Venkatesh | |
---|---|
Born | Daggubati Venkatesh 13 December 1960 [1] Madras (present-day Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India |
Other names | Venky |
Alma mater | Loyola College, Chennai Monterey Institute of International Studies (MBA) |
Occupation(s) | Actor Film producer |
Years active | 1986–present |
Works | Full list |
Spouse | Neeraja (m. 1985) |
Children | 4 |
Father | D. Ramanaidu |
Relatives | D. Suresh Babu (brother) Rana Daggubati (nephew) Naga Chaitanya (nephew) |
Family | see Daggubati–Akkineni family |
Daggubati Venkatesh (born 13 December 1960), also known as Victory Venkatesh, is an Indian actor and film producer known for his work predominantly in Telugu cinema and a few Hindi films. [2] Venkatesh has a prolific career spanning over 37 years and is known for portraying a variety of characters. He has received many accolades including six Filmfare Awards and five Nandi Awards. [3]
Venkatesh made his debut in 1986 with the commercially successful Kaliyuga Pandavulu . He achieved stardom with box-office hits [4] [5] such as Srinivasa Kalyanam (1987), Brahma Puthrudu (1988), Prema (1989), Dhruva Nakshatram (1989), Bobbili Raja (1990), and Kshana Kshanam (1991), the latter of which featured at the Fribourg Festival and went on to gather a cult following. [6] [7] [8]
Venkatesh received further acclaim for his notable performances as a painter in Swarnakamalam (1988), which featured in the Indian panorama section of the 12th IFFI, [9] an attorney in both Sathruvu (1991) and Dharma Chakram (1996), a coolie in Coolie No. 1 (1991), an eccentric cop in both Surya IPS (1991) and Gharshana (2004), an autistic villager in Chanti (1992), [5] in the romances Pavitra Bandham (1996), Preminchukundam Raa (1997), Premante Idera (1998), Raja (1999), Kalisundam Raa (2000), Nuvvu Naaku Nachav (2001), Vasantam (2003), Malliswari (2004) and Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule (2007), in the family dramas Suryavamsam (1998), Sankranti (2005) and Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (2013), a journalist in Ganesh (1998), in the action dramas Jayam Manadera (2000), Lakshmi (2006), Tulasi (2007) and Venky Mama (2021), in the comedies Chintakayala Ravi (2008), Namo Venkatesa (2010), F2 (2019) and F3 (2022), in the crime thrillers Eenaadu (2009), Drushyam (2014) and Drushyam 2 (2021), an atheist in Gopala Gopala (2015), a boxing coach in Guru (2017), and a farmer in Narappa (2021).
Venkatesh also starred in Hindi language works such as Anari (1993), Taqdeerwala (1995), Rana Naidu (2023), and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (2023). [10] In addition to acting, he co-owns Suresh Productions, [11] one of the largest film production companies in India, under which he acted in several films. [12] [13] He is also the mentor of the Telugu Warriors, representing Tollywood in the Celebrity Cricket League. [14]
Venkatesh was born on 13 December 1960 in a Telugu family to film producer and former Member of Parliament, D. Ramanaidu and Rajeshwari in Madras (present-day Chennai), India. He has an elder brother Suresh Babu, who runs Suresh Productions, and a younger sister Lakshmi. [15]
Venkatesh did his schooling in Don Bosco, Egmore, [16] Chennai and graduated in commerce from Loyola College, Chennai. [17] [18] He got his MBA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, USA. [15] After his return to India, he wanted to get into film production but instead became an actor. [19]
Venkatesh first appeared as a child actor in the 1971 film Prema Nagar . His first film as a full-fledged lead was K. Raghavendra Rao-directed Kaliyuga Pandavulu (1986), alongside Khushbu Sundar which was a debut for both of them. The film won him a Nandi Special Jury Award. [2]
In 1996, he portrayed an honest lawyer in Dharma Chakram , which won him both the Nandi Award and Filmfare Award South. [3] [20] Later that year, he played a husband struggling between two wives in the E. V. V. Satyanarayana directed hit comedy drama Intlo Illalu Vantintlo Priyuralu . [21] In Ganesh (1998), he played a person fighting the ills of the Indian public healthcare system. The following year, he starred in the romantic action film Preminchukundam Raa . The film, which was one of the first portrayals of factionalism in Rayalaseema region, was a big commercial success. [22] His 1999 drama film Raja, where he plays a small time thief who is reformed by his love was also well received by the audience. [21] Following this, he established himself as one of top actors in Telugu cinema. [23]
In 2001, Venkatesh starred in the romantic comedy Nuvvu Naaku Nachav which was a critical and commercial success. [24] The success continued with Malliswari (2004), his second collaboration with director K. Vijaya Bhaskar after Nuvvu Naaku Nachav. [21] In 2007, he starred in two films, Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule and Tulasi, both of which grossed over ₹30 crore at the box office. [5] In the following years, Venkatesh appeared in several films, including Chintakayala Ravi (2008), Namo Venkatesa (2010) and Bodyguard (2012). [25] [26] [27]
