Age, Biography, and Wiki
Nani was born on February 24, 1984, making him 41 years old as of 2025. He began his career in the film industry as a clap boy and gradually rose to fame with his debut film "Ashta Chamma" in 2008. Nani's journey is marked by his perseverance and talent, which have established him as one of the highest-paid actors in the Telugu film industry.
| Occupation | Film Producer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 24 February 1984 |
| Age | 41 Years |
| Birth Place | Hyderabad, Telangana, India |
| Horoscope | Pisces |
| Country | India |
Height, Weight & Measurements
Although specific details about Nani's height and weight are not widely reported, he is known for his lean physique, which complements his on-screen presence.
Nani further established himself with commercial successess in 2017. Nenu Local, directed by Trinadha Rao Nakkina, was Nani's first release of the year, where he appeared opposite Keerthy Suresh. Idlebrain was appreciative of his performance and added that he carries the film "single handedly". The film became Nani's highest-grossing film to date. Nani played a doctor, in Ninnu Kori reuniting with Nivetha Thomas. While, a critic of Firstpost stated, "Nani is terrific. Although he has a funny side, there’s plenty of emotional weight that he carries throughout the film.", Priyanka Sundar of The Indian Express found him to be "repetitive". A commercial success, it became his second-highest-grosser after Nenu Local. Later the year, he played a boy with eidetic memory in Middle Class Abbayi, opposite Sai Pallavi. The film became a major commercial success, breaking Nenu Local's record to become his highest-grossing release.
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Dating & Relationship status
Nani is married to Anjana Yelavarthy, and the couple has two children together. He maintains a personal life that is balanced with his professional commitments.
Post, Bhale Bhale Mogadivoy, Nani earned more critical praises in 2016. His first release was Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha, opposite Mehreen Pirzada. The film opened to positive response from critics, The Hans India said, "A truly stand out performance from Nani for sure, who plays to his strength and exudes a natural feel to his character on screen." It became Nani's biggest opener in India, beating the records of Bhale Bhale Magadivoy. In his next film, Nani played dual roles of a businessman and IIM graduate opposite Surbhi and Nivetha Thomas in Gentleman. Purnima Sriram of The New Indian Express termed it a "game-changer" for Nani and added, "Nani nailed both the roles. He has shouted out loud to the world that he can play any role flawlessly and effortlessly." It went onto become his third highest grosser after Eega and Bhale Bhale Magadivoy. It won him the Nandi Special Jury Award. After playing Regina Cassandra's boyfriend in Jyo Achyutananda, Nani played an assistant director alongside Anu Emmanuel in Majnu, his last film that year. It was a commercial success.
In his first release of 2023, Nani played a young ruffian who steals coal in Dasara, reuniting with Keerthy Suresh. Dasara became the highest-grossing film of Nani's career, leaving behind all his previous films. Chirag Sehgal of News18 noted, "Nani is amazing in what he does. He is a treat to watch and plays his part with utmost ease and perfection. But, his less screentime in the first half is little disappointing." In his next film Hi Nanna, Nani played a fashion photographer and single father opposite Mrunal Thakur. While, Neeshita Nyayapati of Hindustan Times found him to be "flawless", Raghu Bandi of The Indian Express termed him "impressive". The film became a commercial success worldwide. In his only release of 2024, Nani played a vigilant who fights against injustice in, Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, opposite Priyanka Mohan. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo was appreciative of his "calibrated performance" and "simmering, controlled rage". The film turned another box office success for him.
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| Husband | Anjana Yelevarthy (m. 2012) |
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Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Nani's net worth is estimated to be over Rs 150 crore, reflecting his success in both acting and production ventures. His earnings per film are reported to be around Rs 22 crore, which is a testament to his popularity and box office draw.
In 2021, Nani first appeared as a revenue officer in Tuck Jagadish, alongside Ritu Varma. It was his second OTT release, post V and received negative reviews from critics, with his performance earning mixed reviews. In the same year, Nani played dual roles of a Bengali writer and his reincarnation, an aspiring filmmaker in Shyam Singha Roy, opposite Sai Pallavi and Krithi Shetty. It proved to be a major commercial success. Sankeertana Varma of Firstpost found him to be "impressive" and added, "Nani is especially great in scenes where he is slowly moving away from Vasu and embarrassing his inner Shyam". The film won him another Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor – Telugu, making him the only Telugu actor to win the award twice.
Career, Business, and Investments
Nani has had a successful career with notable films like "Eega" and "Ala Modalaindi." He is also the founder of Wall Poster Cinema, a production company that has produced several successful films. Nani's business ventures include real estate investments, with properties valued at Rs 40 crore in Hyderabad and other areas. He has also been involved in numerous endorsement deals, further increasing his net worth.
