Chiranjeevi

Early life and family

Chiranjeevi was born in Mogalthur, a small village near Narsapur, West Godavari. His father worked as a constable and got transferred on a regular basis. He spent his childhood in his native village with his grand parents. Chiranjeevi did his schooling in Nidadavolu, Gurajala, Bapatla, Ponnuru, Mangalagiri and Mogalturu. He was an NCC cadet. Chiranjeevi had participated in the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi as an NCC cadet in the early 70s. He was interested in acting from a very young age. He did his Intermediate at C. S. R. Sarma College in Ongole. After graduating with a degree in commerce from Sri Y N College at Narsapur, Chiranjeevi moved to Chennai and joined the Madras Film Institute in 1976 to pursue a career in acting. Since his family worshipped Anjaneya, a Hindu deity, his mother advised him to take the screen name "Chiranjeevi", meaning "live forever", a reference to belief of Hanuman living forever.

He has two daughters, Sushmita and Srija, and a son, Ram Charan Teja, also an actor in Tollywood. One of Chiranjeevi's brothers, Nagendra Babu, is a film producer and also has acted in several films. His youngest brother, Pawan Kalyan, is an actor in Tollywood too. Allu Aravind, his brother-in-law, is a film producer. Chiranjeevi is the uncle of Allu Arjun, Allu Sirish, Varun Tej and Sai Dharam Tej.

Early career: 1978–1981

Chiranjeevi started his film career with Punadhirallu. However, his first released film was Pranam Khareedu. Mana Voori Pandavulu, directed by Bapu, gave Chiranjeevi recognition from the Indian audience. He played a small role in Tayaramma Bangarayya. He also played the anti-Hero in films I Love You and K. Balachander's Idi Katha Kaadu, starring Kamal Haasan. In a remake of the Tamil film Avargal, Chiranjeevi portrayed the character played by Rajinikanth in the original. In 1979, Chiranjeevi had eight major film releases and then 14 films in the following year. He played lead antagonist in works such as Mosagadu, Rani Kasula Rangamma, 47 Natkal /47 Rojulu, Nyayam Kavali, and Ranuva Veeran.

Leading roles: 1982

Chiranjeevi began to appear in lead roles with films such as Intlo Ramayya Veedilo Krishnayya directed by Kodi Ramakrishna, which was a hit at the box office. Later, he starred in Shubhalekha directed by K. Viswanath, which dealt with the social malady of the dowry system. It brought him his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and Viswanath's third Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu. He also appeared in movies like Idi Pellantara, Sitadevi, Tingu Rangadu, Bandhalu Anubandhalu and Mondi Ghatam. He acted in multi-star movies like Patnam Vachina Pativrathalu and Billa Ranga. He later acted in Manchu Pallaki, along with Suhasini Maniratnam, which was the debut film for director Vamsy.

1983–2007

Khaidi was a box-office success and Chiranjeevi attained stardom with this movie. In 1984, Chiranjeevi continued doing action films. A series of box office hits at this time include; Mantri Gari Viyyankudu, Sangharshana, Goonda, Challenge, Hero, Donga, Jwala, Adavi Donga, Kondaveeti Raja, Rakshasudu, Gang Leader, Rowdy Alludu, Yamudiki Mogudu and Donga Mogudu. In 1985, he received his second Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in Vijetha. Chiranjeevi received his first Nandi Award for Best Actor for Swayam Krushi (1987), directed by K. Viswanath.

Post Khaidi, Chiranjeevi had hits such as Pasivadi Pranam (1987), Yamudiki Mogudu (1988) and Manchi Donga (1988). Chiranjeevi co produced, and acted in Rudraveena (1988), which not only won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, but also the Nandi Special Jury Award. Chiranjeevi then experimented with Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari, a socio-fantasy directed by K. Raghavendra Rao and produced by Ashwini Dutt. Other experimental works at this time include works such as Kondaveeti Donga the first Telugu film to be released on a 70 mm 6-Track Stereophonic sound, the western genre Kodamasimham, and the social problem action film Gang Leader (1991) which were box-office hits and led Chiranjeevi being regarded as "boss of Telugu cinema".

Chiranjeevi's bolywood performances were appreciated in Pratibandh (1990), and Aaj Ka Goonda Raj. In 1996, he appeared in a guest role in the Kannada film Sipaayi. For his role in Aapadbandhavudu (1992), he received his second Nandi Award for Best Actor and third Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. The mid-1990s saw a career dip for Chiranjeevi with box-office duds such as Mechanic Alludu, S. P. Parasuram, Big Boss and Rikshavodu. There were exceptions, such as Mutha Mestri, which fetched him a fourth Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu, Mugguru Monagallu and Alluda Majaka were moderately successful. After a brief lull, Chiranjeevi bounced back with Hitler, Master, Bavagaru Bagunnara?, Choodalani Vundi, and Sneham Kosam, for which he received his fifth Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. In 1999, Chiranjeevi was to appear in a Hollywood production directed by Dushan Garsi, and produced by Rameshkrishna Murthi. The Telugu version was directed by Suresh Krissna. The movie, which was titled The Return of the Thief of Baghdad, had its filming suspended for undisclosed reasons.

