Mahesh Ghattamaneni, best known by his stage name Mahesh Babu, is an actor, producer, philanthropist, and media figure from India. He is most known for his Telugu film roles. He also owns G Mahesh Babu Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., a media company. He was born in Chennai to an actor father and showed an early interest in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. After receiving acting training, he eventually entered the film industry. He rose to prominence after starring in the supernatural drama film ‘Murari,’ in which he played the main lead. With parts in films like ‘Pokiri,’ ‘Businessman,’ and ‘1: Nenokkadine,’ as well as more recently, ‘Spyder,’ his fame expanded exponentially over time. Throughout his career, Babu has received numerous prizes, including five Filmfare Awards, eight Nandi Awards, and one International Indian Film Academy Award. He is recognized as the Prince of the Telugu Film Industry and has established himself as one of the leading actors in south India. He has also been described as one of India’s most handsome male celebrities by the media. He is also a philanthropist known for his humanitarian efforts through his charitable trust and non-profit organization ‘Heal-a-Child.’ As a goodwill ambassador, he is also connected with Rainbow Hospitals.
Childhood and Adolescence
Mahesh Babu was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, on August 9, 1975. Krishna Ghattamaneni, his father, is a well-known Telugu actor. Indira is his mother’s name. He is one of four siblings. He was largely reared by his grandma Durgamma in Chennai.
In Chennai, he attended St. Bede’s Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School. In 1979, he made his film debut as a juvenile artist in the film “Needa.” He continued to act in films like as ‘Shankharavam’ (1987), ‘Bazaar Rowdy’ (1988), ‘Koduku Diddina Kapuram’ (1989), and ‘Anna Thammudu’ in the years that followed (1990).
He graduated from Loyola College in Chennai with a bachelor’s degree. Following his graduation, he studied acting under director L Satyanand.
Career of Mahesh Babu
Mahesh Babu’s first major film role was in the 1999 film ‘Raja Kumarudu,’ in which he played alongside Preity Zinta. R Raghavendra Rao directed it, and it was a commercial and critical triumph. His performance earned him the Nandi Award for Best Male Debut. The next year, he starred in two commercially unsuccessful films, ‘Yuvaraju’ and ‘Vamsi.’
He starred in the supernatural drama film ‘Murari’ in 2001, in which he played the major role. The film was well received by critics, with Mahesh Babu receiving praise for his portrayal. He was also given the Nandi Special Jury Award.
He made his acting debut in the Telugu action film ‘Okkadu’ in 2003, which received positive reviews from reviewers. It received numerous accolades and was remade in a variety of languages. In the category of ‘Best Actor-Telugu,’ he got his first Filmfare Award.
After his portrayal in the action movie ‘Athadu’ in 2005, he gained international acclaim. The picture was both critically and financially successful. The action picture ‘Pokiri,’ which was a commercial success and won multiple accolades, was his second successful production. He then went on to star in the critically acclaimed flicks ‘Athidhi’ (2007) and ‘Khaleja’ (2010).
‘Dookudu,’ a 2011 action comedy film, was his next project. Srinu Vaitla directed the film, which was a critical and commercial success. It was nominated for multiple accolades and received a nice review from the ‘Los Angeles Times.’ He starred in the commercially successful crime film ‘Businessman’ in 2012. It received mixed reviews.
In 2013, he starred in Srikanth Addala’s film ‘Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu,’ which he wrote and directed. The picture was not a commercial success, but it did win a number of prizes. He starred in the psychological thriller ‘1: Nenokkadine’ the following year. His performance was praised by critics and is regarded as one of his greatest. In the same year, he also starred in the commercially unsuccessful film ‘Aagadu.’
He starred alongside Shruti Hassan in Koratala Siva’s 2015 drama film ‘Srimanthudu,’ which was written and directed by him. The film was a commercial triumph, becoming one of the all-time highest-grossing Telugu films. He appeared in another drama film, ‘Brahmotsavam,’ in 2016.
He starred in the espionage thriller film ‘Spyder’ in 2017. The film, directed by A R Murugadoss, was a moderate commercial success. He made his acting debut in the political thriller ‘Bharat Ane Nenu’ in 2018. The movie was a financial success.
Major Projects of Mahesh Babu
The Telugu action film ‘Pokiri,’ directed by Puri Jagannadh, is one of Mahesh Babu’s early efforts. Ileana D’Cruz, Prakash Raj, Nassar, and Sayaji Shinde also starred in the film. The plot centres around the lives of Krishna Manohar, an undercover cop who infiltrates a crime gang led by a don named Ali Bhai. The film was a financial success and also won several honors. It was later remade in a variety of languages.
The 2012 film ‘Businessman’ was another successful work in Mahesh Babu’s career. The film, directed by Puri Jagannadh, is about Vijay Surya (Babu), a vicious man from south India who comes to Mumbai to become a mafia don. The picture was a commercial success, and it was subsequently remade in a variety of languages. The film also featured Kajal Agarwal, Prakash Raj, Nassar, and Raza Murad in addition to Mahesh Babu as the major role.
Babu made his acting debut in the psychological thriller ‘1: Nenokkadine.’ Sukumar directed the film, which featured Pradeep Rawat, Nassar, Kelly Dorji, and Kriti Sanon, who was making her Telugu debut. Babu played a schizophrenic rock singer who believes his parents were murdered by three individuals and is missing 25% of his grey matter. The film was nominated for various prizes but received mixed reviews.
Personal Experiences of Mahesh Babu
After courting for nearly four years, Mahesh Babu married actress Namrata Shirodkar in 2005. In August 2006, they welcomed their first child, a son called Gautam Krishna. They later welcomed a daughter named Sitara in 2012.
He is also a philanthropist, donating 30% of his annual revenue to organizations.
He does not, however, make the majority of his charitable efforts public.
He also serves as a goodwill ambassador for the ‘Heal-a-Child’ foundation, which helps terminally sick children.
He gained notoriety after he allegedly invaded two video libraries and attacked their owners for distributing unlicensed CDs of his flicks.
Estimated Net Worth
Mahesh Babu’s Net Worth is about $18 Million.