Nani's first release in 2019 was Jersey, opposite Shraddha Srinath, where he played a former cricketer who restart cricket for his son. A critical and commercial success, it is considered as the most important film of his career and was listed as one of the "Best Telugu films of 2019". Haricharan Pudipeddi of Hindustan Times noted, "Nani is terrific as Arjun and he hasn’t looked so comfortable in role in a while." Janani K of India Today stated, "Nani's expressions are pitch-perfect for Jersey. He plays the role of an attacking right-hand batsman and Nani's cricketing technique is top-notch." It won him the SIIMA Critics Award for Best Actor – Telugu. Nani then played a crime novelist in Nani's Gang Leader. It received mixed reviews but became a box-office success. Times of India's Suhas Yellapantula called him the film's "heart and soul" and added that he brings the film "to life".
Social Network
Nani enjoys a significant following on social media platforms, with over 6 million followers on Twitter and 7 million on Instagram. His social media presence helps him connect with fans and promote his work.
Nani's only release in 2020 was his 25th film, V, where he played a serial killer opposite Aditi Rao Hydari. The film's was Nani's first OTT release (it was released on Amazon Prime Video), and was also his first negative character. Despite receiving mixed reviews, it became the most watched Telugu film on a streaming platform. Sowmya Rajendran of The News Minute opined, "Nani definitely makes a difference when he steps in. He's effortlessly funny, spooking people around him with his dark humour. But you do question his actions post the truth reveal."
Apart from his acting career, Nani is a philanthropist. Nani donated a huge sum during the 2015 South India floods to people affected by it. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated a sum of ₹30 lakhs to the Corona Virus Charity Fund. That same year, he organised a campaign with Cyberabad Police, urging people to donate their blood plasma for COVID patients. Nani donated his blood, to help children suffering from Thalassemia. He has been recognized as a social justice warrior, advocating for issues like farmer rights and civic responsibility.
Nani is considered among the highest paid and prominent Telugu actors. He is affectionately referred to as "Natural Star" by the audience, for to his realistic performances in a variety of roles. His performance in Jersey is regarded as one of the "100 Greatest Performances of the Decade" by Film Companion. In Rediff.com's "Top Telugu Actors" list, Nani was placed 4th in 2011 and 3rd in 2012. Nani stood at the 19th place on its most influential stars on Instagram in South cinema for the year 2021 list. In the Hyderabad Times Most Desirable Men list, he was placed 18th in 2013, 8th in 2015, 3rd in 2016, 10th in 2017, 27th in 2019 and 26th in 2020. Nani is a prominent celebrity endorser for several brands and products such as Otto, Sprite, Minute Maid, Close–Up and Aashirvaad Masalas'.
Education
There is limited information available about Nani's formal education, but it is known that he began his career in the film industry early, which speaks to his dedication and passion for acting.
In conclusion, Nani's career is a testament to his hard work and strategic investments, making him a prominent figure in the Telugu film industry. His continued success as an actor and producer is expected to further boost his net worth and influence in the years to come.
Nani established himself a leading actor with critical and commercial success—Bhale Bhale Magadivoy (2015), Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha (2016), Gentleman (2016), Nenu Local (2017), Ninnu Kori (2017), Middle Class Abbayi (2017), Jersey (2019), Nani's Gang Leader (2019), Shyam Singha Roy (2021), Ante Sundaraniki (2022), Dasara (2023), Hi Nanna (2023), Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (2024) and HIT: The Third Case (2025). Nani won two Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor – Telugu for Bhale Bhale Magadivoy and Shyam Singha Roy and Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for Dasara.
His family hails from Challapalli, Andhra Pradesh. Nani did his schooling from St. Alphonsa's High School, Hyderabad, and then did his intermediate from Narayana Junior College, S. R. Nagar before graduating from Wesley Degree College, Secunderabad.
Nani's first release of 2012, was S. S. Rajamouli's live action project Eega. Shot simultaneously in Tamil as Naan Ee, it featured him opposite Samantha Ruth Prabhu and opened to mostly positive response. Rajeev Masand opined that "Nani sizzles as the lover boy in the few scenes he is seen.", while other critics also added that he leaves a mark in the limited screen time. The film was a blockbuster at the box office and was dubbed into Hindi as Makkhi and into Malayalam as Eecha. His other release that year Gautham Vasudev Menon's Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu, where he played a college student reuniting with Samantha Ruth Prabhu. He also made a special appearance in its Tamil version, Neethane En Ponvasantham, where Jiiva replaced him. His portrayal of Varun Krishna was highly appreciated by critics. Sangeetha Dundoo from The Hindu noted, "Nani rises to the occasion with a mature performance. He speaks volumes through his eyes and conveys Varun's thoughts through the smallest of mannerisms. The climax completely belongs to him." CNN-IBN found him to be "quintessentially natural". Though the film received mixed reviews from film critics, it had a positive response at the box office, due to Nani and Samantha's performances and won Nani his first and only Nandi Award for Best Actor till date.
