Mahesh Babu Birthday Special: From Child Actor To SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi — 7 Biggest Milestones In His Career

Mahesh Babu has spent almost his entire life in front of the camera. What began as a childhood appearance in Needa eventually grew into one of the most successful careers in Telugu cinema. Today, as the actor celebrates his birthday, he is preparing for perhaps his most ambitious chapter yet, Varanasi, his collaboration with filmmaker SS Rajamouli.

Here are seven milestones that trace Mahesh Babu’s evolution from child artiste to pan-India superstar.

1. Mahesh Babu started acting at just four

Long before he became a leading man, Mahesh appeared as a child artiste in Needa in 1979. He went on to act in several films during his childhood, including Sankharavam, Mugguru Kodukulu and Gudachari 117.

2. ‘Rajakumarudu’ marked his debut as a leading man

After years away from acting, Mahesh returned as an adult with Rajakumarudu in 1999. The film earned him the Nandi Award for Best Male Debut and established the beginning of his journey as a leading star.

3. ‘Okkadu’ changed the game

While films such as Murari helped establish him, Okkadu became a major career turning point. The 2003 action drama earned Mahesh his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and strengthened his position among the industry’s leading stars.

4. ‘Pokiri’ turned Mahesh Babu into a phenomenon

The 2006 action thriller Pokiri took his stardom to another level. The film became a major commercial success and was widely recognised as a landmark in Telugu cinema, cementing Mahesh’s mass appeal.

5. ‘Dookudu’ proved his box-office staying power

Mahesh followed Pokiri with another major commercial success in Dookudu. Released in 2011, the film became one of the biggest hits of his career and reinforced his ability to combine action, comedy and family entertainment.

6. He expanded beyond the conventional superstar image

With films including Srimanthudu, Bharat Ane Nenu and Maharshi, Mahesh increasingly explored stories carrying social and political themes alongside mainstream entertainment. His career has also expanded into production through G Mahesh Babu Entertainment.

7. ‘Varanasi’ marks his biggest global gamble yet

Mahesh Babu’s next chapter could be his most ambitious. In SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi, he plays Rudhra alongside Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran. The film spans an extraordinary world of locations and timelines, while the latest birthday reveal offers another glimpse of Rudhra. Rajamouli described the character as “witty, vulnerable and fierce” qualities he said Mahesh brought to the role.

Varanasi is scheduled to reach cinemas on April 7, 2027, putting Mahesh Babu at the centre of what could become one of Indian cinema’s biggest global theatrical events.