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Mahesh Babu

Mahesh Babu

Actor, also producer · Born August 9, 1975 (51) · Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu (born 9 August 1975) is an Indian actor, producer, and philanthropist who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He is recognized for his nuanced performances, and has established himself as one of the most bankable and highest-paid stars in Indian cinema over the past two decades. He has received numerous accolades, including nine Nandi Awards, five Filmfare Awards South, and four SIIMA Awards, along with multiple nominations for Filmfare and SIIMA Awards. The younger son of actor Krishna, Mahesh began his career as a child actor in the 1980s, appearing in several films before making his leading debut with Rajakumarudu (1999). Early in his career, he appeared in films spanning various genres, including Murari (2001), Takkari Donga (2002), a Western-genre film, and Nijam (2003), which helped establish his career. Mahesh gained wider recognition with action dramas such as Okkadu (2003), Athadu (2005), and Pokiri (2006), the latter becoming a genre-defining blockbuster. In 2010, the conspiracy action entertainer Khaleja, the second collaboration between Mahesh and the director Trivikram, received critical acclaim. Although it initially garnered mixed reviews, the film eventually gained cult status among many film enthusiasts and inspired several directors in the Telugu film industry. Dookudu (2011) became the first Telugu-language film to gross over $1 million in the USA and earned Mahesh both a Nandi Award and a Filmfare award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He solidified his status as a leading actor with Businessman (2012), where he portrayed the anti-hero, a ruthless and ambitious kingpin of organized crime, and further showcased his versatility in 1: Nenokkadine (2014) by delivering a critically praised performance as a neurologically troubled rockstar on a quest to uncover his forgotten and mysterious past. He is known for portraying Stoic, principled heroes in socially conscious films such as Srimanthudu (2015), Bharat Ane Nenu (2018), and Maharshi (2019). His acting style is characterized by subtle intensity and restraint. He also appeared as the lead in numerous commercial films, namely Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020), Sarkaru Vaari Paata (2022), and Guntur Kaaram (2024). Beyond his film career, Mahesh is a humanitarian and philanthropist. He founded the Mahesh Babu Foundation, which supports underprivileged children primarily by funding life-saving congenital heart surgeries and providing financial aid to families with newborns facing heart ailments. Mahesh owns the production company named G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment, which has produced several films, including some in which he played the lead role. He also produced the biopic Major (2022).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 9, 1975 (51)
From
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 42 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

What are Mahesh Babu's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
35%
Bonds
33%
Self
14%
Power
11%
Society
7%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 4 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 8 of 8 analyzed roles.

Hero
8 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Triumphant
5
Hopeful
3
Romantic
4
Melancholic
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Rousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Mahesh Babu's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mahesh Babu's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

42 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Vāranāsi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    as Rudhra / Lord Rama

  • Rao Bahadur(2026)

    Presenter · Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Guntur Kaaram(2024)

    as Veera Venkata Ramana

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Major(2022)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Sarkaru Vaari Paata(2022)

    as Mahesh 'Mahi'

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Acharya(2022)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Sarileru Neekevvaru(2020)

    Producer · as Major Ajay Krishna

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Maharshi(2019)

    as K. Rishi Kumar

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Bharath Ane Nenu(2018)

    as Bharath Ram

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Manasuku Nachindi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Voiceover

  • Spyder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Shiva

  • Brahmotsavam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Ajay Chantibabu

  • Srimanthudu(2015)

    as Harsha Vardhan

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Aagadu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Playback Singer · as 'Encounter' Shankar

  • 1: Nenokkadine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Gautham

  • Baadshah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Chinnodu

  • Businessman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Playback Singer · as Vijay Surya 'Surya Bhai'

  • Dookudu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as ACP G. Ajay Kumar

  • Khaleja (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Alluri Seetarama Raju

  • Jalsa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Athidhi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Athidhi / Aditya

  • Sainikudu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Siddharth

  • Pokiri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Pandu

  • Athadu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Nanda Gopal 'Nandu' / Pardhu

  • Arjun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Arjun

  • Naani (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Naani / Vijju

  • Nijam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as G. Seetaram

  • Okkadu(2003)

    as Ajay Varma

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Bobby(2002)

    as Bobby

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Takkari Donga (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Raja

  • Murari (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Murari

  • Vamsi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Vamsi

  • Yuvaraju (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Srinivas

  • Rajakumarudu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Raja

  • Balachandrudu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Balachandra

  • Anna Thammudu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Murali

  • Koduku Diddina Kapuram (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Vinod / Pramod

  • Gudachari 117 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Chinna

  • Mugguru Kodukulu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Surendra

  • Sankharavam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Raja

  • Poratam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Bujji

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 42 titles, 41 of them dated from 1983 to 2026; peak year 2011.

Biggest box office

Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020)

$37M worldwide

Highest rated

Major (2022)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Rao Bahadur (2026)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19832026

Peak 2011 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 7 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 2003Screen debut· Okkadu
  • 2003First top-billed film· Okkadu
  • 2005Breakout· Athadu

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting40 of 42: 38 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thProducing1 of 42: 1 only producing, 0 with another roleOther crew3 of 42: 1 only other crew, 2 with another role

By decade

1980s5 · acting1990s3 · acting2000s14 · acting2010s13 · 13 acting · 2 crew2020s6 · 4 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 84% of 19 roles
011116

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Mahesh Babu's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 85th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 76th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

90thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 11 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

Acharya (2022)

99th percentile spread · 52% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Major (2022)

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 78/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 87, detractors 40. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Mahesh Babu's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles6–30 · median 20 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Mahesh Babu work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mahesh Babu's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Prakash Raj shares the most, 7.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers