Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu (born 9 August 1975) is an Indian actor, film producer, media personality, and philanthropist who works in Telugu cinema. He is one of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema. He has appeared in more than 25 films, and has won several accolades including, nine Nandi Awards, five Filmfare Telugu Awards, four SIIMA Awards, three CineMAA Awards, and one IIFA Utsavam Award. He also owns the production house G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment. He is referred to in the media and by his fans as "Superstar". The younger son of veteran Telugu actor Krishna, Mahesh made his debut as a child artist in a cameo role in Needa (1979), at the age of four, and acted in eight other films as a child artist. He made his debut as a lead actor with Rajakumarudu (1999) which won him the Nandi Award for Best Male Debut. Mahesh achieved his breakthrough with the supernatural drama Murari (2001), and the action film Okkadu (2003). He went on to act in other commercially successful films such as Arjun (2004), Athadu (2005), Pokiri (2006), Dookudu (2011), Businessman (2012), Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (2013), Srimanthudu (2015), Bharat Ane Nenu (2018), Maharshi (2019) and Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020). He is married to actress Namrata Shirodkar.Mahesh Babu is also a humanitarian and a philanthropist. He established "Mahesh Babu Foundation", which focuses on supporting children in need by funding life-saving congenital heart surgeries. He is also associated with Rainbow Hospitals as their goodwill ambassador. He entered into the film exhibition business in partnership with Asian Group in 2018, with the inauguration of the seven-screen multiplex, AMB cinemas at Gachibowli.

Early life and family

Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu was born on 9 August 1975 in a Telugu family to actor Krishna and Indira in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India. He is the fourth of five siblings, after Ramesh Babu, Padmavathi, and Manjula and before Priyadarshini. His family hails from Burripalem in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. Mahesh spent his childhood mostly in Madras under the care of his maternal grandmother Durgamma and the rest of his family. He was educated at St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School. He went on to pursue Bachelor of Commerce degree from Loyola College, Chennai. He was educated at St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School. He went on to pursue Bachelor of Commerce degree from Loyola College, Chennai.

Acting career

At the age of four, Babu visited the sets of the Telugu film ''Needa'' (1979) where its director Dasari Narayana Rao shot a few sequences of his as a part of the narrative in the presence of the former's brother Ramesh. ''Needa'' marked his debut as a child actor. In 1983, he acted in ''Poratam'' (1983) upon being requested by its director Kodi Ramakrishna. He went on to act as a child artist in the films ''Sankharavam'' (1987), ''Bazaar Rowdy'' (1988), ''Mugguru Kodukulu'' (1988) and ''Gudachari 117'' (1989). He played a dual role in the film ''Koduku Diddina Kapuram'' (1989). Babu then appeared in ''Bala Chandrudu'' (1990), and ''Anna Thammudu'' (1990).In 1999, Babu made his debut as a lead actor with the romantic comedy ''Rajakumarudu'', and people began referring to him with the title Prince. For his performance, he received the Nandi Award for Best Male Debut. He starred in two films the following year – ''Yuvaraju'' and ''Vamsi''. He also starred in Krishna Vamsi ''Murari'' (2001) which he regarded as an important film in his career and the role he played in it one of his favourites. For his role in ''Murari'', he earned a Nandi Special Jury Award, in addition to his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.In 2002, his performance in ''Takkari Donga'' landed him his second Nandi Special Jury Award. He had two film releases in 2003, the first one being Gunasekhar ''Okkadu'' co-starring Bhumika Chawla. He won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in the film. The other release was ''Nijam'' co-starring Rakshita. Babu received praise from critics for his performance in the film, with Vijayalaxmi of ''Rediff.com'' calling him the only reason to watch the film's second half which she termed "a routine tale of vendetta". He won his first Nandi Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film, in addition to his third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.In 2004, Manjula produced his next film, ''Naani'', directed by S. J. Surya co-starring Amisha Patel. While its simultaneously shot Tamil version ''New'' featuring a different cast proved to be commercially successful, ''Naani'' flopped at the box office. He received his third Nandi Special Jury Award for his performance in his next film, ''Arjun'', directed by Gunasekhar and produced by Ramesh. The film released on 18 August 2004 and was successful at the box-office. The film was screened at the International Film Festival of India in the mainstream section. This was Keerthi Reddy's final acting performance prior to her retirement from the film industry. He chose to act in Trivikram Srinivas ''Athadu'' (2005), co-starring Trisha Krishnan, whose script had been approved back in 2002 before the production of ''Naani'' and ''Arjun'' had begun. It emerged as one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The film proved to be a major boost for Babu's career as he received his fourth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu, in addition to fetching his second Nandi Award for Best Actor for his performance in the role of a hired assassin. The movie collected a share of 22 crores at the box office. ''Idlebrain.com'' gave it a rating of 3.25/5 and mentioned Mahesh Babu is stylish and brilliant as professional killer.''Cinegoer.net'' gave a review stating, "True the film gives an image of a Hollywood base for the drama. Even the taking, screenplay structure and execution of scenes, less talk and more action.He then collaborated with Puri Jagannadh in 2006 for the film ''Pokiri'', which was jointly produced by Jagannadh and Manjula. He received high praise for his performance, with Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''The Hindu'' opining that "Mahesh's understated performance in ''Pokiri'' allows him effortlessly to reclaim the title of a star, overshadowing his questionable career choices of late". He won his second Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in the film. That same year, his next film, ''Sainikudu'', was released. A critic from ''Rediff.com'' wrote that "Nonetheless, ''Sainikudu'' can be watched at least for its premise of letting the warrior in each individual surface, and the fact that it is done with the idea of motivating people to do something for their fellow humans".The following year saw Babu acting in the film ''Athidhi'', co-starring Amrita Rao, marking her Telugu debut. The film was produced by Mahesh Babu's's brother Ramesh. UTV Motion Pictures acquired the film's distribution rights for 18.5 crore, which became its first Telugu film venture. Jeevi of ''Idlebrain.com'' praised the film's first half while criticising the last thirty minutes of the film. A critic from ''Rediff.com'' wrote that the film "is built up through a 'racy' screenplay which is gripping to an extent, but stretches to three long hours". In 2008, Babu provided voice-over for the film ''Jalsa'' directed by Trivikram Srinivas.After ''Athidhi'' release, Babu took a break from films for seven months; two months later, he signed ''Khaleja'', but the break was unintentionally extended for two years due to several delays. During this time, Babu's grandmother and his wife Namrata's parents died. Krishna was worried about Babu's career as the film's shoot was delayed for so long. The film deals with illegal-mining in India, and related environmental damage. It marks Babu's return as an actor after a three-year hiatus in his second collaboration with Trivikram after ''Athadu''. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. It marks Babu's return as an actor after a three-year hiatus in his second collaboration with Trivikram after ''Athadu''. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. It marks Babu's return as an actor after a three-year hiatus in his second collaboration with Trivikram after ''Athadu''. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. However, it managed to perform well at the overseas box office becoming the highest grossing Telugu film at that time. ''Rediff'' gave a 3 out of 5 rating and noted "The duo of Mahesh-Trivikram delivers a product that is watchable, entertaining with good humour, couple of well-orchestrated action sequences and songs and with a bit to take home as well. It's Mahesh's show all the way, much to the delight of his fans. Mahesh is the soul of the movie, be it his dialogue delivery, his action, his dances or emotions, he is effortless. The film is included in the list of "25 Greatest Telugu Films Of The Decade" by ''Film Companion''.In 2011, Babu collaborated with Srinu Vaitla for the film ''Dookudu''along with Samantha Ruth Prabhu. For his performance in the film, Babu won his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu, his third Nandi Award for Best Actor, and his first SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Telugu). After the film's gross crossed the 100 crore mark making it the highest-grossing Telugu film of that year. The Income Tax Department officials conducted a raid on Babu's Jubilee Hills residence as he was rumoured of receiving a remuneration of more than 12 crore for his next projects. He later played the role of a mafia kingpin with a hidden personal agenda in the film ''Businessman'' (2012), co-starring Kajal Aggarwal. He later played the role of a mafia kingpin with a hidden personal agenda in the film ''Businessman'' (2012), co-starring Kajal Aggarwal. Upon the film's release, he received praise from critics for his performance in the film, with Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''The Hindu'' writing, "The film has no frills, no vulgar wastage and the hero is practically in every frame; you hear only his voice, he looks good, sounds good, he also steals the comedian's job. Mahesh plays it straight.". He received his seventh nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and his second nomination for the SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Telugu) for his performance in the film. By then, Babu was reported to be the second highest-paid actor in South India after Rajinikanth.Babu then began filming for Srikanth Addala ''Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu'' (2013), whose script Babu had approved during the pre-production phase of ''Dookudu''. Co-starring Daggubati Venkatesh along with Anjali and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, it became the first Telugu multistarrer film to be produced in the last twenty-five years. Released in January 2013, the film became one of the highest grossing Telugu films of the year and marked the completion of Babu's hat-trick of successful films. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of ''The Hindu'' called the film a "delightful family drama with its celebration of family bonds, love and marriage laced with laughter", and Addala "wants to leave his audience with a thought, wants them to reflect on their relationships and overlook skirmishes that can sour family bonds". Dundoo cited Guhan's cinematography as one of the film's highlights, and praised its performances. He won his fourth Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and his second SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Telugu) for his performance in the film. He provided a voice-over for Srinu Vaitla's ''Baadshah'' the same year.Babu had two releases in 2014, the first one being Sukumar ''1: Nenokkadine'', an action thriller focusing on a celebrity suffering from hallucinations related to the murder of his parents and the discovery of a special variety of rice. Babu's performance received praise, with critics calling it one of his best performances. For his performance, he received his fourth nomination for the SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Telugu).Babu collaborated with Koratala Siva for the action drama film ''Srimanthudu'' (2015) co-starring Shruti Haasan. He co-produced the film under his newly formed banner G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, marking his first film production venture. He opted to do so to control the film's budget, accepting a share in profits in lieu of remuneration. Released on 7 August 2015, ''Srimanthudu'' opened to positive reviews from critics, and he won his fifth Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for the film. Sethumadhavan N. of ''Bangalore Mirror'' stated, ''Srimanthudu'' wouldn't have been as effective if it did not have Mahesh Babu who is at his charming best, adding that he "underplays the emotional scenes, making them a treat to watch". Babu also adopted his native village, Burripalem. Babu won third SIIMA award for best actor for his performance in the film.In 2016, he acted in the film ''Brahmotsavam'' co-starring Kajal Aggarwal, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Pranitha Subhash. Originally produced as a bi-lingual, the film would've marked Babu's first straight-out Tamil film. While the film underperformed at the box office, the ''Deccan Chronicle'' stated that Mahesh Babu was its saving grace. and grossed over ₹118 crores at the box office. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for the cast performances, but criticism for its writing, screenplay and direction. Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''The Hindu'' stated that "''Spyder'' starts off well but the director's imagination goes overboard only to turn a purpose ridden plot to a piece of travesty.".His next film was the political action drama ''Bharat Ane Nenu'' in 2018 where he played the role of a chief minister. His performance in the film earned him his tenth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. His next film was ''Maharshi'' in 2019. Hemanth Kumar of ''Firstpost'' mentioned the film owes a lot to Mahesh Babu's conviction to pull off his role and he makes you believe in his characterisation so much that it doesn't feel like fiction. After the release of the film, the concept of weekend farming (also known as weekend agriculture) gained more attention. After the release of the film, the concept of weekend farming (also known as weekend agriculture) gained more attention. A new internet challenge. i.e. Agriculture Challenge was started, with several people do farming in the weekends. ''The Statesman'' reported that the film has created a social impact on the youth and raised awareness about the issues faced by farmers in the rural heartland. In February 2020, Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies organised the contest "Campus Farming". 250 students of the university participated in this contest.Babu performed in the 2020 film ''Sarileru Neekevvaru,'' earning him an eleventh nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu..The satellite rights of the film were sold to Gemini TV, which premiered it on 25 March 2020 for the first time on eve of Ugadi and in its first Television premier movie recorded a TRP of 23.4. He next began filming for ''Sarkaru Vaari Paata,'' marking his maiden collaboration with director Parasuram in January 2021. The film was released in May 2022 to mixed reviews from critics.Balakrishna Ganeshan of ''The News Minute'' gave the film a rating of 3/5 stars and wrote "It is great to see Mahesh Babu shedding his macho image and wooing a woman in the film. Mahesh is a delight to watch in these scenes. His comic timing and dialogue delivery are on point". Haricharan Pudipeddi of the ''Hindustan Times'' stated "Mahesh Babu offers something fresh in his latest film. If only Keerty Suresh could say the same. In 2024, Babu reunited with Trivikram Srinivas for their third collaboration in the film ''Guntur Kaaram''. In 2024, Babu reunited with Trivikram Srinivas for their third collaboration in the film ''Guntur Kaaram''.

