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Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu (born 9 August 1975) is an Indian actor, producer, media personality, and philanthropist who works mainly in
Telugu cinema Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based in Film Nagar, ...
. He has appeared in more than 25 films, and won several accolades including, eight Nandi Awards, five Filmfare Telugu Awards, four
SIIMA Awards South Indian International Movie Awards, also known as the SIIMA Awards, rewards the artistic and technical achievements of the South Indian film industry. It was launched in 2012 by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Brinda Prasad Adusimilli to apprec ...
, three
CineMAA Awards The CineMAA Awards are presented annually by the Maa TV Group to honour artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Telugu Cinema. The awards were introduced in 2004. The CineMAA Awards are voted for by both the public and a commit ...
, and one IIFA Utsavam Award. One of the highest-paid Telugu film actors, he also owns the production house
G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment is an Indian film production company established by actor Mahesh Babu. Film production References External links Mahesh Babu Entertainment Pvt. Ltdon YouTube Film production companies based in Hyderabad, ...
. The younger son of veteran Telugu actor
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is on ...
, Babu made his debut as a child artist in a cameo role in ''Needa'' (1979), at the age of four, and acted in eight other films as a child artist. He made his debut as a lead actor with ''
Rajakumarudu ''Rajakumarudu'' (translated in promotional material as ''The Prince'') is a 1999 Indian Telugu-language romantic comedy film directed by K. Raghavendra Rao. It stars Mahesh Babu and Preity Zinta. The film was produced by C. Aswani Dutt under ...
'' (1999) which won him Nandi Award for Best Male Debut. Babu achieved his breakthrough with the supernatural drama '' Murari'' (2001), and the action film '' Okkadu'' (2003). He went on to act in other commercially successful films such as '' Athadu'' (2005), '' Pokiri'' (2006), ''
Dookudu ''Dookudu'' () is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film directed by Srinu Vaitla and written by Vaitla, Kona Venkat, and Gopimohan. It is produced by Ram Achanta, Gopi Achanta, and Anil Sunkara under the banner 14 Reels Entertainmen ...
'' (2011), ''
Businessman A businessperson, businessman, or businesswoman is an individual who has founded, owns, or holds shares in (including as an angel investor) a private-sector company. A businessperson undertakes activities (commercial or industrial) for the ...
'' (2012), ''
Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu ''Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu'' (), also known by the initialism ''SVSC'', is a 2013 Indian Telugu-language family drama film written and directed by Srikanth Addala. It was produced by Dil Raju's Sri Venkateswara Creations, and stars V ...
'' (2013), '' 1: Nenokkadine'' (2014), '' Srimanthudu'' (2015), ''
Bharat Ane Nenu ''Bharat Ane Nenu'' () is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language political drama film written and directed by Koratala Siva. The film stars Mahesh Babu and Kiara Advani (in her Telugu debut), alongside a supporting cast including Prakash Raj, R. Sara ...
'' (2018), ''
Maharshi Maharishi is a Sanskrit word, written as "महर्षि" in Devanagari (formed from the prefix mahā- meaning "great" and r̥ṣi - sage, poet or a singer of sacred hymns), indicating members of the highest order of ancient Indian sages, po ...
'' (2019), ''
Sarileru Neekevvaru ''Sarileru Neekevvaru'' () is a 2020 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film written and directed by Anil Ravipudi. It is produced by Sri Venkateswara Creations, G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment and AK Entertainments. The film stars Mahesh Bab ...
'' (2020) and ''
Sarkaru Vaari Paata ''Sarkaru Vaari Paata'' () is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Parasuram. It is produced by Mythri Movie Makers, 14 Reels Plus and G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment and stars Mahesh Babu, Keerthy Suresh and S ...
'' (2022). '' Pokiri'' held the record of being the highest-grossing Telugu film while ''
Sarileru Neekevvaru ''Sarileru Neekevvaru'' () is a 2020 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film written and directed by Anil Ravipudi. It is produced by Sri Venkateswara Creations, G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment and AK Entertainments. The film stars Mahesh Bab ...
'', his highest grosser, collected over at the
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a wicket. By extension, the term is fre ...
. Referred to in the media as the
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...
of Tollywood, he is one of the most popular and influential actors of Telugu cinema. In addition to being an actor, he is a humanitarian and philanthropist – he runs a charitable trust and non-profit organisation, Heal-a-Child. He is also associated with
Rainbow Hospitals Rainbow Children's Medicare, commonly known as Rainbow Hospitals, is an Indian chain of paediatric hospitals headquartered in Hyderabad. Founded by Dr. Ramesh Kancharla in 1999, the hospital's main focus is paediatric and maternal healthcare se ...
as their goodwill ambassador. He plunged into the film exhibition business along with Narayandas Narang of Asian Group with the inauguration of the seven-screen superplex at Gachibowli AMB Cinemas.


Early life and family

Mahesh Babu was born on 9 August 1975 in a
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode ...
speaking family in
Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
(now Chennai),
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. He is the fourth of the five children of Telugu actor
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is on ...
and Indira, after
Ramesh Babu Ghattamaneni Ramesh Babu (13 October 1965 – 8 January 2022) was an Indian actor and film producer, who was known for his work in Telugu cinema. Babu made his on screen debut with the film '' Alluri Seetharama Raju'' in 1974. He acted in over ...
, Padmavathi, and Manjula and before Priyadarshini. Their family hails from Burripalem in
Guntur district Guntur district is one of the twenty six districts in the Coastal Andhra region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The administrative seat of the district is located at Guntur, the largest city of the district in terms of area and with a po ...
,
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
. Babu spent his childhood mostly in
Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
under the care of his maternal grandmother Durgamma and the rest of his family. Since Krishna was busy with his film commitments, Ramesh Babu used to look after Mahesh Babu's academic performance. Along with his siblings, Babu used to play cricket regularly at the VGP Golden beach in Madras. To spend time with him, Krishna used to make sure that his films' shoots would be conducted at the
VGP Universal Kingdom VGP Universal Kingdom is an amusement park located in East Coast Road in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The park offering small rides during the early days of its history became a full-fledged amusement park in 1997. VGP Universal kingdom, spread o ...
during the weekends. Krishna also made sure that none of his children would reveal his name during their schooling to ensure a peaceful environment. He was educated at St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School,
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
where actor
Karthi Karthik Sivakumar (born 25 May 1977), better known by his stage name Karthi, is an Indian actor who works predominantly in Tamil cinema. He has won three Filmfare Awards South, an Edison Award, a SIIMA Award and a Tamil Nadu State Film Aw ...
was his schoolmate. Babu in an interview said that actor Vijay and he have been longtime close friends and studied at the same college, before establishing themselves in their respective film industries. Babu was an above average student. He obtained a bachelor's degree in commerce from the Loyola College,
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
. After graduating, he met with director L. Satyanand in
Vishakhapatnam , image_alt = , image_caption = From top, left to right: Visakhapatnam aerial view, Vizag seaport, Simhachalam Temple, Aerial view of Rushikonda Beach, Beach road, Novotel Visakhapatnam, INS Kursura submarine museu ...
for further training in acting which went on for three to four months. Being unable to read and write Telugu, he used to memorise the dialogues given by his directors during the dubbing phase of his films.


