Chiranjeevi

Konidela Chiranjeevi (; born Konidela Sivasankara Varaprasad; 22 August 1955) is an Indian actor, philanthropist and former politician known for his work in Telugu cinema. Known as Mega Star, he is widely regarded as one of the most successful and influential actors in the history of Indian cinema. He is also celebrated as one of the finest dancers in Indian cinema. He has received numerous honours, including the Padma Bhushan in 2006 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2024 from the Government of India, as well as the IFFI Indian Film Personality of the Year Award in 2022. His other accolades include the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, three Nandi Awards, and nine Filmfare Awards South, including the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Honorary Award. In 2013, CNN-IBN recognized him as one of "the men who changed the face of the Indian Cinema". In 2024, he was honoured with a Guinness World Record as the most prolific actor-dancer in the Indian film industry. Chiranjeevi made his acting debut in 1978, initially gaining recognition for his supporting, anti-hero, and antagonist roles. He later transitioned to lead roles with notable success. His breakthrough came with the 1983 film Khaidi, which became the highest-grossing Telugu film at the time and established him as a leading star in the industry. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Chiranjeevi starred in various record grossers like Pasivadi Pranam (1987), Yamudiki Mogudu (1988), Attaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu (1989), Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990), Gang Leader (1991), and Gharana Mogudu (1992). Notably, Gharana Mogudu was the first South Indian film to earn over ₹10 crore in distributor share, prompting The Week magazine to label him "Bigger than Bachchan" and "the new money machine." For his role in Aapadbandhavudu (1992), Chiranjeevi was paid ₹1.25 crore, making him the highest-paid actor in India at...