Star Portrait-Krishnam Raju

Uppalapati Venkata Krishnam Raju who is well known as Rebel Star Krishnam Raju is known for his rebellious acting. He is a popular actor Tollywood. He is the uncle of New generation actor Prabhas . Krishnam Raju starred in more than 183 Telugu films in his career and was a prominent actor of the 1970s and 1980s in Tollywood. After late 1990s he became active in politics. He is an all-round star action king and rebel star on the silver screen. He was born on 20 January, 1940 in Mogalthuru, West Godavari district to the couple Late Shri Uppalapati Veera VenkataSatyanarayana Raju. After completion of his graduation he entered into films. He is an all-round star action king and rebel star on the silver screen and real hero in Real life. Behind this tall, towering and fiery personality is a calm, concerned and genuine human being. Krishnam Raju is a versatile personality. Not many people may know that he was once a journalist. He worked as a reporter for the Andhra Patrika.

Film Journey.

He entered the films in 1966 with “Chilaka Gorinka” which was produced and directed by Kotayya Pratyagatma co-starring Krishnakumari. This film bagged the prestigious Silver Nandi Award at the time of its release. Though he entered films as a villain, he metamorphosed into a full-fledged ‘hero’ within a short period. He left his mark as a powerful actor in his 34-year long film career. His character was so multi-faceted and his talent so exceptional that some roles were actually created for him. Many in the industry believe that Krishnam Raju alone can suit certain roles. He played a variety of roles in Krishnaveni, Bhaktha Kannappa, Amara Deepam, Mana Voori Pandavulu, Katakatala Rudraiah, Seetha Ramulu, Thrishoolam, Bobbili Bhahmanna, Tandra Paparayudu, etc. He could enact a pious role as elegantly as he did that of an angry young man or a historical character. Recognition for his histrionics came in the form of the President’s Award and Filmfare Award for Amaradeepam and Mana Voori Pandavulu. Later, he entered the film production field and brought out many successful films under the banner Gopikrishna. He also produced a Hindi film Dharmadhikari starring stalwarts such as Dilip Kumar. He is widely considered as a master producer. Krishnam Raju is an optimist to the core. He is untiring in his pursuits and accepts success and failure with equanimity. In his long journey from Mogalthuru village to the national capital, he always exhibited dedication, honesty and hard work in whatever work he took up. No wonder he has a huge fan following as much in politics as in the film industry. Apart from producing films, he also turned industrialist with his Gopi Krishna Granites, through which he provided employment to hundreds of people. The film industry recognised his leadership qualities by unanimously electing him thrice as president of the Cine Artistes Society

Political Career.

He entreated into politics in 1992, he contested in 1992 election for the Narasapuram Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket and he won. He shifted to Bharatiya Janata Party in 1998 and He won the 1998 Lok Sabha election from Kakinada on BJP ticket. He set a record with a thumping majority of over 165,000 votes. He was elected to 12th and 13th Lok Sabha from Kakinada and Narasapur constituencies. He was in the advisory committees of the Information & Broadcasting, and Commerce Ministries during 1998-99.  He served as a minister of state for external affairs in the Third Vajpayee Ministry from 1999 to 2004. He has joined in Praja Rajyam Party founded by southern megastar Chiranjeevi on 24th March 2009. In 2009 State assembly elections he contested for M.P. seat from Rajahmundry constituency and had Murali Mohan as a major opponent who's contesting on behalf of Telugu Desam Party (TDP). While both were film actors, both of them lost election to incumbent MP, Undavalli Arun Kumar of Indian National Congress.

Awards and Honours

He has won Five Film fare Awards including Film fare Lifetime achievement Award and Two Nandi Awards.

Star Portrait-Murali Mohan

Maganti Rajababu who changed his screen name as Murali Mohan is a famous Tollywood film actor, Businessman, Producer, Politician and Philanthropist.  He was born on June 24, 1940 in Chataparru village, Eluru. His father Madhavi Rao was a freedom fighter. After he finished schooling in his village, he went to Eluru for higher education but failed than he stopped studying and started his own business dealing in electrical motors and oil engines. As a hobby, he started acting in stage dramas and theatre play lets in Vijayawada. Murali Mohan is married to Vijaya Lakhsmi, and the couple has a daughter Madhu Bindu and a son Ram Mohan.

Film Journey.