Acting career


Early career and breakthrough (1979–2003)

At the age of four, Babu visited the sets of the Telugu film ''Needa'' (1979) where its director
Dasari Narayana Rao Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1947 – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, lyricist, and politician known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema, in addition to Hindi cinema. He has directed more than 150 ...
shot a few sequences of his as a part of the narrative in the presence of the former's brother Ramesh. ''Needa'' marked his debut as a child actor. During the shoot of ''Poratam'' (1983) at
Vauhini Studios Vauhini Studios was an Indian film production company and studio facility in Madras. It was founded by Moola Narayana Swamy and B. N. Reddy (Bommireddy Narasimha Reddy). In later years, Nagi Reddi, owner of Vijaya Productions, acquired Vauhini ...
, after watching Babu on the sets, director
Kodi Ramakrishna Kodi Ramakrishna (23 July 1949 – 22 February 2019) was an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. One of the most prolific film directors of Telugu film industry, Kodi Ramakrishna has d ...
suggested to Krishna that he cast Babu in the role of the protagonist's brother. Initially terrified, Babu agreed to act in the film after being persuaded by the film's crew. He went on to act as a child artist in the films '' Sankharavam'' (1987), '' Bazaar Rowdy'' (1988), ''
Mugguru Kodukulu ''Mugguru Kodukulu'' () is a 1988 Indian Telugu-language action drama film directed by Krishna. The film stars Krishna himself alongside his real-life children, Ramesh Babu and Mahesh Babu. Radha, and Sonam play the female leads. The film was ...
'' (1988) and ''
Gudachari 117 ''Gudachari 117'' () is a 1989 Indian Telugu-language spy film directed by Kodi Ramakrishna. It stars Krishna, Bhanupriya, Mahesh Babu with music composed by Chakravarthy. The film was produced by C. H. Gandhi and D. Murali under the Sree Vij ...
'' (1989). He played a dual role in the film ''
Koduku Diddina Kapuram ''Koduku Diddina Kapuram'' () is a 1989 Telugu-language action drama film, produced and directed by Krishna under his Padmalaya Studios banner. It stars Krishna, Vijayashanti, Mahesh Babu and music composed by Raj–Koti. Mahesh Babu played a ...
'' (1989). Babu then appeared in '' Bala Chandrudu'' (1990), and '' Anna Thammudu'' (1990). Later, he continued his college studies. In 1999, Babu made his debut as a lead actor with the film '' Raja Kumarudu'', directed by K. Raghavendra Rao and co-starring
Priety Zinta Preity G Zinta (pronounced ; born 31 January 1975) is an Indian actress and entrepreneur primarily known for her work in Hindi films. After graduating with degrees in English honours and criminal psychology, Zinta made her acting debut in '' ...
. The film was commercially successful, and people began referring to him with the title Prince. The film had a 50-day run in 80 centres and a 100-day run in 44 centres. ''Raja Kumarudu'' collected a share of 10.51 Crores from Andhra Pradesh. It was dubbed in Hindi as ''Prince No. 1'' and in Tamil as ''Kaadhal Vennila''. The film was again dubbed and released theatrically in Tamil during January 2017 as ''Ivan Oru Thunichalkaran''. He received the Nandi Award for Best Male Debut. He starred in two films the following year – '' Yuvaraju'' and '' Vamsi''. Following their poor performance at the box office, Babu starred in
Krishna Vamsi Pasupuleti Venkata Bangarraju, know professionally as Krishna Vamsi, is an Indian film director, producer and choreographer known for his work in Telugu cinema. Vamsi started his career as an assistant director to Ram Gopal Varma. He made his d ...
'' Murari'' the next year. He called ''Murari'' an important film in his career and the role he played in it one of his favourites. ''Murari'' was a commercial success and earned him the
Nandi Special Jury Award The Nandi Special Jury Award is given by the state government as part of its annual Nandi Awards for Telugu films Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the ...
. Though his 2002 releases ''
Takkari Donga ''Takkari Donga'' () is a 2002 Indian Telugu-language revisionist western film produced, written, and directed by Jayant Paranjee. The film starred Mahesh Babu, Lisa Ray, Bipasha Basu, and Rahul Dev in pivotal roles. Shot entirely in the United ...
'' and '' Bobby'' performed poorly at the box office, Babu received his second Nandi Special Jury Award for his performance in the former. Babu had two film releases in 2003, the first one being
Gunasekhar Gunasekar (born 2 June 1964) is an Indian film director and screenwriter known for his works in Telugu cinema. He has directed films in action, romance, mythological, and historical drama genres. He has won a National Film Award, multiple N ...
'' Okkadu'' co-starring
Bhumika Chawla Bhumika Chawla (born Rachna Chawla; 21 August 1978) is an Indian actress and former model known for her work predominantly in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi films. She began her acting career with the Telugu film ''Yuvakudu'' (2000) and t ...
, which went on to become the highest grossing Telugu film of the year collecting 23 crores at the box office. He won his first
Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu The Filmfare Best Actor Award is given by the ''Filmfare'' magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Telugu films. The awards were extended to "Best Actor" in 1972. Film world, p 43 The year indicates the year of release of the ...
for his performance in the film. The other release was Teja ''
Nijam ''Nijam'' () is a 2003 Indian Telugu-language action film written, directed and produced by Teja on Chitram Movies banner. The film stars Mahesh Babu, Rakshita, Gopichand, and Raasi, with music was composed by R. P. Patnaik. Babu and Rame ...
'' co-starring
Rakshita Shweta, known by her stage name Rakshita, is an Indian television personality, film producer and former actress known for her work in Kannada cinema. Early life Rakshita was brought up in Bangalore. Her father B. C. Gowrishankar was a cinemat ...
. The film was noted for introducing Dolby EX surround system in Telugu cinema. Though the film was a commercial failure, Babu received praise from the critics for his performance in the film, with Vijayalaxmi of Rediff.com calling him the only reason to watch the film's second half which she termed a routine tale of vendetta. He won his first Nandi Best Actor Award for his performance in the film.