Chiranjeevi's new decade started with Annayya. After a brief gap, Chiranjeevi starred in Indra, released in 2002, which broke all his previous box office records of Tollywood and won him his third Nandi Award for Best Actor and sixth Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. After that, he appeared in films with an underlying message and a social cause, including Tagore and Shankar Dada MBBS, for which he won his seventh and latest Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu, and Stalin. He was awarded the Filmfare Special Award – South in 2006, and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South at the 58th Filmfare Awards South in 2011 for his contributions to the film industry.

2007–present

Following his last film in the lead role, 2007's Shankar Dada Zindabad, which received an average response, Chiranjeevi did not star in any film for approximately 10 years, during which he embarked on his political career. During these 10 years, he has made only two cameo appearances in films starring his son Ram Charan: Magadheera in 2009 and Bruce Lee - The Fighter in 2015. He also served as narrator to both Varudu and Rudhramadevi. From 2013 onwards, he was on the look out for the right script to mark his comeback into cinema, in what would coincidentally happen to be his 150th film as an actor. A year following the release of the highly successful 2014 Tamil film Kaththi, Chiranjeevi chose to remake that film in Telugu as his comeback film. The remake, titled Khaidi No. 150, directed by V. V. Vinayak, was released during the Sankranti holiday in 2017, about 6 months short of a decade following Shankar Dada Zindabad, to positive reviews and record-breaking box-office revenue. Critics have singled out Chiranjeevi in particular, praising him for both his performance and appearance, especially following a decade of absence from cinema. Following the success of this film, Chiranjeevi is confirmed to continue with his acting career, with two projects being in the works as the film released.

Television career

Chiranjeevi made his debut as Television host with fourth season of Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu. The first episode of fourth season was aired on 13 February 2017. The game show, a Telugu version of Kaun Banega Crorepati, will be telecasted Monday to Thursday at 9.30 pm.

Political career

In 2008, Chiranjeevi started Praja Rajyam, a political party in the state of Andhra Pradesh. At the launch, he stated that social justice was the main agenda of his party. In the 2009 general elections, the party won 18 of the 295 seats in the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly. He was elected a Member of the State Assembly from Tirupati.

He contested from both Tirupati and Palakollu Constituencies for MLA in the 2009 general elections, winning in Tirupati but losing out in Palakollu, in West-Godavari district.

On 6 February 2011, Chiranjeevi merged the 30-month-old Praja Rajyam Party with the Indian National Congress, after two weeks of talks with Sonia Gandhi, the president of the Congress, which feared the no confidence motion in the state assembly in the wake of the emergence of Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party and the stronghold of Telangana agitation. After more than one year of merging his party into Congress, he was nominated to Rajya Sabha on 29 March 2012. He got elected and took the oath as a Rajya Sabha member on 3 April 2012. On 28 October 2012, he was sworn in as the Union Minister of State (Independent charge), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Chiranjeevi campaigned extensively for Indian National Congress as chairman of election campaign committee for 2014 parliamentary and assembly elections in residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, however, he refrained from contesting in elections. His youngest brother Pawan Kalyan, a former Praja Rajyam Party youth wing leader, launched his own political party Jana Sena and campaigned for Telugu Desham Party and Bharatiya Janata Party. Indian National Congress was defeated in all parliamentary and state assembly seats it contested in Andhra Pradesh with several candidates losing deposit.

Humanitarian work

On 2 October 1998, he founded the Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust (CCT), which includes Chiranjeevi Blood and Eye Banks. It is the state's largest recipient of blood and eye donations. The trust has made over 68,000 blood donations and 1,414 eye donations. The blood bank of the CCT has helped over 80,000 people and the Eye Bank has helped about 1,000 people in the state of Andhra Pradesh since its opening. Around 350,000 people have pledged their eyes to CCT so far, giving 1600 people eyesight through CCT. CCT has also won the "Best Voluntary Blood Bank Award" by the AP State Government for the past 4 years. On 10 June 2006, the then President of India, Abdul Kalam, inaugurated the Chiranjeevi Charitable Foundation (CCF) at the Jubilee Hills Check Post in Hyderabad.

CCT crossed the one lakh mark in collecting blood and more than 96,000 people have been helped with blood by this blood bank.

After allegations made against the Blood Bank and Eye Bank, the state government of AP constituted a high-level committee to look into the allegations. The committee worked under the guidance of the project director of AP State AIDA Control Society, comprising experts from finance and technical fields, verified records pertaining to the collection and disposal of blood samples, blood grouping, screening, sterilisation, medical waste disposal, camps conducted, blood expiry, quality control, store room, record room and purchase of equipment.

Awards, honours and recognitions

Director K. Balachander said "Chiranjeevi has both Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth in him. Not only can he do action, he can also act." Chiranjeevi received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour in India in the year 2006. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Andhra University in the same year. He is a ten-time winner of Filmfare Awards South and a four-time winner of Nandi Awards. In 2014, he was awarded International Face of Indian Cinema at the 3rd South Indian International Movie Awards from Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. He was the first actor from South India to be invited to the Oscars ceremony in 1987.

Awards

Filmography

Below are the selected filmography of Chiranjeevi.