Mahesh Babu
Born: 1975-08-09 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Known For: Acting
Biography
Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu (born 9 August 1975) is an Indian actor, producer, and philanthropist who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He is recognized for his nuanced performances, and has established himself as one of the most bankable and highest-paid stars in Indian cinema over the past two decades. He has received numerous accolades, including nine Nandi Awards, five Filmfare Awards South, and four SIIMA Awards, along with multiple nominations for Filmfare and SIIMA Awards. The younger son of actor Krishna, Mahesh began his career as a child actor in the 1980s, appearing in several films before making his leading debut with Rajakumarudu (1999). Early in his career, he appeared in films spanning various genres, including Murari (2001), Takkari Donga (2002), a Western-genre film, and Nijam (2003), which helped establish his career. Mahesh gained wider recognition with action dramas such as Okkadu (2003), Athadu (2005), and Pokiri (2006), the latter becoming a genre-defining blockbuster. In 2010, the conspiracy action entertainer Khaleja, the second collaboration between Mahesh and the director Trivikram, received critical acclaim. Although it initially garnered mixed reviews, the film eventually gained cult status among many film enthusiasts and inspired several directors in the Telugu film industry. Dookudu (2011) became the first Telugu-language film to gross over $1 million in the USA and earned Mahesh both a Nandi Award and a Filmfare award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He solidified his status as a leading actor with Businessman (2012), where he portrayed the anti-hero, a ruthless and ambitious kingpin of organized crime, and further showcased his versatility in 1: Nenokkadine (2014) by delivering a critically praised performance as a neurologically troubled rockstar on a quest to uncover his forgotten and mysterious past. He is known for portraying Stoic, principled heroes in socially conscious films such as Srimanthudu (2015), Bharat Ane Nenu (2018), and Maharshi (2019). His acting style is characterized by subtle intensity and restraint. He also appeared as the lead in numerous commercial films, namely Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020), Sarkaru Vaari Paata (2022), and Guntur Kaaram (2024). Beyond his film career, Mahesh is a humanitarian and philanthropist. He founded the Mahesh Babu Foundation, which supports underprivileged children primarily by funding life-saving congenital heart surgeries and providing financial aid to families with newborns facing heart ailments. Mahesh owns the production company named G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment, which has produced several films, including some in which he played the lead role. He also produced the biopic Major (2022).
Filmography
2027
- Vāranāsi as Rudhra / Lord Rama
2026
- Rao Bahadur ... (Presenter)
2024
- Guntur Kaaram as Veera Venkata Ramana
2022
- Major ... (Producer)
- Sarkaru Vaari Paata as Mahesh 'Mahi'
- Acharya as Narrator
2021
- Unstoppable with NBK as Self
2020
- Sarileru Neekevvaru as Major Ajay Krishna
2019
- Maharshi as K. Rishi Kumar
2018
- Bharat Ane Nenu as Bharath Ram
- Manasuku Nachindi as Voiceover
2017
- Spyder as Shiva
2016
- Brahmotsavam as Ajay Chantibabu
2015
- Srimanthudu as Harsha Vardhan
2014
- 1: Nenokkadine as Gautham
- Aagadu as 'Encounter' Shankar
2013
- Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu as Chinnodu
- Baadshah as Narrator
2012
- Businessman as Vijay Surya 'Surya Bhai'
2011
- Dookudu as ACP G. Ajay Kumar
2010
- Khaleja as Alluri Seetarama Raju
2008
- Jalsa as Narrator
2007
- Athidhi as Athidhi / Aditya
2005
- Athadu as Nanda "Nandu" Gopal / Pardhu
2002
- Takkari Donga as Raja
- Bobby as Bobby
2001
- Murari as Murari
1999
- Rajakumarudu as Raja
1990
- Balachandrudu as Balachandra
- Anna Thammudu as Murali
1989
- Koduku Diddina Kapuram as Vinod / Pramod
- Gudachari 117 as Chinna
1988
- Mugguru Kodukulu as Surendra
1987
- Sankharavam as Raja
1983
- Poratam as Bujji