Mainstream film acclaim and success (2004–2010)

Manjula produced his next film, ''
Naani ''Naani'' is an 2004 Indian Telugu-language science-fiction romantic comedy film released in 2004. It was directed by S. J. Surya and stars Mahesh Babu, Ameesha Patel. The film is bilingual, simultaneously shot in Tamil as '' New'' with a slig ...
'', directed by
S. J. Surya S. Justin Selvaraj, known by his stage name S. J. Suryah is an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, composer, producer and music director who has worked predominately in Tamil film industry. He sought to become an actor but started out d ...
co-starring Amisha Patel. While its simultaneously shot Tamil version ''
New New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
'' featuring a different cast was commercially successful, ''Naani'' flopped at the box office. He received the Nandi Special Jury Award for his performance in his next film, '' Arjun'', directed by Gunasekhar and produced by Ramesh. The failure of ''Naani'' depressed both Babu and Manjula, who took a small break in Goa before resuming their other commitments. He chose to act in
Trivikram Srinivas Trivikram Srinivas (born Akella Naga Srinivasa Sarma; 7 November 1971), often credited as Trivikram, is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Telugu cinema. In 2021, he became one of the highest-paid directors in South Indian ...
'' Athadu'', co-starring
Trisha Krishnan Trisha Krishnan (born 4 May 1983), known mononymously as Trisha, is an Indian actress and model, who primarily works in Tamil and Telugu films. She was noticed after winning Miss Chennai contest (1999), which marked her entry into the fil ...
, whose script had been approved back in 2002 before the production of ''Naani'' and ''Arjun'' had begun. '' Athadu'' became one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The film was a commercially profitable venture for the producers and distributors. The film benefited Babu's career as he won the Nandi Best Actor Award for his performance in the role of a hired assassin. '' Athadu'' collected a share of 22 crores at the box office. Idlebrain gave it a rating of 3.25/5 and mentioned Mahesh Babu is stylish and brilliant as professional killer. Babu collaborated with Puri Jagannadh in 2006 for the film '' Pokiri'', which was jointly produced by Jagannadh and Manjula. Made on a budget of 10 crore and shot within six months, ''Pokiri'' became the highest grossing Telugu film of all time by the end of its run, and was screened at the 7th IIFA Awards held in
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...
. Babu received praise for his performance, with Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...
'' opining that "Mahesh's understated performance in '' Pokiri'' allows him effortlessly to reclaim the title of a star, overshadowing more questionable recent career choices". He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for the second time. '' Pokiri'' grossed 67 crore at the box office. That same year, his next film, '' Sainikudu'', co-starring Trisha, was released amid huge expectations but flopped at the box office. The following year saw Babu acting in the film ''
Athidhi ''Athidhi'' () is a 2007 Indian Telugu-language action romance film starring Mahesh Babu and Amrita Rao, directed by Surender Reddy and produced by G. Ramesh Babu, brother of Mahesh Babu, under their banner Krishna Pictures Private Limited. I ...
'', co-starring Amrita Rao marking her Telugu debut. The film was produced by Mahesh Babu's's brother Ramesh. UTV Motion Pictures acquired the film's distribution rights for 18.5 crore, which became its first Telugu film venture. In 2008, Babu provided voice-over for the film ''
Jalsa ''Jalsa'' () is a 2008 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film written and directed by Trivikram Srinivas and produced by Allu Aravind, under the Geetha Arts banner starring Pawan Kalyan, Ileana, Parvati Melton, Kamalinee Mukerji, Mukesh R ...
'' directed by Trivikram Srinivas. After ''Athidhi'' release, Babu took a break from films for seven months; two months later, he signed '' Khaleja'', but the break was unintentionally extended for two years due to several delays. During this time, Babu's grandmother and his wife Namrata's parents died. Krishna was worried about Babu's career as the film's shoot was delayed for so long. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. However, it managed to perform well at the overseas box office.
Rediff Rediff.com (stylized as ''rediff.com'') is an Indian news, information, entertainment and shopping web portal. It was founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and New York City. , it had more than 300 e ...
gave a 3 out of 5 rating and noted "The duo of Mahesh-Trivikram delivers a product that is watchable, entertaining with good humour, couple of well-orchestrated action sequences and songs and with a bit to take home as well. It's Mahesh's show all the way, much to the delight of his fans. Mahesh is the soul of the movie, be it his dialogue delivery, his action, his dances or emotions, he is effortless. The film is considered one of the "25 Greatest Telugu Films Of The Decade" by ''
Film Companion Anupama Chopra () is an Indian author, journalist, film critic and director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. She is also the founder and editor of the digital platform Film Companion, which offers a curated look at cinema. She has written sev ...
''.


Stardom and career setback (2011–2014)