Early career and breakthrough (1979–2003)

At the age of four, Babu visited the sets of the Telugu film ''Needa'' (1979) where its director Dasari Narayana Rao shot a few sequences of his as a part of the narrative in the presence of the former's brother Ramesh. ''Needa'' marked his debut as a child actor. In 1983, he acted in ''Poratam'' (1983) upon being requested by its director Kodi Ramakrishna. He went on to act as a child artist in the films ''Sankharavam'' (1987), ''Bazaar Rowdy'' (1988), ''Mugguru Kodukulu'' (1988) and ''Gudachari 117'' (1989). He played a dual role in the film ''Koduku Diddina Kapuram'' (1989). Babu then appeared in ''Bala Chandrudu'' (1990), and ''Anna Thammudu'' (1990).In 1999, Babu made his debut as a lead actor with the romantic comedy ''Rajakumarudu'', and people began referring to him with the title Prince. For his performance, he received the Nandi Award for Best Male Debut. He starred in two films the following year – ''Yuvaraju'' and ''Vamsi''. He also starred in Krishna Vamsi ''Murari'' (2001) which he regarded as an important film in his career and the role he played in it one of his favourites. For his role in ''Murari'', he earned a Nandi Special Jury Award, in addition to his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.In 2002, his performance in ''Takkari Donga'' landed him his second Nandi Special Jury Award. He had two film releases in 2003, the first one being Gunasekhar ''Okkadu'' co-starring Bhumika Chawla. He won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in the film. The other release was ''Nijam'' co-starring Rakshita. Babu received praise from critics for his performance in the film, with Vijayalaxmi of ''Rediff.com'' calling him the only reason to watch the film's second half which she termed "a routine tale of vendetta". He won his first Nandi Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film, in addition to his third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.

Mainstream film (2004–2010)

