Mahesh Babu has been a familiar name in Telugu cinema for decades, but some films have played a bigger role than others in shaping his journey as a leading star. From intense action dramas to commercial entertainers and films with a social message, he has taken on a variety of roles while building a loyal audience along the way. From his early days as a leading man to becoming one of Telugu cinema’s biggest stars, Mahesh Babu has had several memorable phases in his career. But among the many films he has been part of, a few stand out for the impact they made at the time of their release and the place they continue to hold among fans. On his birthday, here’s a look at five such films that marked important turning points in Mahesh Babu’s career in the Telugu cinema.
Released in 2006, Pokiri is one of the biggest turning points in Mahesh Babu’s career. Directed by Puri Jagannadh, the action thriller gave the actor a tough and stylish image that connected strongly with the audience.
The film became a huge commercial success and is widely regarded as the movie that propelled Mahesh Babu to superstardom. It also went on to be remade in Tamil as Pokkiri. Mahesh won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance. For many fans, Pokiri remains one of those films that defined an era of Mahesh Babu’s career.
Five years after Pokiri, Mahesh Babu returned with Dookudu, directed by Srinu Vaitla. Released in 2011, the film blended action, comedy, family emotions and Mahesh’s effortless screen presence.
The movie became a major commercial success and further strengthened his position at the top of Telugu cinema. His performance also earned him another Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. Dookudu was particularly important because it showed Mahesh in a more playful and entertaining space while still keeping the star appeal that audiences expected from him.
Businessman was released in 2012, and it brought Mahesh Babu back into an intense world of crime and action genre. Directed by Puri Jagannadh, the film gave him a sharp-edged character with plenty of attitude.
While the film followed the commercial style associated with Mahesh’s action entertainers, his character was noticeably darker and more aggressive. It also continued the actor’s successful run after Dookudu.
Mahesh Babu (PC: Instagram)
Spyder was released in 2017, and fans saw Mahesh Babu step into the role of Shiva, an intelligence officer caught in a tense battle against a dangerous serial killer. Directed by A.R. Murugadoss, the action thriller was released in both Telugu and Tamil and marked Mahesh Babu’s Tamil debut. The film also starred Rakul Preet Singh and S.J. Suryah, with Suryah’s performance as the antagonist receiving considerable attention. While Spyder did not turn out to be the box-office success, many had expected but received a positive-to-mixed response from the audience.
Released in 2015, Srimanthudu became another major milestone for Mahesh Babu. Directed by Koratala Siva, the film centred on a wealthy young man who decides to adopt a village and work towards improving the lives of its people.
The film became a major success and also introduced a strong social message without moving too far away from the commercial elements expected from a Mahesh Babu film. Srimanthudu was also one of the biggest hits of Mahesh Babu’s career at the time.
Mahesh Babu’s most anticipated upcoming project is Varanasi, directed by SS Rajamouli. The action-adventure film stars Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, alongside Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran. The film is currently in production, with its major IMAX action sequences already completed, as per the reports.
Varanasi is scheduled to release worldwide on April 7, 2027.
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