In 2011, Babu collaborated with
Srinu Vaitla Srinu Vaitla (born 24 September 1972) is an Indian film director who works in Telugu cinema. Known for his best film works in the action comedy genre, Vaitla made his directional debut with ''Nee Kosam'' (1999) starring Ravi Teja and Maheswari. ...
for the film ''
Dookudu ''Dookudu'' () is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film directed by Srinu Vaitla and written by Vaitla, Kona Venkat, and Gopimohan. It is produced by Ram Achanta, Gopi Achanta, and Anil Sunkara under the banner 14 Reels Entertainmen ...
'', which was inspired in part by the 2003 German
tragicomedy Tragicomedy is a literary genre that blends aspects of both tragic and comic forms. Most often seen in dramatic literature, the term can describe either a tragic play which contains enough comic elements to lighten the overall mood or a seriou ...
film ''
Good Bye, Lenin! ''Good Bye Lenin!'' is a 2003 German tragicomedy film, directed by Wolfgang Becker. The cast includes Daniel Brühl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova, and Maria Simon. The story follows a family in East Germany (GDR); the mother (Sass) is dedic ...
''. Co-starring
Samantha Ruth Prabhu Samantha Ruth Prabhu (formerly: Samantha Akkineni; born 28 April 1987) is an Indian actress who mainly works in Telugu and Tamil film industries. She is a recipient of several awards, including four South Filmfare Awards, six South Indian I ...
, the film received positive reviews upon release and became one of the highest-grossing films of the year. ''
Dookudu ''Dookudu'' () is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film directed by Srinu Vaitla and written by Vaitla, Kona Venkat, and Gopimohan. It is produced by Ram Achanta, Gopi Achanta, and Anil Sunkara under the banner 14 Reels Entertainmen ...
'' had the largest opening for a
Telugu film Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based in Film Nagar, ...
, and collected a share of 10.11 crore and a gross of 12.58 crore on the first day of its release. ''
The Los Angeles Times ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' called ''
Dookudu ''Dookudu'' () is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film directed by Srinu Vaitla and written by Vaitla, Kona Venkat, and Gopimohan. It is produced by Ram Achanta, Gopi Achanta, and Anil Sunkara under the banner 14 Reels Entertainmen ...
'' the "biggest hit you've never heard of". For his performance in the film, Babu won the Best Actor Award at the 2012 Nandi Awards ceremony. He also won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu at the
59th Filmfare Awards South The 59th Filmfare Awards South ceremony honouring the winners and nominees of the best of South Indian cinema in 2011 was held on 7 July 2012 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai, India. For this year more than 451 films from each of the fo ...
and 1st South Indian International Movie Awards ceremonies. After the film's gross crossed the 100 crore mark, Income Tax Department officials conducted a raid on Babu's Jubilee Hills residence as he was rumoured to be getting a remuneration of more than 12 crore for his next projects. The film collected a distributor share of 57.4 crore in its lifetime and grossed more than 100 crore in its lifetime. Suresh Kavirayani of ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest s ...
'' rated it 4 out of 5 and wrote "''Dookudu'' is a typical Srinu Vytla film with a generous sprinkling of comedy. His narrative manages to keep the audience engaged until the end of the movie. This movie comes as a blessing for not just Mahesh Babu, but also for Tollywood, which is badly in need of a hit, after the recent spate of box office debacles. Srinu Vytla and Mahesh Babu have come out with a winner in ''Dookudu''". He later played the role of a mafia kingpin with a hidden personal agenda in the film ''
Businessman A businessperson, businessman, or businesswoman is an individual who has founded, owns, or holds shares in (including as an angel investor) a private-sector company. A businessperson undertakes activities (commercial or industrial) for the ...
'', co-starring
Kajal Aggarwal Kajal Aggarwal (born 19 June 1985) is an Indian actress and model who mainly appears in Telugu and Tamil language films, in addition to a few Hindi films. Aggarwal has worked in more than 50 films and also received two South Indian Internatio ...
and directed by Puri Jagannadh. Upon the film's release, Babu received praise from the critics for his performance in the film, with Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''The Hindu'' writing, "The film has no frills, no vulgar wastage and the hero is practically in every frame; you hear only his voice, he looks good, sounds good, he also steals the comedian's job. Mahesh plays it straight.". It grossed approximately 18.73 crore and collected a share of 13.78 crore at the global box office on its first day creating an all-time record in terms of opening day collections. ''
Businessman A businessperson, businessman, or businesswoman is an individual who has founded, owns, or holds shares in (including as an angel investor) a private-sector company. A businessperson undertakes activities (commercial or industrial) for the ...
'' became one of the highest grossing Telugu films of the year. ''
Businessman A businessperson, businessman, or businesswoman is an individual who has founded, owns, or holds shares in (including as an angel investor) a private-sector company. A businessperson undertakes activities (commercial or industrial) for the ...
'' collected a share of 41 crore at the box office. He received a nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu at both the
60th Filmfare Awards South The 60th Filmfare Awards South ceremony honouring the winners and nominees of the best of South Indian cinema in 2012 is an event that held on 20 July 2013 at the Hyderabad International Convention Center. The Black lady was unveiled by actress ...
and the 2nd South Indian International Movie Awards ceremonies. By then, Babu was reported to be the second highest-paid actor in South India after
Rajinikanth Shivaji Rao Gaikwad (born 12 December 1950), known professionally as Rajinikanth, is an Indian actor, producer and screenwriter. In a career spanning over five decades, he has done 160 films that includes films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannad ...
. Babu then began filming for
Srikanth Addala Sreekanth Addala is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Telugu cinema. After working as an assistant director for several films, Addala made his directorial debut in 2008 with '' Kotha Bangaru Lokam''. He went onto write and d ...
''
Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu ''Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu'' (), also known by the initialism ''SVSC'', is a 2013 Indian Telugu-language family drama film written and directed by Srikanth Addala. It was produced by Dil Raju's Sri Venkateswara Creations, and stars V ...
'', whose script Babu had approved during the pre-production phase of ''
Dookudu ''Dookudu'' () is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film directed by Srinu Vaitla and written by Vaitla, Kona Venkat, and Gopimohan. It is produced by Ram Achanta, Gopi Achanta, and Anil Sunkara under the banner 14 Reels Entertainmen ...
''. Co-starring
Daggubati Venkatesh Daggubati Venkatesh (born 13 December 1960) is an Indian actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema and a few hindi films. Venkatesh debuted with the 1986 film '' Kaliyuga Pandavulu'' for which he won his first Nandi Award. In a c ...
along with Anjali and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, ''Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu'' became the first Telugu multistarrer film to be produced in the last twenty-five years. Released in January 2013, the film became one of the highest grossing Telugu films of the year and marked the completion of Babu's hat-trick of successful films. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...
'' called the film a "delightful family drama with its celebration of family bonds, love and marriage laced with laughter", and Addala "wants to leave his audience with a thought, wants them to reflect on their relationships and overlook skirmishes that can sour family bonds". Dundoo cited Guhan's cinematography as one of the film's highlights, and praised its performances. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu at the 61st Filmfare Awards South ceremony and the
3rd South Indian International Movie Awards The nominations for the 3rd South Indian International Movie Awards were announced at a press conference held at a five star hotel in Hyderabad on July 17, 2014. Actors Rana Daggubati and Shriya Saran, who are the brand ambassadors of SIIMA, we ...
ceremony. He provided voice-over for Srinu Vaitla's '' Baadshah'' the same year. ''
Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu ''Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu'' (), also known by the initialism ''SVSC'', is a 2013 Indian Telugu-language family drama film written and directed by Srikanth Addala. It was produced by Dil Raju's Sri Venkateswara Creations, and stars V ...
'' collected a distributor share of ₹51.2 crore and was the second-highest-grossing Telugu film of the year. Babu had two releases in 2014, the first one being
Sukumar Bandreddi Sukumar (born 23 January 1970) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who works in Telugu cinema. He is known for his complex, multi-layered screenplays and for infusing grey shades in the character sketches of his pro ...
'' 1: Nenokkadine'', an action thriller focusing on a celebrity suffering from hallucinations related to the murder of his parents and the discovery of a special variety of rice. Kriti Sanon played the female lead in this film, marking her acting debut. Made on a budget of around 70 crore, '' 1: Nenokkadine'' was released amid huge expectations, but received mixed reviews from the critics, turning out to be a box office bomb by incurring a loss of around 26–27 crore. However, Babu's performance received praise, with critics calling it one of his best performances. He also earned a nomination for the Best Actor – Telugu at the 4th South Indian International Movie Awards. Grossing over $1.32 million,'' 1: Nenokkadine'' became the fourth-highest-grossing Telugu film in history at the United States box office at that time. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...
'' wrote, "How often do we get to watch a Telugu film where the audience, along with the protagonist and supporting characters, is also required to think and distinguish between events unfolding in real and imaginary spaces?" and called ''1 Nenokkadine'' a "visually stunning" film. The film earned a distributor share of about 28.9 crore, on a budget of 70 crore. The film is considered one of the "25 Greatest Telugu Films Of The Decade" by ''
Film Companion Anupama Chopra () is an Indian author, journalist, film critic and director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. She is also the founder and editor of the digital platform Film Companion, which offers a curated look at cinema. She has written sev ...
''. The other release, ''
Aagadu ''Aagadu'' () is a 2014 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film directed by Srinu Vaitla. Written by Anil Ravipudi, Upendra Madhav and Praveen Varma, the film was jointly produced by Ram Achanta, Gopi Achanta, and Anil Sunkara under their b ...
'', directed by Srinu Vaitla and co-starring
Tamannaah Tamanna Bhatia (born 21 December 1989), known professionally as Tamannaah, is an Indian actress who appears primarily in Telugu and Tamil films, along with a few Hindi films. In 2005, she made her acting debut at the age of 15 in the Hindi fil ...
, flopped at the box office, even though it had a gross of 60 crore. Karthik Pasupulate of ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest s ...
'' gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and called ''Aagadu'' "Dookudu 2.0" in operating system parlance. Pasupulate added that it seems more like a remake of ''Dookudu'' with a "much louder Mahesh Babu, more banal jokes, and a few superficial twists in the screenplay", and that the end product is "more slapstick than funny".