In 2004, Manjula produced his next film, ''Naani'', directed by S. J. Surya co-starring Amisha Patel. While its simultaneously shot Tamil version ''New'' featuring a different cast proved to be commercially successful, ''Naani'' flopped at the box office. He received his third Nandi Special Jury Award for his performance in his next film, ''Arjun'', directed by Gunasekhar and produced by Ramesh. The film released on 18 August 2004 and was successful at the box-office. The film was screened at the International Film Festival of India in the mainstream section. This was Keerthi Reddy's final acting performance prior to her retirement from the film industry. He chose to act in Trivikram Srinivas ''Athadu'' (2005), co-starring Trisha Krishnan, whose script had been approved back in 2002 before the production of ''Naani'' and ''Arjun'' had begun. It emerged as one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The film proved to be a major boost for Babu's career as he received his fourth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu, in addition to fetching his second Nandi Award for Best Actor for his performance in the role of a hired assassin. The movie collected a share of 22 crores at the box office. ''Idlebrain.com'' gave it a rating of 3.25/5 and mentioned Mahesh Babu is stylish and brilliant as professional killer.''Cinegoer.net'' gave a review stating, "True the film gives an image of a Hollywood base for the drama. Even the taking, screenplay structure and execution of scenes, less talk and more action.He then collaborated with Puri Jagannadh in 2006 for the film ''Pokiri'', which was jointly produced by Jagannadh and Manjula. He received high praise for his performance, with Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''The Hindu'' opining that "Mahesh's understated performance in ''Pokiri'' allows him effortlessly to reclaim the title of a star, overshadowing his questionable career choices of late". He won his second Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in the film. That same year, his next film, ''Sainikudu'', was released. A critic from ''Rediff.com'' wrote that "Nonetheless, ''Sainikudu'' can be watched at least for its premise of letting the warrior in each individual surface, and the fact that it is done with the idea of motivating people to do something for their fellow humans".The following year saw Babu acting in the film ''Athidhi'', co-starring Amrita Rao, marking her Telugu debut. The film was produced by Mahesh Babu's's brother Ramesh. UTV Motion Pictures acquired the film's distribution rights for 18.5 crore, which became its first Telugu film venture. Jeevi of ''Idlebrain.com'' praised the film's first half while criticising the last thirty minutes of the film. A critic from ''Rediff.com'' wrote that the film "is built up through a 'racy' screenplay which is gripping to an extent, but stretches to three long hours". In 2008, Babu provided voice-over for the film ''Jalsa'' directed by Trivikram Srinivas.After ''Athidhi'' release, Babu took a break from films for seven months; two months later, he signed ''Khaleja'', but the break was unintentionally extended for two years due to several delays. During this time, Babu's grandmother and his wife Namrata's parents died. Krishna was worried about Babu's career as the film's shoot was delayed for so long. The film deals with illegal-mining in India, and related environmental damage. It marks Babu's return as an actor after a three-year hiatus in his second collaboration with Trivikram after ''Athadu''. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. It marks Babu's return as an actor after a three-year hiatus in his second collaboration with Trivikram after ''Athadu''. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. It marks Babu's return as an actor after a three-year hiatus in his second collaboration with Trivikram after ''Athadu''. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. However, it managed to perform well at the overseas box office becoming the highest grossing Telugu film at that time. ''Rediff'' gave a 3 out of 5 rating and noted "The duo of Mahesh-Trivikram delivers a product that is watchable, entertaining with good humour, couple of well-orchestrated action sequences and songs and with a bit to take home as well. It's Mahesh's show all the way, much to the delight of his fans. Mahesh is the soul of the movie, be it his dialogue delivery, his action, his dances or emotions, he is effortless. The film is included in the list of "25 Greatest Telugu Films Of The Decade" by ''Film Companion''.

Mainstream film acclaim and success (2004–2010)

