Prudhviraj

Prudhvi Raj, born Balireddy Prudhviraj in the buzzing little town of Tadepalligudem, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh—yeah, that’s a mouthful—has been around the Telugu movie scene for ages. Not just another face in the crowd, he’s pretty much a staple, especially if you’re into those films that have a knack for throwing memorable punchlines your way. If you’ve heard “30 Years Industry ikkada” and didn’t immediately think of Khadgam (2002), are you even watching Telugu cinema? That line alone turned him into a bit of a legend. His break came thanks to the duo Dr. Prabakar Reddy and E.V.V. Satyanarayana, who tossed him right into the fire with Aa Okkati Adakku back in ‘93. From there, it’s been a wild ride—comedy, drama, politics, you name it. The guy doesn’t just stick to the silver screen either. For a hot minute, he was the chairman over at Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel (SVBC) TV, steering the ship there for a few months. Politics? Oh, he dipped his toes there too. First, he was repping as the state secretary for YSR Congress Party, but then he switched gears and joined Jana Sena Party. Gotta keep life interesting, right? Whether he’s cracking up audiences in a movie or mixing things up in the political arena, Prudhvi Raj just can’t sit still. And honestly, Telugu cinema would be a lot less colorful without him.