Resurgence and recent work (2015–present)

Babu collaborated with Koratala Siva for the action drama film '' Srimanthudu'' co-starring
Shruti Haasan Shruti Haasan (born 28 January 1986) is an Indian actress and playback singer who works predominantly in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi films. Born in the Haasan family, she is the daughter of actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan and actress Sarika Thakur. ...
. He co-produced the film under his newly formed banner G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, marking his first film production venture. He opted to do so in order to control the film's budget, accepting a share in profits in lieu of remuneration. Released on 7 August 2015, ''Srimanthudu'' opened to positive reviews from critics, was commercially successful, and he gained the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu at the
63rd Filmfare Awards South The 63rd Filmfare Awards South ceremony honouring the winners and nominees of the best of South Indian cinema in 2015 is an event held on 18 June 2016 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre. List of nominees Main awards Winners are ...
, marking his resurgence. Sethumadhavan N. of ''
Bangalore Mirror ''Bangalore Mirror'' is a daily English-language newspaper published in Bangalore, India. It is a deputed newspaper and is the second-largest circulating English newspaper in the city ''Vijay Times'' ''Vijay Times'' was an English newspaper st ...
'' stated, '' Srimanthudu'' wouldn't have been as effective if it did not have Mahesh Babu who is at his charming best, adding that he "underplays the emotional scenes, making them a treat to watch". The film was a commercial success, grossing nearly ₹200 crore globally on a budget of ₹40-70 crore and becoming the second-highest grossing Telugu film of all time and the highest grossing Telugu-language-only film of the time. After the film's release, many actors, bureaucrats and politicians announced plans to develop backward villages and encouraged the adoption of villages in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Babu himself has adopted his native village, Burripalem. Babu acted in Srikanth Addala's film ''
Brahmotsavam Sri Venkateswara Swami vari Brahmotsavam or Srivari Brahmotsavam is the most significant annual fête celebrated at the Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala-Tirupati, Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The feast lasts for one month during ...
'' co-starring
Kajal Aggarwal Kajal Aggarwal (born 19 June 1985) is an Indian actress and model who mainly appears in Telugu and Tamil language films, in addition to a few Hindi films. Aggarwal has worked in more than 50 films and also received two South Indian Internatio ...
,
Samantha Ruth Prabhu Samantha Ruth Prabhu (formerly: Samantha Akkineni; born 28 April 1987) is an Indian actress who mainly works in Telugu and Tamil film industries. She is a recipient of several awards, including four South Filmfare Awards, six South Indian I ...
and Pranitha Subhash. Originally produced as a bi-lingual, the film would've marked Babu's first straight Tamil film. However, later on the plan was altered due to its disastrous performance at the Telugu box office and the film wasn't released in Tamil. While the film underperformed at the
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a wicket. By extension, the term is fre ...
, the ''
Deccan Chronicle ''Deccan Chronicle'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded by Rajagopal Mudaliar in the 1930s & currently owned by Samagrah Commercial Pvt Limited. It is published in Hyderabad, Telangana, by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited ...
'' stated that Mahesh Babu was its saving grace. The film was criticised by the public, for its lack of a proper story. Babu stated that this was an error of judgement, where he had picked the wrong director. He later appeared in the Telugu-Tamil bilingual '' Spyder'', directed by A. R. Murugadoss, which finally marked his Tamil cinema debut and grossed over ₹113 crore at the box office. The film received mixed reviews, but was praised for S. J. Surya and Mahesh Babu's performances, especially the former, whereas critics panned the writing, screenplay and direction. Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...
'' stated that "''Spyder'' starts off well but the director’s imagination goes overboard only to turn a purpose ridden plot to a piece of travesty.". His next film was a political action drama ''
Bharat Ane Nenu ''Bharat Ane Nenu'' () is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language political drama film written and directed by Koratala Siva. The film stars Mahesh Babu and Kiara Advani (in her Telugu debut), alongside a supporting cast including Prakash Raj, R. Sara ...
'', directed by Koratala Siva and co-starring
Kiara Advani Alia Advani (born 31 July 1991), known professionally as Kiara Advani (), is an Indian actress who works in Hindi and Telugu language films. After making her acting debut in the comedy film '' Fugly'' (2014), she played MS Dhoni's wife in the ...
. In this film, he played the role of a chief minister. It went on to gross more than , and was second highest-grossing film of that year. Hemanth Kumar of ''
Firstpost ''Firstpost'' is an Indian online news and media website. The site is a part of the Network 18 media conglomerate owned by Reliance Industries, which also runs CNN-News18 CNN-News18 (originally CNN-IBN) is an Indian English-language ne ...
'' wrote "Mahesh Babu, Koratala Siva deliver an intense political drama". Kumar also said, "He (Siva) has shown yet again that there's plenty of drama when a normal guy takes an uncommon path. Bharat might have become the messiah of the state in the story, but it's Mahesh Babu who leaves a long lasting impression in the end. Two big thumbs up for the film. It delivers more than what it promises" giving 4 stars out of 5. His next film, ''
Maharshi Maharishi is a Sanskrit word, written as "महर्षि" in Devanagari (formed from the prefix mahā- meaning "great" and r̥ṣi - sage, poet or a singer of sacred hymns), indicating members of the highest order of ancient Indian sages, po ...
'' (2019) directed by
Vamshi Paidipally Paidipally Vamshidhar Rao (born 27 July 1979), better known as Vamshi Paidipally, is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works primarily in Telugu cinema. He is best known for directing mainstream film works such as '' Munna'' (2007), ' ...
and co-starring Pooja Hegde collected a total of worldwide. Hemanth Kumar of ''
Firstpost ''Firstpost'' is an Indian online news and media website. The site is a part of the Network 18 media conglomerate owned by Reliance Industries, which also runs CNN-News18 CNN-News18 (originally CNN-IBN) is an Indian English-language ne ...
'' mentioned the film owes a lot to Mahesh Babu's conviction to pull off his role and he makes you believe in his characterisation so much that it doesn't feel like fiction. His flamboyance in the college sequences and the maturity with which he pulled off the village segments is noteworthy. The film was awarded the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment at the 68th National Film Awards and Babu won his fourth SIIMA Award for Best Actor – Telugu. His 2020 film ''
Sarileru Neekevvaru ''Sarileru Neekevvaru'' () is a 2020 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film written and directed by Anil Ravipudi. It is produced by Sri Venkateswara Creations, G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment and AK Entertainments. The film stars Mahesh Bab ...
'' collected in worldwide box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing Telugu films. Hemanth Kumar of ''
Firstpost ''Firstpost'' is an Indian online news and media website. The site is a part of the Network 18 media conglomerate owned by Reliance Industries, which also runs CNN-News18 CNN-News18 (originally CNN-IBN) is an Indian English-language ne ...
'' mentioned ''
Sarileru Neekevvaru ''Sarileru Neekevvaru'' () is a 2020 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film written and directed by Anil Ravipudi. It is produced by Sri Venkateswara Creations, G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment and AK Entertainments. The film stars Mahesh Bab ...
'' packages oodles of humour and action in right measures for Babu to hit the ball out of the park. Everything else is just a bonus or a distraction. He next began filming for ''
Sarkaru Vaari Paata ''Sarkaru Vaari Paata'' () is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Parasuram. It is produced by Mythri Movie Makers, 14 Reels Plus and G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment and stars Mahesh Babu, Keerthy Suresh and S ...
,'' marking his maiden collaboration with director Parasuram in January 2021. The film was released in May 2022 to mixed reviews from critics. Although the screenplay and story received criticism, Babu's performance in the film received praise from various critics including ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...
'',' ''
Hindustan Times ''Hindustan Times'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper based in Delhi. It is the flagship publication of HT Media, an entity controlled by the KK Birla family, and is owned by Shobhana Bhartia. It was founded by Sunder Singh Ly ...
,'' ''
India Today ''India Today'' is a weekly Indian English-language news magazine published by Living Media India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' launched a new on ...
'' and ''
Pinkvilla Pinkvilla is an Indian entertainment and lifestyle platform. As of June 2022, Pinkvilla has over 5,00,00,000 visitors on its website and app. Overview Pinkvilla covers entertainment and lifestyle stories. Its coverage extends to Bollywood, H ...
.'' Babu has two upcoming films in various stages production. Babu is set to re-unite with Trivikram Srinivas for their third collaboration from April 2022. He is also committed to star in
S. S. Rajamouli Koduri Srisaila Sri Rajamouli ( ; born 10 October 1973) is an Indian film director and screenwriter who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He is the highest paid director in India, and is known for his action, fantasy, and epic genre films. T ...
's untitled film which is expected to begin its production in 2023. The film is touted to be a jungle adventure set in Africa.