In 2004, Manjula produced his next film, ''Naani'', directed by S. J. Surya co-starring Amisha Patel. While its simultaneously shot Tamil version ''New'' featuring a different cast proved to be commercially successful, ''Naani'' flopped at the box office. He received his third Nandi Special Jury Award for his performance in his next film, ''Arjun'', directed by Gunasekhar and produced by Ramesh. The film released on 18 August 2004 and was successful at the box-office. The film was screened at the International Film Festival of India in the mainstream section. This was Keerthi Reddy's final acting performance prior to her retirement from the film industry. He chose to act in Trivikram Srinivas ''Athadu'' (2005), co-starring Trisha Krishnan, whose script had been approved back in 2002 before the production of ''Naani'' and ''Arjun'' had begun. It emerged as one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The film proved to be a major boost for Babu's career as he received his fourth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu, in addition to fetching his second Nandi Award for Best Actor for his performance in the role of a hired assassin. The movie collected a share of 22 crores at the box office. ''Idlebrain.com'' gave it a rating of 3.25/5 and mentioned Mahesh Babu is stylish and brilliant as professional killer.''Cinegoer.net'' gave a review stating, "True the film gives an image of a Hollywood base for the drama. Even the taking, screenplay structure and execution of scenes, less talk and more action.He then collaborated with Puri Jagannadh in 2006 for the film ''Pokiri'', which was jointly produced by Jagannadh and Manjula. Made on a budget of 10 crore and shot within six months, the film grossed over 67 crore at the box office and became the highest grossing Telugu film of all time by the end of its run. It was screened at the 7th IIFA Awards held in Dubai. It held that position until 2009 when ''Magadheera'' pushed it to second place after its nine-day run. He received high praise for his performance, with Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''The Hindu'' opining that "Mahesh's understated performance in ''Pokiri'' allows him effortlessly to reclaim the title of a star, overshadowing his questionable career choices of late". Jeevi of ''Idlebrain.com'' mentioned On a whole, Mahesh Babu's performance in Pokiri itself is worth your ticket and the rest is bonus. He won his second Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in the film. That same year, his next film, ''Sainikudu'', co-starring Trisha, was released, but despite much hype, it flopped at the box office. A critic from ''Rediff.com'' wrote that "Nonetheless, ''Sainikudu'' can be watched at least for its premise of letting the warrior in each individual surface, and the fact that it is done with the idea of motivating people to do something for their fellow humans".The following year saw Babu acting in the film ''Athidhi'', co-starring Amrita Rao, marking her Telugu debut. The film was produced by Mahesh Babu's's brother Ramesh. UTV Motion Pictures acquired the film's distribution rights for 18.5 crore, which became its first Telugu film venture. Jeevi of ''Idlebrain.com'' praised the film's first half while criticising the last thirty minutes of the film. A critic from ''Rediff.com'' wrote that the film "is built up through a 'racy' screenplay which is gripping to an extent, but stretches to three long hours". In 2008, Babu provided voice-over for the film ''Jalsa'' directed by Trivikram Srinivas.After ''Athidhi'' release, Babu took a break from films for seven months; two months later, he signed ''Khaleja'', but the break was unintentionally extended for two years due to several delays. During this time, Babu's grandmother and his wife Namrata's parents died. Krishna was worried about Babu's career as the film's shoot was delayed for so long. The film deals with illegal-mining in India, and related environmental damage. It marks Babu's return as an actor after a three-year hiatus in his second collaboration with Trivikram after ''Athadu''. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. It marks Babu's return as an actor after a three-year hiatus in his second collaboration with Trivikram after ''Athadu''. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. It marks Babu's return as an actor after a three-year hiatus in his second collaboration with Trivikram after ''Athadu''. Upon release, ''Khaleja'' received mixed reviews from critics and was a commercial failure in India. However, it managed to perform well at the overseas box office becoming the highest grossing Telugu film at that time. ''Rediff'' gave a 3 out of 5 rating and noted "The duo of Mahesh-Trivikram delivers a product that is watchable, entertaining with good humour, couple of well-orchestrated action sequences and songs and with a bit to take home as well. It's Mahesh's show all the way, much to the delight of his fans. Mahesh is the soul of the movie, be it his dialogue delivery, his action, his dances or emotions, he is effortless. The film is included in the list of "25 Greatest Telugu Films Of The Decade" by ''Film Companion''.

