There was a stretch in Telugu cinema when not every Friday meant explosions, revenge arcs or mythological scale. Some films were smaller, gentler. A boy meets a girl. They misunderstand each other. Life gets complicated. In the end, love finds a way. For much of the 2010s, that space belonged to one actor more than anyone else: Nani.
As he turns 42, it feels like the right moment to look at the journey he has taken and the quiet shift that has changed not just his career, but a part of Tollywood itself.
The outsider who found his lane
Born Ghanta Naveen Babu, Nani did not come from a film family. He started at the bottom, working as a clap assistant and later as an assistant director. He even spent time as a radio jockey hosting a show called “Non-Stop Nani” before filmmaker Mohana Krishna Indraganti noticed him in a commercial and cast him in Ashta Chamma.
The film, inspired by Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, was light, witty and romantic. It wasn’t a massive blockbuster, but it introduced a refreshing screen presence. After a few early projects like Ride and Bheemili Kabaddi Jattu, the real breakthrough came with Ala Modalaindi in 2011. Audiences connected instantly. The same year, Pilla Zamindar strengthened his growing popularity.
Then came 2012, a turning point. In Eega, directed by S. S. Rajamouli, he played a man reborn as a housefly seeking revenge. It was wild, inventive and hugely successful. In the same year, Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, showed a softer, more vulnerable side and earned him the Nandi Award for Best Actor.
The king of rom-coms
Between 2015 and 2018, Nani almost owned the romantic comedy space in Telugu cinema. Bhale Bhale Magadivoy, where he played a forgetful botanist, became his first major blockbuster. It was followed by Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha, Gentleman, Majnu, Nenu Local, Ninnu Kori and Middle Class Abbayi.
He earned the nickname “Natural Star,” not through marketing but through consistency. His characters felt relatable. They were flawed, awkward, sometimes immature, but always believable. He was not playing invincible heroes. He was playing men you might actually know.
Building beyond acting
In 2018, he launched his production house, Wall Poster Cinema. The banner backed unique projects like Awe!, which went on to win two National Awards. Later, HIT: The First Case introduced a crime thriller franchise, followed by HIT: The Second Case. Nani himself headlined HIT: The Third Case, stepping into darker territory.
The shift to intensity
The transition began around 2019. Jersey marked a major turning point. Playing a 36-year-old cricketer chasing one last dream for his son, Nani delivered one of his most emotionally layered performances. It was quieter than his earlier commercial hits, but deeply impactful.
After that, his choices grew heavier and darker. In V, he portrayed a serial killer. Shyam Singha Roy placed him in a reincarnation drama. Dasara, set against the backdrop of coal mines, showed him in a raw, rugged avatar and won him a Filmfare Best Actor award. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram leaned into vigilante drama.
There were still glimpses of romance in between. Ante Sundaraniki offered humor and warmth, while Hi Nanna blended fatherhood and love in an emotional narrative. But even these films carried more emotional weight than the breezy rom-coms that defined his early stardom.
A space left behind
Today, Telugu cinema’s biggest names like Mahesh Babu, Prabhas, Ram Charan and Jr NTR are firmly rooted in large-scale action spectacles. Nani once stood as the dependable alternative, the actor audiences turned to when they wanted something intimate and character-driven.
Now, he too has largely moved into thrillers and intense dramas. And with that shift, Tollywood seems to have lost its most consistent romantic leading man.
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There are still love stories being made. But no one currently occupies that space with the same regularity and ease that Nani once did. His evolution has brought stronger performances and bigger ambitions. At the same time, it has left behind a genre that quietly defined an era.
For many viewers, that softer chapter of Telugu cinema is tied closely to one face. And whether or not he returns to it, that legacy remains firmly his.
