Nani filmography

Nani in a photoshoot during the promotions of Hi Nanna, in 2023

Nani is an Indian actor, producer and television presenter who works predominantly in Telugu cinema and appears in a few Tamil language films. He made his acting debut with Mohana Krishna Indraganti's 2008 comedy film Ashta Chamma, an Indian adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest.[1] After Ashta Chamma's commercial success,[2] Nani played the lead roles in three Telugu films in the next two years: Ride (2009), Snehituda (2009) and Bheemili Kabaddi Jattu (2010). In 2011, Nani collaborated with B. V. Nandini Reddy on the romantic comedy film Ala Modalaindi which was profitable.[3] The same year, he made his Tamil cinema debut with Anjana Ali Khan's Veppam, a crime drama set in the backdrop of North Chennai.[4] The following year, Nani collaborated with S. S. Rajamouli and Gautham Vasudev Menon on the Telugu-Tamil bilingual Eega and the romance film Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu respectively. The former, which was about a murdered man reincarnating as a housefly and avenging his death, earned Nani an award in the Best Hero category at the 2013 Toronto After Dark Film Festival.[5] He received the Nandi Award for Best Actor for his performance in Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu.[6]

Nani ventured into film production in 2013 as a co-producer for the film D for Dopidi.[7] He faced three box office failures in the upcoming years: Paisa (2013), Aaha Kalyanam (2014) and Janda Pai Kapiraju (2015). Nani termed it a "low phase" in his career and worked on the "planning of films and the timing of their release".[8] He then played the lead role in Nag Ashwin's Yevade Subramanyam (2015), a film focusing on a businessperson's journey to the Himalayas seeking self exploration.[9] Nani later starred in Maruthi's comedy film Bhale Bhale Magadivoy (2015), in which he played an absent minded scientist easily prone to distraction.[10] It was the actor's first blockbuster success,[11] and earned him the Critics Award for Best Actor – South at the 63rd Filmfare Awards South ceremony.[12] With his subsequent releases, the profitable ventures Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha (2016) and Gentleman (2016), he gained stardom in Telugu cinema.[13] Nani later played the lead in the commercially successful Telugu films Majnu (2016), Nenu Local (2017) and Ninnu Kori (2017).[14] In 2018, Nani featured as the host of the second season of the Telugu game show Bigg Boss.[15]

  1. ^ Rajamani, Radhika (5 September 2008). "Taking on Oscar Wilde!". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  2. ^ Mohan, B Krishna (13 August 2009). "Tollywood gives case study to ISB". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  3. ^ Rajamani, Radhika (19 February 2013). "'Jabardasth is a comedy carnival'". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference veppam was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Rajamouli's Eega continues to win awards". The Times of India. 3 November 2013. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Nandi Awards: Here's the complete list of winners for 2012 and 2013". Hindustan Times. 1 March 2017. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  7. ^ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (7 December 2013). "Nani roughs it out". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  8. ^ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (22 December 2016). "Nani: I can't take this success for granted". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference YVS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBM was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Nani tastes first blockbuster success with 'Bhale Bhale Magadivoy'". The Indian Express. Indo-Asian News Service. 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Nani wins Critics Award for Best Actor (Male) at 63rd Filmfare Awards South 2016". The Times of India. 16 January 2017. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  13. ^ Yellapantula, Suhas (10 October 2016). "Nani: Tollywood's Mr Bankable". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Ninnu Kori: Nani's film rakes in Rs 25 crore in its opening weekend". India Today. 10 October 2016. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017. {{cite magazine}}: Unknown parameter |agency= ignored (help)
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference bb2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).