Saralnama
Konidela Sivashankara Vara Prasad, known as Chiranjeevi, was born on August 22, 1955, in Andhra Pradesh. His screen name, meaning 'immortal,' was suggested by his mother due to their devotion to Lord Hanuman. He debuted in 1978 with the film 'Pranam Khareedu' and gained fame with 'Manavoori Pandavulu' and the 1983 blockbuster 'Khaidi.' Notable films include 'Rudraveena,' which won a National Film Award, 'Gang Leader,' and the Telugu remake of 'Munna Bhai MBBS,' titled 'Shankar Dada MBBS.' Chiranjeevi also acted in three Hindi films during the 1990s. He was the first South Indian actor whose film 'Kodama Simham' was dubbed in English. Besides acting, he is a skilled dancer. Politically, he founded the Praja Rajyam Party in 2008, which won 18 seats in the 2009 Andhra Pradesh elections before merging with Congress in 2011. He served as Union Minister of Tourism and was a Rajya Sabha member from 2012 to 2018. His upcoming film is 'Vishwambhara,' with its teaser released on his birthday. (Updated 22 Aug 2025, 01:31 IST; source: link)