In the media

Babu is considered one of the most popular actors in Telugu cinema. He is widely referred in the media as "Superstar of Tollywood" and "Prince Mahesh Babu". Hemanth Kumar C. R. of ''Vogue'' felt that ''Murari'' (2001), '' Okkadu'' (2003), '' Athadu'' (2005), '' Pokiri'' (2006), '' Khaleja'' (2010), ''
Dookudu ''Dookudu'' () is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film directed by Srinu Vaitla and written by Vaitla, Kona Venkat, and Gopimohan. It is produced by Ram Achanta, Gopi Achanta, and Anil Sunkara under the banner 14 Reels Entertainmen ...
'' (2011), '' 1: Nenokkadine'' (2014), '' Srimanthudu'' (2015) and ''
Bharat Ane Nenu ''Bharat Ane Nenu'' () is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language political drama film written and directed by Koratala Siva. The film stars Mahesh Babu and Kiara Advani (in her Telugu debut), alongside a supporting cast including Prakash Raj, R. Sara ...
'' (2018) are the films that made Mahesh Babu, a superstar in the film industry. His popularity has been documented in several Telugu films such as '' Ashta Chamma'' (2008), ''Kiraak'' (2014), and ''Superstar Kidnap'' (2015). He joined
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
in April 2010 and has 12 million followers as of July 2021. He was ranked twelfth on the Times' 50 Most Desirable Men in India for the year 2010, fifth in 2011, and second in 2012. He climbed to the first position of the same list for the year 2013, beating the likes of
Hrithik Roshan Hrithik Roshan (; born 10 January 1974) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He has portrayed a variety of characters and is known for his dancing skills. One of the highest-paid actors in India, he has won many awards, including six ...
,
Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
, and
Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood ...
. He stood at sixth place on the same list for the year 2014, sixth in 2015, seventh in 2016, and sixth in 2017. He was then added to the Forever Desirable list along with
Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
,
Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood ...
,
Aamir Khan Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan (; born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi films. Through his career spanning over 30 years, Khan has established himself as one of the most notable actors of Indian ci ...
,
Akshay Kumar Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia (born 9 September 1967), known professionally as Akshay Kumar (), is an Indian-born naturalised Canadian Quote: "(Former prime minister Stephen) Harper campaigned in 2011 alongside one of Modi's biggest celebrity backer ...
, and
Hrithik Roshan Hrithik Roshan (; born 10 January 1974) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He has portrayed a variety of characters and is known for his dancing skills. One of the highest-paid actors in India, he has won many awards, including six ...
. Babu is an ambassador for about three dozen Indian brands. In 2007, he signed a five-year endorsement deal with the cola company
Thums Up Thums Up is an Indian multinational brand of cola in India. It was introduced in 1977 to offset the withdrawal of The Coca-Cola Company from India. The brand was later bought by Coca-Cola who re-launched it in order to fight against Pepsi to c ...
to replace
Chiranjeevi Chiranjeevi (born Konidela Sivasankara Varaprasad; 22 August 1955) is an Indian actor, film producer and former politician, who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. Chiranjeevi starred in over 150 feature films in Telugu, as well as some film ...
as its brand ambassador in
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
. He endorsed brands such as UniverCell Mobile Store, Navratna Oil, Amrutanjan, Provogue, ITC Vivel, Jos Alukkas,
Idea Cellular Idea Cellular (commonly referred to as Idea, and stylised as ''!dea'') was an Indian mobile network operator based at Mumbai, Maharashtra. Idea was a pan-India integrated GSM operator and had 220.00 million subscribers as of June 2018. Id ...
, Santoor Soap, South India Shopping Mall,
Royal Stag Royal Stag, also known as Seagram's Royal Stag, is an Indian brand of whisky launched in 1995. It is available in many countries across the world in various pack sizes. It is Pernod Ricard's best selling brand by volume. It is a blend of grai ...
,
Rainbow Hospitals Rainbow Children's Medicare, commonly known as Rainbow Hospitals, is an Indian chain of paediatric hospitals headquartered in Hyderabad. Founded by Dr. Ramesh Kancharla in 1999, the hospital's main focus is paediatric and maternal healthcare se ...
,
TVS Motor Company TVS Motor Company (commonly known as TVS) is an Indian multinational motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is the third largest motorcycle company in India with a revenue of over in 2018–19. The company has ...
, Mahindra Tractors, Paragon footwear, and Tata Sky in South India. He was signed as the brand ambassador of Intex Mobiles in August 2015 for one year. In 2012, he replaced
Akshay Kumar Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia (born 9 September 1967), known professionally as Akshay Kumar (), is an Indian-born naturalised Canadian Quote: "(Former prime minister Stephen) Harper campaigned in 2011 alongside one of Modi's biggest celebrity backer ...
as the national brand ambassador for Thums Up across India. He also promotes the real estate firm Ramakrishna Venuzia. Babu commands a figure of 2.53 crore per endorsement per annum, thus earning around 30 crore per annum as a brand ambassador. In 2016, he was signed as the brand ambassador of
YuppTV YuppTV is an over-the-top (OTT) content provider for South Asian content including live television and films with recording and storage features. YuppTV allows broadcasters and content providers to reach an audience, and allows consumers to vie ...
and AbhiBus. In February 2018 he was signed as the brand ambassador for Protinex. Some of the other brands he endorses, or had endorsed previously, include Chennai Silks, Sai Surya Developers,
