Meet actor who is a starkid-turned-superstar, made his debut at age of four and gained acclaim as a humble philanthropist
A true-blue superstar in Tollywood, he has built an impressive career spanning several decades in Telugu cinema. Coming from a family with a prominent actor and filmmaker as his father, he also has other notable figures from various fields among his relatives. He stepped into the limelight in 1979, debuting at the young age of four. Married to a former actress from Indian cinema, he is well-known for his commitment to social causes and humanitarian efforts. Yes, we are talking about Mahesh Babu.
Who is Mahesh Babu?
Mahesh Babu is an Indian actor, filmmaker and ardent philanthropist who has predominantly been a part of the Telugu film industry. With his impressive career in films spanning across decades, he has been one of the highest-paid stars in India.
Mahesh belongs to an affluent film family. He was born on August 9, 1975, to his father, renowned Telugu superstar, Krishna and his wife, Indira in Tamil Nadu. His full name is Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu, and he has four more siblings.
Mahesh spent considerable years growing up in Madras (present day Chennai), under the guidance and care of his maternal grandmother. He completed his early schooling at the St. Bede’s Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School. Thereafter, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Loyola College, Chennai.
Mahesh Babu’s debut at the tender age of four
Being the son of a prominent actor like Krishna, Mahesh Babu had exposure to the film world from quite early on. In 1979, at the age of four, he visited the sets of the Telugu film Needa. It was then when the filmmaker, Narayana Rao ended up shooting a few sequences of him as a part of the initial narrative of the film.
Thereafter, Mahesh began to be roped in as a child artist in several Telugu films, including Poratam, Sankhavaram, Bazaar Rowdy, Mugguru Kodukulu and many others.
It was finally in 1999 when Mahesh Babu made his debut as a lead actor for the romantic comedy film, Rajakumarudu, directed by K Raghavendra Rao. His role in the movie earned him the charming nickname of Prince, a title that would stick with him throughout his career.
Mahesh Babu’s first award as an actor
Moving forward, Mahesh Babu starred in Krishna Vamsi’s film, Murari, that brought about a breakthrough change in his career. The movie placed Mahesh in an unforeseen pedestal, since it earned him the prestigious Nandi Special Jury Award as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Actor-Telugu.
Mahesh Babu’s love for philanthropic work
Mahesh Babu is not only known for his successful films, but also for his philanthropic efforts. He founded a foundation dedicated to helping underprivileged children, providing them with necessary support and care. The foundation has consistently raised funds to assist children in need of life-saving medical treatments, like congenital heart surgeries.
Apart from that, the Mahesh Babu Foundation also co-runs another charitable trust-cum-NGO by the name of Heal A Child, that works in collaboration with Andhra Pradesh’s leading Rainbow Hospitals.
Mahesh Babu’s extensive filmography
Coming to his film career, Mahesh Babu has been a part of over thousands of films to date. A three time SIIMA Award recipient, in 2006, he enacted the role of a gangster in Puri Jagannadh’s film Pokiri, which still remains the highest-grossing Telugu film of all time.
His 2011 film, Dookudu became the first Telugu film to cross the 1 billion mark at the box office, followed by the 2012 film, Businessman matching its numbers. Thereafter, his 2014-film, 1: Nenokkadine, a psychological thriller was lauded by critics, but received mixed responses from the audiences.
Mahesh Babu’s personal life, marriage with Namrata Shirodkar
In 2000, Mahesh Babu crossed paths with Bollywood actress Namrata Shirodkar. The two collaborated for the film, Vamsi. The duo fell in love during the shooting schedule and started to date. On February 10, 2005, the couple got married at the JW Marriot Hotel in Mumbai.
The couple, who reside in Hyderabad, is blessed with a son, Gautam and a daughter, Sitara. Both the star kids are quite active social media users, and often share glimpses from their life.
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