is widely known as the "King of Action Comedies" and has earned the title of "Mass Maharaja." His stellar performance and dance moves have many young fans across India.
His father was a pharmacist, while his mother was a homemaker. Both of his brothers, Raghu and Bharath also pursued careers in acting.
Teja, who is proficient in speaking Hindi and Telugu, spent his childhood in various parts of northern India due to his father's job. He received his education in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, and Jaipur and completed his studies at Siddhartha Degree College in Vijayawada. In 1988, he relocated to Madras to start his career in the film industry.
Teja's journey in the film industry began as a director's assistant, working on various Telugu and Bollywood films. He made his acting debut with a small role in the popular 1996 movie Ninne Pelladatha (1996), which was directed by Krishna Vamsi. He also served as the assistant director for the film.
As his career progressed, he appeared in supporting roles in films such as Annayya (2000), Manasichi Choodu (2020), and Idiot (2002). He landed his first leading role in the 1999 film Nee Kosam (1999), which earned him a Special Jury Award Nandi despite being an average box office performer.
Today, Teja is considered one of the highest-paid actors in the Telugu film industry. He has won several awards, including a Filmfare Award South, and three state Nandi Awards for his performance in the film "Khadgam." He was also nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Throughout his career, Teja has been a part of several notable films, including Vikramarkudu (2006), Kick (2009), Venky (2004), Dubai Seenu (2007), Krishna: The Power of Indrakeeladri (2008), Neninthe (2008), and Bengal Tiger (2015).- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Tanikella Bharani is an Indian actor, screenwriter, poet, playwright and director who works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He has worked in more than 750 films, including Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi. He has won three Andhra Pradesh State Nandi Awards.
Tanikella's ancestry includes poets and literary figures of Telugu literature. Diwakarla Venkatavadhani and Viswanatha Satyanarayana were his grand uncles. Divakarla Tirupati Sastry one of the Telugu poet duo Tirupati Venkata Kavulu was his great-grand-uncle.
Tanikella directed the Telugu drama film Mithunam (2012) featuring S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and Lakshmi. Tanikella Bharani received CineMAA Award Special Jury Award for Best Direction for this film.- Actor
- Music Department
Uday Kiran was born on 26 January 1980 in Attapur, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor, known for Nuvvu Nenu (2001), Nee Sneham (2002) and Sreeram (2002). He was married to Vishitha and Vishita. He died on 5 January 2014 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Allari Naresh is an Indian film actor who stars in Tollywood films. He is fluent in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and English. He got the moniker "Allari" after the success of his first film in Tollywood. His debut film in Tamil, Kurumbu, was a remake of Allari. He received Nandi Award for Best Supporting Actor and Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award in 2008 for his performance as "Gali Seenu" in the movie Gamyam.- Actor
- Producer
- Editorial Department
Srihari was born on 15 August 1964 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Sri Ramulayya (1999), Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana (2005) and Magadheera (2009). He was married to Disco Shanti. He died on 9 October 2013 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Allu Arjun nicknamed Bunny was born on April 8, 1980. His father, Allu Aravind, is a famous producer and his uncle, Chiranjeevi is one of the top actors in the Telugu industry. Also, he is the grandson of late comedian Padmashree Allu Ramalingaiah. He is well-known as stylish star for his unique way of acting and dancing. He is also known for changing his hair and body for each movie that he does. He has starred in 5 movies so far and all of them are super hits. Besides being a illustrious actor though, Allu Arjun gives back to his community and shows to be a successful role-model. Every year on his birthday, April 8th, he donates blood and attends functions for physically and mentally challenged kids.- Actor
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ghanta Naveen Babu, better known by his stage name Nani is a prominent actor in Telugu cinema who has also made a name for himself as a producer and television presenter. He completed his schooling at St. Alphonso's High School and then attended Narayana Junior College before graduating from Wesley College.
Nani was inspired to join the movie industry as a director by Mani Ratnam. He got his break as a clap director with producer Anil Kumar for the movie Radha Gopalam (2005) in 2005.
He also worked as a director for the movies Allari Bullodu (2005), Asthram (2006), and Dhee (2007). He then took a break from the industry in order to work on a film script. During the time, his friend Bhargavi Mallela who was working for World Space Satellite as an RJ, offered him a job to work as an RJ. Nani accepted the offer and hosted a program named "Non-Stop Nani" for a year.
Later, Nani got noticed by Mohana Krishna Indraganti in a commercial, who offered him an acting role in the movie Ashta Chamma (2008) with which he entered the Telugu movie industry in the year 2008. The movie received critical acclaim and was well received at the box office. His next film, Ride (2009), did exceptionally well at the box office and got him many notable films. After that movie, Nani became a household name and each of his performances got him a lot of positive feedback from critics.
