Nagarjuna (actor)

Nagarjuna
Nagarjuna on Bigg Boss 7 in 2023
Born
Akkineni Nagarjuna Rao[1][2]

(1959-08-29) 29 August 1959 (age 65)[3]
Madras (present-day Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India
Alma materEastern Michigan University (B.S.)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • film producer
  • entrepreneur
Years active1986–present
WorksFull list
Spouses
Lakshmi Daggubati
​
​
(m. 1984; div. 1990)​
​
(m. 1992)​
Children
FatherAkkineni Nageswara Rao
FamilySee Daggubati-Akkineni family
AwardsFull list

Akkineni Nagarjuna Rao[a] (born 29 August 1959), known mononymously as Nagarjuna, is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil films. One of the highest paid South Indian actor,[4][5] Nagarjuna has appeared in over 90 films. He is a recipient of two National Film Awards for Ninne Pelladata (1996) and Annamayya (1997), ten state Nandi Awards and three Filmfare Awards South.

In 1989, Nagarjuna starred in the Mani Ratnam-directed romantic drama film Geetanjali, which won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film. In the same year, he appeared in the commercially successful Siva, an action film directed by Ram Gopal Varma; featured at the 13th IFFI' 90.[6][7] Nagarjuna made his Bollywood debut with the 1990 Hindi remake of Shiva. Known by his works in biographical films, he played 15th-century composer Annamacharya in Annamayya (1997), Yavakri (the son of the ascetic Bharadvaja) in Agni Varsha (2002), Major Padmapani Acharya in the war film LOC: Kargil (2003), 17th-century composer Kancherla Gopanna in Sri Ramadasu (2006), Suddala Hanmanthu in Rajanna (2011), Sai Baba of Shirdi in Shirdi Sai (2012), Chandaludu in Jagadguru Adi Shankara (2013), and Hathiram Bhavaji in Om Namo Venkatesaya (2017).[8]

Nagarjuna has largely starred in action films, establishing himself as an action star with works such as Aakhari Poratam (1988), Vicky Daada (1989), Siva (1989), Neti Siddhartha (1990), Chaitanya (1991), Nirnayam (1991), Antham (1992), Killer (1992), Khuda Gawah (1992), Rakshana (1993), Hello Brother (1994), Govinda Govinda (1994), Criminal (1994), Ratchagan (1997), Azad (2000), Sivamani (2003), Mass (2004), Super (2005), Don (2007), and King (2008).

In 2013, he represented the Cinema of South India at the Delhi Film Festival's 100 Years of Indian Cinema's celebration, alongside Ramesh Sippy and Vishal Bhardwaj from Bollywood.[9] In 1995, he ventured into film production, with a production unit operating in Seychelles, and was a co-director of an Emmy Award-winning film animation company called Heart Animation.[10] Nagarjuna is the co-owner of the production company Annapurna Studios. He is also the president of the non-profit film school Annapurna International School of Film and Media based in Hyderabad.[11][12][13]

  1. ^ Prasad, B. Krishna (18 May 2012). "Actor Nagarjuna has 2 lakh shares in Vanpic holding Company". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Board of Directors". Maa TV. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Akkineni Nagarjuna rings in 56th birthday in Thailand". The Indian Express. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Discovering South India's richest actors: A closer look at Prabhas, Ram Charan, Nagarjuna, and Rajinikanth's net worth". The Financial Express. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Top 7 richest South Indian actors 2024: Nagarjuna Akkineni to Thalapathy Vijay". Pinkvilla. 12 September 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  6. ^ Chinnarayana 2007, p. 54.
  7. ^ "International Film Festival of India 1990" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  8. ^ Suresh Krishnamoorthy (30 April 2013). "At the end of the day, Nag wants to feel good". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  9. ^ "NDTV Movies". ndtv.com.
  10. ^ "45th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  11. ^ "I need a break: Nagarjuna". The Times of India. 20 April 2012. Archived from the original on 21 May 2013.
  12. ^ "Nagarjuna is brand ambassador for Kalyan Jewellers". Business Line. 1 December 2010. Archived from the original on 20 November 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  13. ^ "Swept away by 'Nag' magic". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 11 July 2011.


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