Murali Mohan entered in film in 1973 as hero with the film “Jagame Maya" which was produced by Poornachandra Rao Atluri where Murali Mohan received a positive response, he continued to struggle for another break, until a famous director Narayana Rao Dasari cast him in the film "Tirupati" which was released in 1974. Dasari was impressed with his performance and cast him in 40 more films. In 1975, Murali Mohan wrapped up his business and shifted to Madras to concentrate fully in films. He has acted in over 350 films. The period between 1975 and 1985 was his best phase in his film career. In 1980 he formed his own production company with his brother Kishore titled Jayabheri Productions, and his first movie as producer was "Varala Abbay" directed by the noted filmmaker K. Balachander. It also turned to be Murali Mohan's 100th film. Till now Jayabheri has produced about 25 films. He is the first person to act in Television serials from the Telugu film industry. In 1990, he retired as a leading man and opted to act in the character roles. He is the first person to act in Television serials from the Telugu film industry.

Services to Film Industry.  

After taking a break from active Cinema, he served in various positions in National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the regional Film Development Corporation (FDC) in Andhra Pradesh. He is the Ex. - Chairman-F.D.C Ex. - Chairman-N.F.D.C. He is the Honorary President of the Telugu Movie Artists Association.

As a Businessman

Murali Mohan turned into a businessman and has stakes in various diversified business including real estate and automobiles. In 1980 he formed his own production company with his brother Kishore titled Jayabheri Productions and producer more than 25 film until now. He has started the successful real estate Jayabheri group in and around Andhra Pradesh.

Political Career.

He has been an active member of the Telugu Desam Party, he contested in the 15th loksabha elections in 2009 as the TDP Candidate from Rajahmundry parliamentary constituency which eventually lost to the Indian National Congress Candidate Vundavalli Aruna Kumar.

Philanthropy

Murali Mohan uses a portion of his earnings to help poor students and encourage them toward a better life. Since its inception "Murali Mohan Charitable Trust" has adopted nearly 1000 students of Engineering & Medicine very year. Eligible students are funded irrespective of caste and creed.

Star Portrait-Balakrishna

Nandamuri Balakrishna is popularly known as Ballaya Babu in Tollywood film industry, he is the sixth son of legendary actor and ex chief minister of Andhra Pradesh late Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao and late Basawatarakam. He was born in Chennai on June 10th, 1960. He completes his studies at Chennai itself and joined the film industry at the age of 14 years with film “Tatamma Kala” in year 1974. During his adolescence, he moved to Hyderabad following the shifting of the Telugu film industry to that city. He earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Nizam College in Hyderabad. Balakrishna married to in 1982 Vasundhara and they are blessed with one son Tarakarama Teja Mokshajna and two daughters Smt.Brahmini and kum.Tejaswini. His elder daughter Brahmani is an alumnus of Santa Clara University and Stanford University and she got married to TDP president Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh few years ago. Balakrishna is also acting as director of Basavatarakam Cancer Research Hospital, Hyderabad.

Film Career.

He made his debut into film at the age of 14 with the film “Tatamma Kala” in the year 1974. His father late NTR is mentor for him in the film industry. He trained him to perfection in acting. Even they have acted together in two films “Annadammula Anubandham” and “Dhaana Veera Karna”. Later, he got break with the success of his film “Mangammagari Manumadu” and it never happens for him to turn around in his 38 years of carrier in Tollywood. He has number of hits to his credit like “Kadha Nayakudu”, “Muddula Mamayya”, “Lorry Driver”, “Aditya 369”, “Bhairava Dweepam”, “Rowdy Inspector”, “Samara Simha Reddy”, “Srikrishnarjuna Vijayam,” and by latest his mythological movie “Sri Rama Rajyam”. He acted in more than 96 films and still maintains the same pace till date.

Political Journey.

He is actively involved in politics and is a member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founded by his father .He has vigorously participated in TDP campaigning during 2009 general elections and recently announced that he will be contesting to Assembly in 2014 general elections. Although, there was a demand in the party asking him to take party reins as its president, which is now handled by Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Balakrishna prefers to become MLA first to gain some political experience before making any big claims for himself.

