Devulapalli Krishnasastri was a Telugu poet, playwright and translator known for his works in Telugu literature and Telugu cinema. He is known as Andhra Shelley. In 1976, Krishnasastri was honoured with Padma Bhushan, third highest civilian award in India. In 1978, he received Sahitya Akademi Award for his literary works.
Nandamuri Balakrishna, widely known as Balakrishna and Balayya is an Indian actor, producer and politician known for his works in Telugu cinema. Balakrishna is an elected member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Hindupuram constituency since 2014. The sixth son of Legendary actor and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. T. Rama Rao, Balakrishna made his debut as a child artist at the age of 14 with the film Tatamma Kala (1974). Balakrishna is a recipient of three state Nandi Awards and one South Indian International Movie Award. In 2012, Balakrishna was the chief guest at the 43rd IFFI. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Center in Hyderabad.
Kanneganti Brahmanandam, known mononymously as Brahmanandam, is an Indian actor, comedian, impersonator, and voice actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He is particularly known for his comic performances. He holds the Guinness World Record for the most screen credits for a living actor, appearing in over 1000 films to date. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Acharya Nagarjuna University. Regarded as one of the finest and highest-paid comic actors of India, he was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, for his contribution to Film Art.
Maganti Murali Mohan is an Indian actor, producer, politician, and business executive from Telugu cinema. In 1973, Murali Mohan debuted in Jagame Maya, produced by Atluri Poornachandra Rao. He gained recognition with the 1974 film Tirupati, directed by Dasari Narayana Rao. He has acted in over 350 feature films. He has served in various positions in the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Andhra Pradesh Film Development Corporation. He was the Honorary President of the Telugu Movie Artists Association until the elections in 2015.
Kanukuntla Subhash Chandrabose is an Indian lyricist and playback singer who works in Telugu cinema. Chandrabose debuted as a lyricist with the 1995 film Taj Mahal. In a career spanning over 25 years, he has written lyrics for about 3600 songs in over 850 films. Chandrabose won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for the song "Naatu Naatu" from RRR (2022). He has received one National Award, two Nandi Awards, two Filmfare Awards, and three SIIMA Awards as a lyricist.
Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao is an Indian film editor who works primarily in Telugu cinema.
Jandhyala Subrahmanya Sastry, known mononymously by his surname Jandhyala, was an Indian film director, screenwriter, playwright, and actor known for his works in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre. He is popularly known as Hasya Brahma. In a career spanning more than two decades, he directed over 40 films and wrote the dialogue for more than 300 films. He won three state Nandi Awards one each for Best Director, Best Story Writer, and Best Dialogue Writer and one Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu. The Hindu referred to him as the 'King of Comedy in Tollywood'.
Sunitha Upadrashta is an Indian playback singer and voice actor who primarily works in Telugu films. She is a recipient of nine Nandi Awards and two Filmfare Awards South in various categories. She also received a National Award from All India Radio under light music category when she was 15 years old. She received her first Nandi award in the year 1999 and bagged Nandi Awards in a row for the years 2002 to 2006 and again for the years 2010 to 2012. She was also honored with Lata Mangeshkar Best Singer Award for 2011 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam was an Indian actor, comedian and film director who worked in Telugu cinema. He was established as one of the highly paid and top most leading comedians in Telugu film industry. Dharmavarapu had huge fan following among Telugu audience for his unique style and dialogue modulation. He hosted several popular television shows.
Annapurna, also credited as Annapurnamma, is an Indian actress who appears primarily in Telugu films. She is known for her portrayal as mother, mother-in-law, grand mother, aunt, etc. She started her film career as an actor alongside Mohan Babu in the blockbuster Telugu film Swargam Narakam directed by Dasari Narayana Rao in 1975. She appeared in over 900 films and won three Nandi Awards.
Kanneboina Srinivasa Rao Yadav, known professionally as Vandemataram Srinivas, is an Indian music director and playback singer who works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He has won two Filmfare Awards and six Nandi Awards. He got the prefix "Vandemataram" from the title song of the film Vande Mataram (1985).
Gollapudi Maruti Rao was an Indian actor, writer and director known for his works in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre and Telugu Literature. Rao acted in over 250 Telugu films in a variety of roles. His noted literary works and plays, like Rendu Rellu Aaru, Patita, Karuninchani Devatalu, Mahanatudu, Kaalam Venakku Tirigindi, Aasayaalaku Sankellu, won numerous State Awards.
Nirmalamma was an Indian actress in the Telugu cinema. She appeared in more than 1000 films and was well known for her grandmother roles in several films. She won two Nandi Awards.
Hema is an Indian actress and comedian who predominantly appears in Telugu films. She has acted in more than 250 films as of 2014. She won Nandi Award for Best Female Comedian for her performance in Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam.
Gundu Hanumantha Rao was an Indian actor and comedian who worked in Telugu films, theatre, and television. He first appeared in Jandhyala's film Aha Naa Pellanta in 1987 and gained popularity in comedian roles in S. V. Krishna Reddy's films. He is known for his roles in Rajendrudu Gajendrudu,Mayalodu, Yamaleela, Srivariki Premalekha,Pellaniki Premalekha Priyuraliki Subhalekha (1992), Apparao Driving School, and the TV serial Amrutham. He won three TV Nandi Awards from Andhra Pradesh Government, one of them for Amrutham serial. He was a renowned stage artist before entering into cinema, his first drama being "Ravana Bramha" at the age of 18. He acted in over 600 movies in Telugu and was a popular TV artist.
Chalapathi Rao was an Indian actor and producer known for comedy and villainous roles in Telugu cinema. He acted in different roles in more than 600 films.
Noel Sean is an Indian rapper and actor working in the Telugu cinema and Telugu music. Well known as the first rapper in Telugu Music Industry as well as a actor, music producer, television host, Radio Jockey, lyricist and composer. In 2020, he participated in a Telugu reality TV show Bigg Boss 4 as contestant.
Sudha is an Indian actress who predominantly played character roles in Telugu films. Born and brought up in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, she has acted in more than 500 Telugu films. She was felicitated on 31 January 2014, in Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, for her work in Telugu films.
Arjun Sarja is an Indian actor, producer and director who works predominantly in Tamil cinema and he also established his career in Telugu and Kannada cinema apart from a few Hindi and Malayalam films. He debuted as a child actor in the film Simhada Mari Sainya in the year 1981. Sarja had acted in more than 160 movies. He has directed 12 films and also produced and distributed a number of films. After starring in numerous Kannada films with minor roles, he starred in his first movie as an independent actor in Male Bantu Male. In 1984, Sarja made his Tamil Debut in Rama Narayanan's film Nandri. During the subsequent years he acted in many Telugu and Kannada films portraying lead and supporting roles in Trimurtulu (1987), Premagni (1989), Prathap (1990) and Shivanaga (1992).
Rajitha is an Indian actress who works in Telugu films. She has been active since the late 1980s.