Later, he went on to become a significant part of many famous movies, such as Bheemli Kabadi Jattu (2010), Ala Modalaindi (2011), Pilla Zamindar (2011), Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu (2012), Yevade Subramanyam (2015), Bhale Bhale Magadivoy (2015), Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha (2016), Gentleman (2016), Majnu (2016), Nenu Local (2017), Ninnu Kori (2017), MCA Middle Class Abbayi (2017), Devadas (2018), Jersey (2019), Shyam Singha Roy (2021), and Ante Sundharaniki (2022). He was cast in S.S. Rajamouli's project Eega (2012). It was also shot in Tamil, featuring renowned actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu. He was also cast in the renowned Telugu-language romantic comedy film Ante Sundharaniki (2022) in 2022, opposite Nazriya Nazim.
He went on to produce the movie D for Dopidi (2013) in 2013- it performed moderately at the box office. He later launched his own film production house, Wall poster Cinema, along with Prashanti Tipirineni, a costume designer. The very first movie released under the banner was Awe! (2018) & was among the best-performed films at the box office and received two awards at the 66th National Film Awards for Best Special Effects and Best Make-Up Artist.
In June 2018, Nani made his debut in the television industry by hosting the reality show Big Boss 2. Afterward, he went on to become the brand ambassador for Otto's Minister White.
Nani's success at the box office was evident- his performances received several accolades from critics. Nani received two Critics Choice Best Actor Male - Tamil, two Nandi Awards, and Best Hero Award at Toronto After Dark Film Festival, four SIIMA Awards.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Vijay Deverakonda named Deverakonda Vijay Sai at birth comes from a family of farmers who hail from Achampet in the Nagarkurnool district in Telangana. He is an Indian actor who works primarily in Telugu cinema.
Deverakonda studied up to the 10th standard at Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School in Puttaparthi. After completing his Intermediate studies at the Little Flower Junior College in Hyderabad, he went on to do his graduation in commerce. After his graduation, he joined a theatre group called Sutradhar. His first play was Sherlock Home. The instant feedback and appreciation from the audience sparked his love for acting.
Deverakonda made his film debut with Nuvvila (2011), a romantic comedy directed by Ravi Babu. He played supporting roles in films like Life Is Beautiful (2012) and Yevade Subramanyam (2015). He was presented with a Special Jury Award at the Nandi Awards in 2017 for his supporting act in Yevade Subramanyam.
His break as a leading man came in Pelli Choopulu (2016). It was a romantic comedy directed by Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam and had Ritu Varma playing the female lead opposite him.
Pelli Choopulu bagged the Filmfare Award for Best Film in 2016 - Telugu. At the 64th National Film Awards in 2016, it was declared the winner of the Best Feature Film in the Telugu category. His next lead role was in Srinivasa Ravindra's Dwaraka (2017), a comedy-drama film that had him pairing up with Pooja Jhaveri.
Deverakonda's portrayal of the title character in his next film Arjun Reddy (2017), received critical acclaim. His convincing act in the movie as a short-tempered, self-destructive, and alcoholic surgeon with anger management issues won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in 2018 - Telugu. The movie went on to become a box-office success. His performance in Arjun Reddy was listed among the 100 Greatest Performances of the Decade by Film Companion in 2019.
In 2018, his film Ye Mantram Vesave (2018) was released after a delay of around five years. But it failed to make any impact at the box office, and critics found the movie to be dated.
He went on to act in films like Mahanati (2018), Nota (2018), Geetha Govindam (2018) and Taxiwala (2018), which was a supernatural comedy thriller.
His acting in Geetha Govindam (2018) won him the Zee Cine Awards Telugu in 2019 under the Favourite Actor category. He also received the Critics' Choice Best Actor Award at the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) 2019.
Deverakonda next starred in a romantic action drama, Dear Comrade (2019), followed by the romantic drama World Famous Lover (2020). He played the lead role in Liger (2022), a bilingual sports action film directed by Puri Jagannadh and produced under the banner of Puri Connects and Dharma Productions.
He won the Youth Icon South (Male) Award at the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) in 2022. He ventured into production in 2019 and backed movies under the King of the Hill Entertainment banner. The banner has been involved in the production of films like Meeku Maathrame Chepta (2019) and Pushpaka Vimanam (2021).
He ranked 72nd in the 2018 list of Celebrity 100 released by Forbes India. And he was ranked at the 2nd position in 2020's list of The Times Most Desirable Men.- Brahmaji is an Indian film actor. He was born in April 25, 1965 Film Nagar, Hyderabad, India. He is best known for his work in the Telugu cinema industry. He appears mostly in Telugu movies. He is a regular actor in director Krishna Vamsi's films. Brahmaji appeared in an important role in Krishna Vamsi's debut film as a director, Gulabi
- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Tottempudi Gopichand is an Indian film actor and producer who primarily works in Telugu films. Born to the late T. Krishna, a Telugu filmmaker who wrote, edited, and directed numerous movies like Neti Bharatam (1983), he was not focused on acting at an early age.
