Nagarjuna Akkineni is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in the Telugu Cinema. He has served in over 90 movies as an acting professional in a lead and supporting part, such as Bollywood and Tamil movies. He has won two National Film Awards, nine state Nandi Awards and two Filmfare Awards South. He oowns the Production company, Annapurna Studios and is the president of the non-profit film school Annapurna International School of Film and Media based in Hyderabad. He is the co-founder of Blue Cross of Hyderabad, a registered society recognized by the Animal Welfare Board of India. He was listed #56 in Forbes India top 100 Celebrities for the year 2012

Early life and Family

Nagarjuna was born on 29 Aug 1959 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India to actor Nageswara Rao Akkineni and Annapurna Akkineni. The family later moved to Hyderabad where he attended the Hyderabad Public School and studied at Little Flower Junior College and B.E. from the College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai.

He finished M.S. in Automobile Engineering from Eastern Michigan University. He is the partner of celebrity Amala Akkineni, the father of actor Naga Chaitanya Akkineni and Akhil Akkineni

Television production

Nagarjuna made his début as a television producer in 2009 with the serial Yuva. He is one of the major shareholders of the television channel Maa TV

Charity

Nagarjuna, with his wife Amala, is the co-founder of Blue Cross of Hyderabad, a non-government organization (NGO) in Hyderabad, India, which works towards the welfare of animals and preservation of animal rights. He is also involved in some of the welfare programs undertaken by the MAA TV association.

In 2010, he starred in an HIV/AIDS animated software tutorial created by TeachAIDS, a nonprofit founded at Stanford University.

Awards

National Film Awards

• 1997 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu for producing Ninne Pelladata
• 1998 - National Film Award – Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film) for acting Annamayya

Nandi Awards

Actor
• 2011 - Nandi Special Jury Award for Rajanna
• 2006 - Nandi Award for Best Actor for Sri Ramadasu
• 2002 - Nandi Award for Best Actor for Santosham
• 1997 - Nandi Award for Best Actor for Annamayya
Producer
• 1996 - Akkineni Award for Best Home-viewing Feature Film - Ninne Pelladuta
• 1999 - Nandi Award for Best Feature Film - Kansya (Bronze) for producing Prema Katha
• 2000 - Nandi Special Jury Award for producing Yuvakudu
• 2002 - Nandi Award for Best Feature Film - Swarna (Gold) for producing Manmadhudu
• 2011 - Nandi Award for Best Feature Film - Rajata (Silver) for producing Rajanna

Filmfare Awards South

• 1996 - Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu) for Ninne Pelladata
• 1997 - Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu) for Annamayya

South Indian International Movie Awards

• 2012 - Special Appreciation (Actor) for Rajanna

CineMAA Awards

• 2012 - Special Jury Award for Rajanna

Other Awards

• 1990 - Cinema Express Award for Shiva
• 1996 - Akruthi Film Award for Ninne Pelladata
• 1997 - Screen Videocon Award for Annamayya
• 2000 - Andhra Pradesh Film Journalists Association Award for Azad
• 2011- TSR Kala Ratna Award

Bharatamuni Awards

• 1989 - Best Actor for Geetanjali
• 1997 - Best Actor for Annamayya

Vamsee Berkeley Awards

• 1986 - Best Actor for Vikram
• 1990 - Best Actor for Shiva

AP Cinegoers Awards

• 1989 - Best Actor for Geetanjali