Awards and Honours

He has bagged Film fare Best actor Award for his performance in films “Bhairava Dweepam” in 1994 and prestigious Nandi Award as Best actor for his film “Narasimha Naidu” in year 2001 and for “Simha” in 2010. He also felicitated with Akkineni Abhinaya award in 2007. He has won two Andhra Pradesh State Nandi Awards and one Filmfare Award in his entire film career. He was the guest of honour at the 43rd International Film Festival of India. He won the CineMAA Award in the category of the Best Actor for the film “Simha” in 2010 . He won Santosham Film Awards for the films “Pandurangadu”, “Simha” and “Sri Rama Rajyam”. He also received TSR-TV9 Film Awards for the film “Simha” and “Sri Rama Rajyam”.  And other awards are Bharata Muni awardd for Best Actor of the year 2009 for the film “Pandurangadu”, for “Simha” in 2010 and for “Sri Rama Rajyam” in 2011.  A.P. CINE Goers Association Best Actor Award for the films “Narasimha Naidu”, “Chennakesava Reddy” and Pandurangadu.

Star Portrait-Mohan Babu

Manchu Bakthavatsalam Naidu is well known as Mohan Babu is a versatile actor, producer and Educationalist. He is serving Telugu Cinema from past four decade he completed 38 years of film journey as an actor and 30 years of film journey as producer. He is also an educationist and a former Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh. He was on 19 March in 1952 at Modhugulapalem, Tirupathi. He is the eldest son of a pious retired school headmaster Manchu Narayanaswamy Naidu and Lakshmamma. He has three younger brothers Ranganath Chowdary, Ramachandra Chowdary, Krishna and one sister Vijaya. He had his schooling at Yerpedu village and Tirupati. He took his degree in Physical Education in Chennai. He worked as a physical education instructor for a brief while, before making his debut as an actor in the Telugu film industry. He was a class mate of Kollywood superstar Rajinikanth, one of his closest friends in the film industry at the Madras Film Institute.  Mohan Babu married Vidya Devi and the couple were blessed with a daughter Lakshmi Manchu. After the death of Vidya Devi, he again married his late wife’s sister Nirmala Devi. He has two kids Vishnu Manchu and Manchu Manoj with Nirmala Devi. His two sons Vishnu Manchu and Manoj Manchu are leading film actors. Daughter Lakshmi Manchu is a producer and plays prominent role in their home banner Lakshmi Prasanna Pictures.

Film Journey

Mohan Babu is a versatile actor with his unique dialogue delivery. He had acted in more than 510 films which include 216 films as Hero. Be it any character, he has and is still known to dominate other actors onscreen. His straightforwardness and candid remarks are known all over. He made his debut as an actor in the film Swargam Narakam in (1975). He debuted in the Tamil film industry through Annan Oru Kovil in 1977 alongside Sivaji Ganesan. He became a popular villain in the Tamil and Telugu films. He went on to appear in 20 odd films in Tamil, mostly as villain. His film “Pedharaayudu” is one of the several films that have come to stay as evergreen hits made indelible impression on the minds of the people. His other hit films are Patnam Vachina Pativratalu, Kodama Simham, Khaidi No. 786, Major Chandrakanth, Padaharella Vayasu, Brahma,Assembly Rowdy, Allari Mogudu, Annamayya, Collector Garu, Yamadonga,etc. He started his career in small roles, and then donned negative characters before being cast as the protagonist in the movies. His dialogues are laced with ribald humour and randy innuendos which gained him much popularity since the 1990s. He has been rechristened Mohan Babu by his mentor, Dr.Dasari Narayana Rao, an eminent film and political personality. His adulation towards the legendary Mr.N.T.Rama Rao is well known, the latter even considers him his brother.

Political Journey.

Mohan Babu was elected to Rajya Sabha in 1995 and he made immense contribution as a parliamentarian till 2001 and he played an active role in Telugu Desam Party. After TDP founder NTR’s death he is way from politics. Now, recently he made a statement that he will make re-entry into politics soon, but he didn’t revealed in which party he is going to join.

As a Educationist

Mohan Babu established the Sree Vidyanikethan Educational Trust in 1992 in Tirupathi. It has an International School, Degree College, Engineering College, Pharmacy College, College of Nursing, Management College and College for Post Graduation Studies.

Awards and Honours

He received Prestigious the Padma Shri Award in 2007. He won Film fare Best Actor Award for the Telugu film “Pedarayudu”. CineMAA Awards as Best supporting actor for the film Yama donga in 2008. Natavachaspathi Title by TSR kalaparishath