Close-Up A close-up or closeup in filmmaking, television production, photography, still photography, and the comic strip medium is a type of shot (filmmaking), shot that tightly film frame, frames a person or object. Close-ups are one of the standard s ...
, Gold Winner, Denver Deodorant, Lloyd AC, Flipkart, Helo app, Byju's, CarDekho, Jeep India, Whitehat Junior, Lloyd Refrigerators, Jeevan Saathi, Health OK Tablets, Big C Mobiles, Pan Bahar Elaichi, Mountain Dew, Bambino foods, and Everest Spices. Overall, he has endorsed 41 brands thus far. He has also shot a couple of unique concept videos for
Zee Telugu Zee Telugu is an Indian Telugu-language general entertainment pay television channel in India. It was launched on 12 September 2004 as ''Alpha Telugu'' and was rebranded as ''Zee Telugu'' on 18 May 2005. The channel is owned by Zee Entertainmen ...
to promote their upcoming TV shows. In 2022, Mahesh Babu ended his association with
Thums Up Thums Up is an Indian multinational brand of cola in India. It was introduced in 1977 to offset the withdrawal of The Coca-Cola Company from India. The brand was later bought by Coca-Cola who re-launched it in order to fight against Pepsi to c ...
. The same year, he faced criticism for endorsing the brand Pan Bahar Elaichi, after the statement–"Bollywood cannot afford me" he made during a promotional event of ''Major''. Babu has also supported AIG Hospitals' "End Corona Campaign", which was aimed at creating awareness about the
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
vaccine. It was one of the world's largest virtual awareness campaigns on the COVID-19 vaccine. Babu stood in 31st place on ''
Forbes India ''Forbes India'' is the Indian edition of ''Forbes'' which is managed by Reliance Industries-owned media conglomerate, Network 18. History and profile Since its founding in 2008, ''Forbes India'' has achieved a circulation of 50,000 copies and m ...
''s Celebrity 100 list for the year 2012, with annual earnings of 42.25 crore. He slipped to 54th place on the same list for the year 2013, with his annual earnings dropping to 28.96 crore. In the following year, he climbed to the 30th position with an annual earning figure of 51 crore. In 2015, he placed 36th, the highest ranking
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode ...
celebrity, with an income of 51 crore. He was placed 37th, 33rd and 54th consecutively in the years leading up to 2019 with an annual earning of 35 crore. Babu was once criticized for his limited and predictable wardrobe when attending events. In 2019, his wax statue was unveiled in '' Madame Tussauds Singapore''. ''
Hindustan Times ''Hindustan Times'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper based in Delhi. It is the flagship publication of HT Media, an entity controlled by the KK Birla family, and is owned by Shobhana Bhartia. It was founded by Sunder Singh Ly ...
'' reported that Babu was the first Telugu actor to get a wax statue at Madame Tussauds, while Baahubali (portrayed by Prabhas) was the first Telugu film character. He was also the first Indian actor whose wax statue was flown back for a day for unveiling at his hometown.


Personal life


Family

During the shoot of B. Gopal '' Vamsi'' at
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
, Babu began to date his co-star
Namrata Shirodkar Namrata Shirodkar (born 22 January 1972) is an Indian actress and former model primarily known for her work in Hindi films. She won the Femina Miss India title in 1993. She is best known for her works in films such as the ''Kachche Dhaage'' (19 ...
. After being in a relationship for four years, they decided to get married, and Manjula convinced Krishna in favour of their decision. They were married on 10 February 2005 at the Marriott Hotel, Mumbai during the shooting of '' Athadu''. The couple's first child was born on 31 August 2006 at the Global Hospital in Hyderabad. The boy, named Gautham Krishna, was a premature baby and was in critical condition during his birth. His condition turned stable after the doctors treated him in time. On 20 July 2012, Shirodkar gave birth to a girl whom they named Sitara. Before her delivery, they preserved her stem cells using stem cell banking to ensure a better immunity level. Babu is the fourth child in a family of five children. His elder brother
Ramesh Babu Ghattamaneni Ramesh Babu (13 October 1965 – 8 January 2022) was an Indian actor and film producer, who was known for his work in Telugu cinema. Babu made his on screen debut with the film '' Alluri Seetharama Raju'' in 1974. He acted in over ...
was a film producer and was also an actor. Mahesh Babu's eldest sister Padmavathi is married to
Galla Jayadev Galla Jayadev (born 24 March 1966), also known as Jay Galla, is an Indian politician and industrialist in India. He is the managing director of Amara Raja Group and TDP Parliamentary Party Leader. Jayadev is a member of 16th and 17th Lok Sa ...
, an industrialist and Member of the Indian Parliament from the
Telugu Desam Party The Telugu Desam Party (; TDP) is an Indian regional political party operating in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at the state and central level. Since its founding by N. T. Rama Rao (often referred to as NTR) on 29 March 1982, the party has foc ...
. His elder sister Manjula is a film producer, director, and an actress. Priyadarshini, his younger sister, is married to
Sudheer Babu Posani Naga Sudheer Babu (born 11 May 1980) is an Indian actor and former professional badminton player. He works primarily in Telugu language, Telugu films. Debuted as a lead actor in ''Shiva Manasulo Shruti'' (2012), Babu's successful films in ...
, who later made his debut as an actor in Telugu cinema. Telugu actress and filmmaker
Vijaya Nirmala Vijaya Nirmala (born Nidudavolu Nirmala; 20 February 1946 – 27 June 2019) was an Indian actress, director, and producer known for her works predominantly in Telugu cinema along with a few Malayalam and Tamil films. In a career spanning over si ...
was Babu's step-mother, and actor Naresh is his step-brother.


