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Krishna (Mahesh Babu's Father) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth31 May 1943

Age79 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceBurripalem, Tenali block, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India

ProfessionActor, Director, Producer, Politician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidowed

SpouseVijaya Nirmala (second wife); Indira Devi (first wife)

FamilyChildren: Ramesh Babu (son), Mahesh Babu (son), Padmavathi Ghattamaneni (daughter), Manjula Ghattamaneni (daughter), Priyadarshini Ghattamaneni (daughter)

Krishna (Mahesh Babu's Father) Biography

Ghattamaneni Siva Rama Krishna Murthy, known widely as Krishna, was a prominent figure in Telugu cinema — an actor, director, producer and one-time Member

Early life and background

Ghattamaneni Siva Rama Krishna Murthy was born on 31 May 1943 in Burripalem village in Tenali block, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. He completed his early schooling in Burripallem and continued his secondary and intermediate studies in Tenali and Narsapur. Krishna attended C.R.R. College in Eluru, where he took part in cultural events and stage plays and performed with the theatre group Praja Natya Mandali. Those early stage experiences and the audience response he received convinced him to pursue acting professionally.

Career

Krishna began his film career with a small supporting role in the Telugu film Kula Gotralu (1961). He made his debut as a lead actor in Thene Manasulu (1965), a casting decision by director Adurthi Subba Rao that helped launch his screen career. Soon after, Krishna became associated with a range of popular Telugu films across several decades, winning notice for roles in titles such as Gudhachari 116 (where he played Agent Gopi), Private Master, Sabash Satyam, Pandanti Kapuram, Devudu Chesina Manushulu, Alluri Seetharama Raju and Mosagallaku Mosagadu.

Over his long career Krishna worked not only as an actor but also as a producer, director and studio founder. In 1971 he and his brothers established Padmalaya Studios in Hyderabad. He and his second wife, Vijaya Nirmala, later launched another production banner, Vijaya Krishna Movies. As a producer he backed films across languages, and he is credited with producing notable Telugu and Hindi titles. He also directed films in Telugu and Hindi, with directorial credits that include Simhasanam (1986) and, in Hindi, Ishq Hai Tumse (2004).

Krishna was a prolific performer who created several industry firsts and records. He set a unique mark by appearing in 17 films in a single year (1972) and for acting in large numbers of multi-role performances, including 25 films in double roles and seven films in triple roles. Milestones in his filmography include his 100th film Alluri Seetharama Raju (1974), his 200th film Eenadu (1982), and his 300th film Telugu Veera Levara (1995). He also introduced technical and format innovations to Telugu cinema, producing the industry’s first cinemascope film and its first 70 mm release, and adopting Eastman colour grading and DTS sound formats in later productions.

Krishna’s work spanned genres: he helped pioneer the spy action thriller in Telugu films with Gudhachari 116 and brought western/cowboy elements to Telugu screens through Mosagallaku Mosagadu. He produced and acted in films in multiple South Indian languages and in Hindi, and was noted for the volume of films he produced over his career.

Political life

Krishna joined the Indian National Congress in 1984 after an invitation from Rajiv Gandhi and served as Member of Parliament for the Eluru constituency from 1989 to 1991. He contested again in 1991 but was defeated and stepped away from active politics following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

Awards and honours

Over the course of his career Krishna received a number of honours recognizing his contributions to Indian cinema. Among these were a Nandi Award for Best Actor, a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South, an honorary doctorate from Andhra University, the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India, the NTR National Award, the Akkineni Nageswara Rao National Award, and several lifetime achievement awards from various organisations.

Public profile

Krishna was popularly known by several sobriquets reflecting his screen image, including Nata Sekhara, Superstar Krishna, and epithets likening him to a daring or James Bond–style hero. He worked regularly with leading actresses of his era and holds records for frequent on-screen pairings with a number of co-stars. On the personal front he fathered five children, including actors Ramesh Babu and Mahesh Babu, and producers Padmavathi and Manjula Ghattamaneni. His family also included stepchildren and siblings active in film production and writing.

Later years and death

Krishna’s last acting appearance listed was in Sri Sri (2016), and his final directorial credit is recorded as Pandanti Samsaram (2001). He retired from active film work in later years. Krishna died on 15 November 2022 at Continental Hospital in Nanakaramguda, Telangana, at the age of 79 after suffering cardiac arrest.

Latest updates

In 2017, after he had retired from regular film activity, he was honoured by the Australian postal service with a special stamp. His career remains noted for its longevity, technical firsts in Telugu cinema and the sheer scale of his work as actor, producer and director.
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Recent Work

Sri Sri

Last listed acting appearance (2016) in which he played Sripada Srinivasa Rao

2016
Pandanti Samsaram

Last listed directorial credit

2001
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted as lead actor in Thene Manasulu (1965)
  2. Founded Padmalaya Studios (1971)
  3. Produced and introduced cinematographic and sound technologies to Telugu cinema (cinemascope, 70 mm, Eastman colour grading, DTS)
  4. Acted in landmark films including Gudhachari 116, Alluri Seetharama Raju and Mosagallaku Mosagadu
  5. Served as Member of Parliament for Eluru (1989–1991)
  6. Recipient of major honours including the Padma Bhushan and Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Krishna (Mahesh Babu's Father) born?

31 May 1943

What is Krishna (Mahesh Babu's Father) known for?

Actor, Director, Producer, Politician

What is Krishna (Mahesh Babu's Father)’s marital status?

Widowed

Who is Krishna (Mahesh Babu's Father) married to?

Vijaya Nirmala (second wife); Indira Devi (first wife)