In 2013, Venkatesh co-starred alongside Mahesh Babu in the critically acclaimed drama Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu . [28] [29] The film was one of the first Telugu major multi-starrer films after many years. Subsequently, Venkatesh went on to feature in other multi-starrers such as Masala (2013), Gopala Gopala (2015) and F2: Fun and Frustration (2019). [30] F2 grossed over ₹127 crore and ended up as one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of 2019. [31] [32]
Venkatesh's performance in Drushyam (2014) received several accolades from the critics. [33] He portrayed a strict boxing coach in the Sudha Kongara's sports drama Guru in 2017. [34]
Later in 2019, he starred in Venky Mama , alongside his nephew Naga Chaitanya. The film was a profitable venture, grossing more than ₹72 crore worldwide. [35] In the same year, he dubbed in Telugu for the Genie in Alladin . His 2021 film Narappa was released on Amazon Prime, which marked his first direct-to-OTT released. [36] In 2022, the sequel to F2, F3: Fun and Frustration released to a fairly positive reception from critics and audiences. Venkatesh is set to make his first-ever pan-Indian film debut with Saindhav, directed by Sailesh Kolanu. [37]
Venkatesh married Neeraja in 1985 and the couple has four children—three daughters and one son. [40] [41] His eldest daughter, Aashritha, married Vinayak Reddy, the grandson of R. Surender Reddy, the chairman of Hyderabad Race Club. [42] He is also the uncle of actors Rana Daggubati and Naga Chaitanya. [43]
Daggubati Ramanaidu was an Indian film producer known for his work in Telugu cinema. He founded Suresh Productions in 1964 which became of one of the largest film production companies in India. He was one of the most influential movie moguls in Indian cinema. He was placed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most films produced by an individual, with more than 150 films in all official Indian languages. He also served as a Member of Parliament for the Bapatla constituency in Andhra Pradesh in the 13th Lok Sabha from 1999 to 2004.
Nuvvu Naaku Nachav is a 2001 Indian Telugu-language romantic comedy film directed by K. Vijaya Bhaskar who co-wrote the script with Trivikram Srinivas. Produced by Sravanthi Ravi Kishore under the Sri Sravanthi Movies banner, the film stars Venkatesh and Aarthi Agarwal, marking Agarwal's debut in Telugu cinema. The music was composed by Koti. The film follows Venky, a graduate from Anakapalli, who moves to Hyderabad and develops feelings for Nandini, the daughter of his father's friend, despite her being engaged, leading to a complex interplay of love and familial bonds.
The Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu is presented by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Telugu films. The awards were extended to "Best Director" in 1972.
Jayam Manadera is a 2000 Indian Telugu-language action drama film directed by N. Shankar and produced by D. Suresh Babu under the Suresh Productions banner. It stars Venkatesh, Soundarya and Bhanupriya, with music composed by Vandemataram Srinivas. The film was successful at the box office. The film won two Nandi Awards and one Filmfare Award. The film was also remade in Tamil as Manikanda.
Vajapeyajula Uday Kiran, better known as Uday Kiran was an Indian actor who primarily worked in Telugu cinema and has acted in some Tamil films. His first three films, Chitram (2000), Nuvvu Nenu (2001), and Manasantha Nuvve (2001) were successful at the box office, earning him the title "Hat-trick Hero". The three films, all love stories, earned him a 'lover boy' image in the early 2000s.
Aarthi Agarwal was an Indian actress who primarily worked in Telugu cinema.
Akkineni Naga Chaitanya, , is an Indian actor who works in Telugu cinema. He has received several accolades including one Filmfare Award South and one Nandi Award for his work.
Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu, also known by the initialism SVSC, is a 2013 Indian Telugu-language family drama film co-written and directed by Srikanth Addala. It was produced by Dil Raju's Sri Venkateswara Creations, and stars Venkatesh, Mahesh Babu, Anjali and Samantha, while Prakash Raj, Jayasudha, Rao Ramesh, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Abhinaya and Rohini Hattangadi play supporting roles.
Daggubati Suresh Babu is an Indian film producer, studio owner and film distributor who serves as the managing director of Suresh Productions. He is the elder brother of popular telugu actor Venkatesh and father of another popular actor Rana Daggubati. In 2012, he received the Andhra Pradesh state Nagireddy–Chakrapani National Award for his contribution to popular cinema.