Gopichand did his schooling at the Ramakrishna Mission School in Chennai. Later, he moved to Russia to complete his degree in mechanical engineering. Around this time, his older brother, who was working as an associate director under Muthyala Subbaiah, died in a car accident. He decided to extend his father's legacy and pursued a course in dialogue modulation. From there on, he started focusing more on the film industry.
Gopichand made his acting debut in 2001 with the Telugu film Tholi Valapu (2001), in which he played the role of the protagonist, Prem. The film did not fare well at the box office.
He went on to play the antagonist in three Telugu movies, Jayam (2002), Nijam (2003), and Varsham (2004). His performance in Jayam was especially well-received critically and commercially.
Gopichand's debut in Tamil cinema happened in 2003 with the film Jayam (2003), in which he reprised his role from the original Telugu version. He continued to star in several successful Telugu films, including Yagnam (2004), Ranam (2006), and Lakshyam (2007).
Gopichand is known for his action and drama roles. Despite playing the role of a protagonist in most of his movies, he has won awards in the 'Best Villain' category four times and has been nominated for the same once. He played notable antagonist roles in films like Jayam, Nijam, and Varsham and won the CineMAA, Filmfare, and Nandi Awards for 'best villain' in all these movies.
In 2013, Gopichand married Reshma, the niece of Telugu actor Meka Srikanth. Gopichand and Reshma are blessed with two children, Virat (born in 2014) and Viyaan (born in 2018).
Apart from his film career, Gopichand is also involved in philanthropic work. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated Rs. 10 lakhs to the Corona Crisis Charity.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Visual Effects
Tarun Kumar is an Indian film actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He has received three state Nandi Awards and the National Film Award for his works.[1] His famous line "You're a Dora bell " is now iconic. His movies Priyamaina Neeku (2001), Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu (2002), Nuvve Nuvve (2002),- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Krishna Murali Posani was born in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is known for Temper (2015), 1: Nenokkadine (2014) and Operation Duryodhana (2007). He is married to Kusuma Latha.- Meka Srikanth is an Indian Film actor who works mainly in Telugu language films. He is famous for Sarrainodu (2016), Parthiban Kanavu (2003) and many others. He is popular for his good acting skills and p-performance. He is working in in Telugu cinema. He has received two state Nandi Awards, and one Filmfare Award South.
- Prabhas is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. One of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema. Prabhas was born into a Telugu family to late U. Suryanarayana Raju and Siva Kumari. His family hails from Mogalthur, near Bhimavaram of West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. He is the youngest of three children and is the nephew of Telugu actor Uppalapati Krishnam Raju.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Konidela Ram Charan is an Indian actor, producer and entrepreneur who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He is one of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema and has featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2013. Ram Charan is the recipient of several National & International awards. Ram Charan was born in a Telugu family to influential Indian Telugu film actor Chiranjeevi and his wife Surekha. Ram Charan's family hails from Andhra Pradesh. Ram is an equestrian has learnt horse-riding in his childhood. In September 2011, he started his own polo team Ram Charan Hyderabad Polo Riding Club.
Ram Charan made his acting debut with the action film Chirutha (2007), a box office hit, winning the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut - South. He rose to prominence starring in S.S.Rajamouli's fantasy action film Magadheera (2009), the highest-grossing Telugu film of all time at the time of its release. Charan achieved further commercial success with the blockbusters Rangasthalam (2018),Telugu, and RRR (2022), which currently ranks as the third-highest-grossing Indian film of all time and his highest grosser. Charan emerged as a Pan-Indian star with RRR and earned international recognition, including a nomination at the Critics' Choice Super Awards for Best Actor.
In 2016, Charan launched his own production house Konidela Production Company. Beyond his film career, he owns the polo team Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club and was a co-owner of the Airline service TruJet.
Ram Charan takes part in the 41-days-long Ayyappa Deeksha (Vratham), which is done on a yearly basis in Sabarimala. He started this practice in 2008. Charan stated that "this spiritual living is like a detox holiday for him to de-stress, take healthy and simple food and maintaining inner peace from his chaotic shooting schedules and uncertain mundane things" and said that his father Chiranjeevi had inspired him in following the Deeksha.- Actor
- Composer
Navdeep was born on 26 January 1986 in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. He is an actor and composer, known for Aegan (2008), Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) and Arindhum Ariyamalum (2005).