Stardom and career setback (2011–2014)

In 2011, Babu collaborated with Srinu Vaitla for the film ''Dookudu''along with Samantha Ruth Prabhu. For his performance in the film, Babu won his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu, his third Nandi Award for Best Actor, and his first SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Telugu). After the film's gross crossed the 100 crore mark making it the highest-grossing Telugu film of that year. The Income Tax Department officials conducted a raid on Babu's Jubilee Hills residence as he was rumoured of receiving a remuneration of more than 12 crore for his next projects. He later played the role of a mafia kingpin with a hidden personal agenda in the film ''Businessman'' (2012), co-starring Kajal Aggarwal. He later played the role of a mafia kingpin with a hidden personal agenda in the film ''Businessman'' (2012), co-starring Kajal Aggarwal. Upon the film's release, he received praise from critics for his performance in the film, with Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''The Hindu'' writing, "The film has no frills, no vulgar wastage and the hero is practically in every frame; you hear only his voice, he looks good, sounds good, he also steals the comedian's job. Mahesh plays it straight.". He received his seventh nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and his second nomination for the SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Telugu) for his performance in the film. By then, Babu was reported to be the second highest-paid actor in South India after Rajinikanth.Babu then began filming for Srikanth Addala ''Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu'' (2013), whose script Babu had approved during the pre-production phase of ''Dookudu''. Co-starring Daggubati Venkatesh along with Anjali and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, it became the first Telugu multistarrer film to be produced in the last twenty-five years. Released in January 2013, the film became one of the highest grossing Telugu films of the year and marked the completion of Babu's hat-trick of successful films. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of ''The Hindu'' called the film a "delightful family drama with its celebration of family bonds, love and marriage laced with laughter", and Addala "wants to leave his audience with a thought, wants them to reflect on their relationships and overlook skirmishes that can sour family bonds". Dundoo cited Guhan's cinematography as one of the film's highlights, and praised its performances. He won his fourth Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and his second SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Telugu) for his performance in the film. He provided a voice-over for Srinu Vaitla's ''Baadshah'' the same year.Babu had two releases in 2014, the first one being Sukumar ''1: Nenokkadine'', an action thriller focusing on a celebrity suffering from hallucinations related to the murder of his parents and the discovery of a special variety of rice. Babu's performance received praise, with critics calling it one of his best performances. For his performance, he received his fourth nomination for the SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Telugu).

Resurgence and recent work (2015–present)

Babu collaborated with Koratala Siva for the action drama film ''Srimanthudu'' (2015) co-starring Shruti Haasan. He co-produced the film under his newly formed banner G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, marking his first film production venture. He opted to do so to control the film's budget, accepting a share in profits in lieu of remuneration. Released on 7 August 2015, ''Srimanthudu'' opened to positive reviews from critics, and he won his fifth Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for the film. Sethumadhavan N. of ''Bangalore Mirror'' stated, ''Srimanthudu'' wouldn't have been as effective if it did not have Mahesh Babu who is at his charming best, adding that he "underplays the emotional scenes, making them a treat to watch". Babu also adopted his native village, Burripalem. Babu won third SIIMA award for best actor for his performance in the film.In 2016, he acted in the film ''Brahmotsavam'' co-starring Kajal Aggarwal, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Pranitha Subhash. Originally produced as a bi-lingual, the film would've marked Babu's first straight-out Tamil film. While the film underperformed at the box office, the ''Deccan Chronicle'' stated that Mahesh Babu was its saving grace. and grossed over ₹118 crores at the box office. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for the cast performances, but criticism for its writing, screenplay and direction. Y. Sunita Chowdary of ''The Hindu'' stated that "''Spyder'' starts off well but the director's imagination goes overboard only to turn a purpose ridden plot to a piece of travesty.".His next film was the political action drama ''Bharat Ane Nenu'' in 2018 where he played the role of a chief minister. His performance in the film earned him his tenth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. His next film was ''Maharshi'' in 2019. Hemanth Kumar of ''Firstpost'' mentioned the film owes a lot to Mahesh Babu's conviction to pull off his role and he makes you believe in his characterisation so much that it doesn't feel like fiction. After the release of the film, the concept of weekend farming (also known as weekend agriculture) gained more attention. After the release of the film, the concept of weekend farming (also known as weekend agriculture) gained more attention. A new internet challenge. i.e. Agriculture Challenge was started, with several people do farming in the weekends. ''The Statesman'' reported that the film has created a social impact on the youth and raised awareness about the issues faced by farmers in the rural heartland. In February 2020, Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies organised the contest "Campus Farming". 250 students of the university participated in this contest.Babu performed in the 2020 film ''Sarileru Neekevvaru,'' earning him an eleventh nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu..The satellite rights of the film were sold to Gemini TV, which premiered it on 25 March 2020 for the first time on eve of Ugadi and in its first Television premier movie recorded a TRP of 23.4. He next began filming for ''Sarkaru Vaari Paata,'' marking his maiden collaboration with director Parasuram in January 2021. The film was released in May 2022 to mixed reviews from critics.Balakrishna Ganeshan of ''The News Minute'' gave the film a rating of 3/5 stars and wrote "It is great to see Mahesh Babu shedding his macho image and wooing a woman in the film. Mahesh is a delight to watch in these scenes. His comic timing and dialogue delivery are on point". Haricharan Pudipeddi of the ''Hindustan Times'' stated "Mahesh Babu offers something fresh in his latest film. If only Keerty Suresh could say the same. In 2024, Babu reunited with Trivikram Srinivas for their third collaboration in the film ''Guntur Kaaram''. In 2024, Babu reunited with Trivikram Srinivas for their third collaboration in the film ''Guntur Kaaram''.

