Mahesh Babu is an Indian actor, producer, and media personality who works predominantly in the Telegu film industry. He was first seen on-screen as a child artist, making a cameo appearance at the age of four in 1979 in the movie Needa. He made his debut as a lead actor in 1999 in the movie Raja Kumarudu opposite Bollywood actress Preity Zinta and won the State Nandi Award for Best Male Debut.
Mahesh, who was born Mahesh Ghattamaneni, went on to feature in eight other movies as a child actor, namely, Poratam (1983), Sankharavam (1987), Bazaar Rowdy (1988), Mugguru Kodukulu (1988), Gudachari 117 (1989), Koduku Diddina Kapuram (1989), Anna Thammudu (1990), and Balachandrudu (1990).
2000 TO 2004:
Besides acting, Mahesh was also the producer of some of the movies he starred in. In 2000 he starred in Yuvaraju alongside Simran Bagga and Sakshi Shivanand, and in Vamsi opposite actress Namrata Shirodkar, followed by Murari in 2001, in 2002 by Takkari Donga and Bobby, and by Okkadu and Nijam in 2003. In the year 2004, Mahesh featured in two movies, namely, Naani and Arjun. Okkadu earned him a host of awards for his role among them Best Actor – Telugu at the 54th Filmfare Awards South.
2005 TO 2014:
Mahesh, who is often referred to in the media as the Prince of Tollywood, is one of the popular and influential actors of Telegu cinema. From 2005 onwards, he has starred in a good number of movies, namely, Athadu (2005), Pokiri (2006), Sainikudu (2006), Athidhi (2007), Khaleja (2010), Dookudu (2011), Businessman (2012), Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (2013), 1: Nenokkadine (2014), and Aagadu (2014).
2015 TO 2020:
In 2015, Mahesh, who owns the production house G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., was actor and co-producer for the movie Srimanthudu, and in 2016 for movie Brahmotsavam. In 2017, he starred in action-thriller Spyder, followed by Bharat Ane Nenu in 2018, and Maharshi in 2019. In 2020, he will act in and also be the producer of movie Sarileru Neekevvaru and will be the producer for a biopic on Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who was martyred in action during the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
PERSONAL LIFE:
Mahesh Babu was born on August 9, 1975 in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu to Telugu actor Siva Rama Krishna Ghattamaneni and Indira Devi, and he has four siblings. He was educated at St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in Madras and then obtained a bachelor's degree in commerce from Loyola College in Chennai. After he graduated he met with director L. Satyanand in Vishakhapatnam for further training in acting which went on for three to four months.
He is married to actress Namrata Shirodkar and has two children with her.
PHILANTHROPY:
Mahesh gives 30 per cent of his annual income to charities, and most of his philanthropic activities are unpublicised because he prefers them to be so.
SOCIAL:
Mahesh Babu updates his followers through Facebook - Mahesh Babu/@urstrulyMahesh, Twitter - Mahesh Babu/@urstrulyMahesh, and Instagram - Mahesh Babu/@urstrulymahesh.