Philanthropy

Babu gives 30% of his annual income to charities, and most of his philanthropic activities are unpublicised because he prefers them to be so. He joined
Farhan Akhtar Farhan Akhtar (born 9 January 1974) is an Indian actor, director, screenwriter, playback singer, producer, and television host who works in Hindi films. Born in Mumbai to screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, he grew up under the influe ...
Men Against Rape and Discrimination Men Against Rape and Discrimination or MARD/M.A.R.D is a 2013 social campaign launched by India film director and actor Farhan Akhtar. The word "MARD" ("Mard"; , ) has been used in the short form of the campaign name. The campaign aims to raise ...
(MARD) campaign in August 2013 and lent his voice to the Telugu version of a poem written by
Javed Akhtar Javed Akhtar (born 17 January 1945) is an Indian poet, lyricist, screenwriter and political activist. Known for his work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards, and received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2 ...
. He was signed in 2013 as the goodwill ambassador of Heal-a-child Foundation, a non-profit organisation that offers financial support to the parents of terminally ill children to help with the cost of medical treatment. In October 2014, he donated 25
lakh A lakh (; abbreviated L; sometimes written lac) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 105). In the Indian 2,2,3 convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000. For e ...
to a relief fund run by the chief minister of
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
for reconstruction of areas destroyed during Cyclone Hudhud. Krishna and Vijaya Nirmala later donated 25 lakh to the fund. Jayadev announced in February 2015 that Babu would adopt Krishna's native village Burripalem, a minor
panchayat The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical men ...
in
Tenali Tenali is a city in Guntur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Tenali mandal and Tenali revenue division. The city is renowned for art, culture, drama and hence, it is called ''Andhr ...
, and would address basic needs of the community such as potable drinking water and better roads and drainage systems. Later, Namrata Shirodkar was quoted saying that they had adopted Siddapur village in
Mahbubnagar district Mahabubnagar district is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. Mahabubnagar is the district headquarters which is popularly known as Palamoor. The district shares boundaries with Narayanapet, Vikarabad, Rangareddy, Nagarkurnool, Wanap ...
upon consultation with Telangana's Rural Development minister
K. T. Rama Rao Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (born 24 July 1976), popularly known by his initials KTR, is an Indian politician serving as the Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, and Information Technology of Tela ...
.


Legal issues

In September 2004, Babu and director
Gunasekhar Gunasekar (born 2 June 1964) is an Indian film director and screenwriter known for his works in Telugu cinema. He has directed films in action, romance, mythological, and historical drama genres. He has won a National Film Award, multiple N ...
attended a rally organised by his fans at
Warangal Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 704,570 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an . Warangal ser ...
for the promotional activities of ''Arjun''. He and his fans allegedly raided two video libraries and assaulted their owners who were circulating unauthorised CDs of the film. Cases under IPC section 448 (criminal trespass), section 427 (mischief) and section 366 (kidnap) were registered on him, who was the principal accused, and five others. Later, a delegation from the Telugu film industry, including his father
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is on ...
,
Chiranjeevi Chiranjeevi (born Konidela Sivasankara Varaprasad; 22 August 1955) is an Indian actor, film producer and former politician, who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. Chiranjeevi starred in over 150 feature films in Telugu, as well as some film ...
,
Nagarjuna Nāgārjuna . 150 – c. 250 CE (disputed)was an Indian Mahāyāna Buddhist thinker, scholar-saint and philosopher. He is widely considered one of the most important Buddhist philosophers.Garfield, Jay L. (1995), ''The Fundamental Wisdom of ...
,
Allu Aravind Allu Aravind (born 10 January 1949) is an Indian film producer and distributor in Telugu cinema under his banner Geetha Arts. He co-owns the Indian Super League club ''Kerala Blasters FC''. A part of the Allu–Konidela family, Aravind is t ...
and
D. Suresh Babu Daggubati Suresh Babu (born 24 December 1958) is an Indian film producer, studio owner and distributor who serves as the managing director of Suresh Productions. In 2012, he received the Andhra Pradesh state Nagireddy–Chakrapani National Awar ...
, approached the then chief minister
Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy (8 July 1949 – 2 September 2009), popularly known as YSR, was the 14th chief minister of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, serving from 2004 to 2009. Reddy was elected to the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12 ...
to intervene in this case. Regarding the issue, Babu said that while cases were booked against him on "the basis of wrong information," not a single case had been booked against the person dealing in bootlegged CDs, which he found the "funniest" thing. Actor Pawan Kalyan openly supported Babu throughout the episode. Babu surrendered in the district court in September 2004 and appeared before the court again in April 2006. Babu and the others were exonerated after the final hearing in July 2006.


Awards and nominations

Mahesh Babu is a recipient of eight Nandi Awards, five Filmfare South Awards, three
CineMAA Awards The CineMAA Awards are presented annually by the Maa TV Group to honour artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Telugu Cinema. The awards were introduced in 2004. The CineMAA Awards are voted for by both the public and a commit ...
, three Santosham Film Awards, four
SIIMA Awards South Indian International Movie Awards, also known as the SIIMA Awards, rewards the artistic and technical achievements of the South Indian film industry. It was launched in 2012 by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Brinda Prasad Adusimilli to apprec ...
and one IIFA Utsavam Award.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Babu, Mahesh 1974 births Living people Telugu male actors Loyola College, Chennai alumni Male actors in Telugu cinema Indian male film actors Male actors from Chennai Filmfare Awards South winners 20th-century Indian male actors Nandi Award winners Indian male child actors University of Madras alumni 21st-century Indian male actors South Indian International Movie Awards winners Zee Cine Awards Telugu winners CineMAA Awards winners Indian male voice actors Telugu film producers Indian film producers