Chiranjeevi

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Chiranjeevi (born Konidela Sivasankara Varaprasad) is an Indian actor, philanthropist and former politician, known as “Megastar” of Telugu cinema. He has 147 Telugu films on our records, from the late 1970s to the 2020s. His honours include the Padma Bhushan (2006), the Padma Vibhushan (2024), the IFFI Indian Film Personality of the Year award (2022), three Nandi Awards and nine Filmfare Awards South.

He was born on 22 August 1955 in Mogalthur, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, according to Wikipedia and Wikidata. He took a commerce degree in Narsapuram and joined the Madras Film Institute in 1976. His screen name, meaning “immortal”, was his mother’s suggestion. His brothers are Nagendra Babu and Pawan Kalyan, and his son is Ram Charan.

Career

His first released film was Pranam Khareedu (1978). In his early years he often played anti-heroes and villains, as in 47 Rojulu (1981). K. Viswanath’s Subhalekha (1982) brought his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu, and Khaidi (1983) made him a star. A run of hits followed, including Donga (1985), Rakshasudu (1986), Pasivadi Pranam (1987) and Yamudiki Mogudu (1988). He also won critical praise for Viswanath’s Swayamkrushi (1987), which won him his first Nandi Award for Best Actor. Rudraveena (1988), which he co-produced, won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.

K. Raghavendra Rao’s fantasy Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990) was followed by Kondaveeti Donga, the cowboy film Kodama Simham, Raja Vikramarka (all 1990), Gang Leader (1991) and Gharana Mogudu (1992). For Aapadbandhavudu (1992) he was paid ₹1.25 crore, which Wikipedia describes as the first Indian fee above ₹1 crore. The film won him Nandi and Filmfare Best Actor awards. After a dip in the mid-1990s he returned with Hitler (1997) and Sneham Kosam (1999), another Filmfare win.

B. Gopal’s Indra (2002) broke his earlier records and won him his third Nandi and sixth Filmfare Best Actor awards. Shankar Dada MBBS (2004) brought his seventh. He followed it with Andarivaadu, Jai Chiranjeeva (2005), A. R. Murugadoss’s Stalin (2006) and Shankar Dada Zindabad (2007), then left lead roles for about ten years, appearing only in cameos such as Magadheera (2009).

His 150th film, V. V. Vinayak’s Khaidi No. 150 (2017), grossed ₹164 crore worldwide (International Business Times). It was followed by the period film Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019), Acharya with Ram Charan and Mohan Raja’s Godfather (both 2022). Bobby Kolli’s Waltair Veerayya (2023) was a big commercial success, while Bhola Shankar (2023) received negative reviews. Anil Ravipudi’s Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu (2026) earned over ₹300 crore worldwide, according to its director, speaking to The Indian Express.

Politics and public work

He launched the Praja Rajyam Party in Tirupati in August 2008 (The Hindu). In 2009 it won 18 of 294 Assembly seats, and he won the Tirupati seat. The party merged with the Congress in 2011. He was a Rajya Sabha member from 2012 to 2018 and Union Minister of State for Tourism from October 2012 to May 2014. In 1998 he founded the Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust, which runs blood and eye banks.

Awards and honours

• Padma Bhushan (2006) and Padma Vibhushan (2024) (India Today).
• IFFI Indian Film Personality of the Year, 2022 (The Hindu).
• Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for Subhalekha, Vijetha, Aapadbandhavudu, Muta Mestri, Sneham Kosam, Indra and Shankar Dada M.B.B.S. (Wikipedia winners list).
• Nandi Award for Best Actor for Swayamkrushi, Aapadbandhavudu and Indra (list).
• Raghupathi Venkaiah Award (2016), the ANR National Award (2024), and a Guinness World Record in 2024 as the most prolific actor-dancer in Indian films (The Hindu).

Upcoming film

One upcoming film is on our records: Kaaka, directed by Bobby Kolli, recorded for 13 January 2027. Wikipedia also mentions Vishwambhara with director Mallidi Vassishta. Dates move; Chiranjeevi upcoming movies is updated daily.

Where to watch his films

• Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu: ZEE5, from 11 February 2026 (OTT details)
• Waltair Veerayya: Netflix, from 27 February 2023, per Wikipedia (OTT details)
• Godfather: Netflix, from 19 November 2022, per Wikipedia (OTT details)
• Acharya: Prime Video, from 20 May 2022, per Wikipedia (OTT details)
• Stalin, Sneham Kosam and Gharana Mogudu: Aha, from Aha’s listings (Stalin, Sneham Kosam, Gharana Mogudu)
• Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy: digital rights with Prime Video, per Wikipedia; no streaming date on file (OTT details)

Catalogues change; check the platform before you plan to watch.

Personal life

He married Surekha, daughter of the comic actor Allu Ramalingaiah, on 20 February 1980 (International Business Times).

Sources: Wikipedia and the references it cites (linked above), Wikidata, and Tollywood Desk’s film, release and OTT records.