Bandla Ganesh, also known as Ganesh, is an Indian actor and film producer of Telugu cinema. In 2009, he ventured into film production with the film, Anjaneyulu under his production company, Parameswara Art Productions.
The Akkineni–Daggubati family is a prominent Indian film family with a history predominantly in Telugu cinema. Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Daggubati Ramanaidu are the prominent heads of both families. Members of the family include actors, film directors, and producers.
Drushyam (transl. Visual) is a 2014 Indian Telugu-language crime thriller film directed by Sripriya and jointly produced by D. Suresh Babu and Rajkumar Sethupathi. It is a remake of Jeethu Joseph's 2013 Malayalam film Drishyam and features Venkatesh, Meena, Esther Anil and Kruthika Jayakumar. Venkatesh and Kruthika plays the respective roles of Mohanlal and Ansiba Hasan in the original whereas Meena and Esther reprises their roles from the original film. The film tells the story of Rambabu, a middle-class cable TV operator, and his family. They come under suspicion when Varun, the son of the Inspector-general of police (IG), goes missing soon after harassing Rambabu's daughter. The rest of the film reveals how Varun disappeared and what Rambabu does to keep his family from going to prison.
Gopala Gopala is a 2015 Indian Telugu-language satirical comedy drama film directed by Kishore Kumar Pardasani. The film is produced by D. Suresh Babu and Sharrath Marar under the Suresh Productions and North Star Entertainment banners. It stars Venkatesh, Pawan Kalyan, Shriya Saran, and Mithun Chakraborty while Ashish Vidyarthi and Posani Krishna Murali play supporting roles. The film is a remake of the 2012 Hindi film OMG – Oh My God! which was itself based on the Gujarati stage play Kanji Viruddh Kanji which is in turn inspired from 2001 Australian film The Man Who Sued God.
Venkatesh is an Indian actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. In a career spanning 38 years, he starred in 76 feature films. He has played a variety of challenging roles in Telugu cinema and a few Hindi films. He has received seven state Nandi awards, and six Filmfare Awards for best acting.
Akhil Akkineni is an actor based in India, who works primarily in Telugu cinema. Akhil was born in San Jose, California, United States, and was raised in Hyderabad, India. Akhil debuted as a child artist in the film Sisindri (1994), for which he won a Filmfare Special Award. He is also the captain of Telugu Warriors cricket team that competes in Celebrity Cricket League.
SIIMA Award for Best Actor – Telugu is presented by Vibri media group as part of its annual South Indian International Movie Awards, for the best acting done by an actor in Telugu films. The award was first given in 2012 for films released in 2011. Mahesh Babu is the most nominated with 8 nominations and most awarded, winning four times.
Venky Mama is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film directed by Bobby Kolli. It stars Venkatesh, Naga Chaitanya, Raashii Khanna, and Payal Rajput in the lead roles, while Nassar, Prakash Raj, and Rao Ramesh play supporting roles. The film was produced by D. Suresh Babu of Suresh Productions and T. G. Vishwa Prasad of People Media Factory, with music composed by Thaman.
Narappa is a 2021 Indian Telugu-language period action drama film written and directed by Srikanth Addala. It is remake of Vetrimaaran's Tamil-language film Asuran (2019) which is itself based on the novel Vekkai by Poomani. The film is produced by D. Suresh Babu and Kalaipuli S. Thanu under their respective banners Suresh Productions and V Creations. The film stars Venkatesh, Priyamani, Karthik Rathnam, and Vasishta N. Simha, while Nassar, Rao Ramesh, Rajeev Kanakala, Brahmaji, Ammu Abhirami, Aadukalam Naren and Karthik Rathnam plays the other important supporting roles.
SIIMA Award for Best Supporting Actor – Telugu is presented by Vibri media group as part of its annual South Indian International Movie Awards, for the best acting done by an actor in a supporting role in Telugu films. The award was first given in 2012 for films released in 2011. Rajendra Prasad is the most nominated with six nominations and most awarded with three wins.
Drushyam 2 is a 2021 Indian Telugu-language crime thriller film written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. It is a remake of his 2021 Malayalam film Drishyam 2 and sequel to Drushyam (2014). The film was jointly produced by D. Suresh Babu, Antony Perumbavoor, Rajkumar Sethupathi, and Jacob K. Babu through the companies Suresh Productions, RajKumar Theatres, and Max Movies. It stars Venkatesh, Meena, Nadhiya, Naresh, Kruthika and Esther Anil reprising their roles from first part, with Sampath Raj and Poorna as new additions. The story takes place six years after the events of Drushyam.