As Akkineni Nagarjuna celebrates his birthday on August 29, we look at why he is regarded as a trailblazer. Born into one of the country’s most prominent film families, with his father ANR being a celebrated thespian, Nagarjuna has enjoyed an eventful career spanning four remarkable decades. Ever since his 1986 debut with Vikram, Nagarjuna has evolved from a star heir into a style icon and a fearless performer.
Genre mastery and versatility
Early in his career, Nagarjuna broke away from traditional commercial tropes with Mani Ratnam’s cult classic Geethanjali and Ram Gopal Varma’s game-changing action drama Shiva. Both films reflected his proactive pursuit of experimentation. He effortlessly switched gears to deliver slapstick comedy in Hello Brother, romantic charm in Manmadhudu, and commercial entertainment in King.
When he ventured into devotional cinema, sceptics questioned whether an urban heartthrob could carry grand spiritual epics. Yet audiences were pleasantly surprised when he transformed into the 15th-century poet-saint Annamayya in K Raghavendra Rao’s classic of the same name, earning widespread critical acclaim. He followed it up with Sri Ramadasu. Later, Manam became a poignant tribute to his family legacy, with Nagarjuna sharing the screen with his father in the emotionally resonant fantasy family drama.
Betting on new visionaries
Nagarjuna’s greatest legacy, his fans say, lies in his willingness to trust fresh talent. He has regularly handed the director’s chair to debutants and relative newcomers, backing filmmakers such as RGV (Shiva), second-time filmmaker Krishna Vamsi (Ninne Pelladata), YVS Chowdary (Sri Sita Ramula Kalyanam Chootamu Rarandi, which Nagarjuna also produced), and Dasaradh (Santosham). He embraced the fantasy genre again with Soggade Chinni Nayana, which was directed by debutant Kalyan Krishna Kurasala.
The eveolution continues…
The “Greeku Veerudu”, as he came to be known after a chartbuster song of the same name, once spoke about seeking roles that push him beyond his comfort zone, suggesting that he still gets butterflies when venturing into unfamiliar territory.
Following his Sankranti hit Naa Saami Ranga in 2024 and the socially conscious Kuberaa in 2025, Nagarjuna is currently shooting his landmark 100th film, directed by Ra Karthik. Speaking to Variety about his constant evolution, Nagarjuna recently remarked, “Legacy cannot be given. Legacy has to be respected. And then legacy comes after proving yourself.”
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Yash’s latest release Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown Ups opened to largely mixed reviews on Wednesday. But the action thriller still managed to put up decent performance at the box office when it comes to collections. The film opened to a thunderous response and registered Rs 101.10 core on the first day. The mixed reviews have impacted the film as Toxic saw a dramatic dip in collections on the second day as it raked in Rs 37. 65 crores.