Personal life

Mahesh Babu married his co-star Namrata Shirodkar on 10 February 2005 at Marriott Hotel, Mumbai during the shooting of ''Athadu'' (2005). They have one son and one daughter. Mahesh is the fourth child in a family of five children. His elder brother Ramesh Babu was a film producer and was also an actor. Mahesh Babu's eldest sister Padmavathi is married to Galla Jayadev, an industrialist and Member of the Indian Parliament from the Telugu Desam Party. Mahesh is the fourth child in a family of five children. His elder brother Ramesh Babu was a film producer and was also an actor. Mahesh Babu's eldest sister Padmavathi is married to Galla Jayadev, an industrialist and Member of the Indian Parliament from the Telugu Desam Party. His elder sister Manjula is a film producer, director, and an actress. Priyadarshini, his younger sister, is married to Sudheer Babu, who later made his debut as an actor in Telugu cinema.In September 2004, Babu and director Gunasekhar attended a rally organised by his fans at Warangal for the promotional activities of ''Arjun''. He and his fans allegedly raided two video libraries and assaulted their owners who were circulating unauthorised CDs of the film. Cases under IPC section 448 (criminal trespass), section 427 (mischief) and section 366 (kidnap) were registered on him, who was the principal accused, and five others. Later, a delegation from the Telugu film industry, including his father Krishna, Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Allu Aravind and D. Suresh Babu, approached the then chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy to intervene in this case. Regarding the issue, Babu said that while cases were booked against him on "the basis of wrong information," not a single case had been booked against the person dealing in bootlegged CDs, which he found the "funniest" thing. Actor Pawan Kalyan openly supported Babu throughout the episode. Babu surrendered in the district court in September 2004 and appeared before the court again in April 2006. Babu and the others were exonerated after the final hearing in July 2006.

Controversy

In September 2004, Babu attended a rally organised by his fans at Warangal for the promotional activities of Arjun. He and his fans allegedly raided two video libraries and assaulted their owners who were circulating unauthorised CDs of the film. Cases under IPC section 448 (criminal trespass), section 427 (mischief) and section 366 (kidnap) were registered on him, who was the principal accused, and five others. Later, a delegation from the Telugu film industry, including his father Krishna, Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Allu Aravind and D. Suresh Babu, approached the then chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy to intervene in this case. Regarding the issue, Babu said that while cases were booked against him, not a single case had been booked against the person dealing in bootlegged CDs, which he found the "funniest" thing. Actor and filmmaker Pawan Kalyan openly supported Babu throughout the episode. Babu surrendered in the district court on 20 September 2004 and appeared before the court again on 22 April 2006. The final hearing was held on 7 July 2006, and Babu and the others were exonerated.