Nani Biography: Age, Real Name, Wife, Movies, The Paradise & Latest News

Nani (born Ghanta Naveen Babu on 24 February 1984) is an Indian actor, producer and former radio jockey who works in Telugu cinema. Known as “Natural Star”, he worked as an assistant on film sets before debuting in Ashta Chamma (2008). He is known for Ala Modalaindi, Eega, Bhale Bhale Magadivoy, Jersey, Shyam Singha Roy, Dasara and Hi Nanna. His period action drama The Paradise released on 24 September 2026 and starts streaming on Netflix on 22 October.

Nani Latest News (October 2026)

• The Paradise on Netflix (22 October 2026): Srikanth Odela’s period action drama, set in the slums of 1980s Secunderabad, will stream in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam. Nani plays Jadal, a tribal leader, alongside Kayadu Lohar, Raghav Juyal, Mohan Babu and Sonali Kulkarni, with music by Anirudh Ravichander.
• Box office: The film opened to about ₹77 crore worldwide but dropped sharply after mixed-to-negative reviews. Critics praised Nani’s performance, the atmosphere and the score but criticised the slow second half and heavy violence. With a reported budget of ₹150–200 crore, it is widely seen as an underperformer.
• Nani’s response: He took online criticism in good humour and acknowledged that rushed post-production affected the film. Reports say he returned part of his fee to help the producer with losses.
• As producer: His banner, Wall Poster Cinema, is producing an untitled film starring Chiranjeevi.

Nani Profile, Age and Wiki

Nani Early Life, Family and Education

Nani was born Ghanta Naveen Babu in Hyderabad and grew up there. He studied at St. Alphonsa’s High School, went to Narayana Junior College in S. R. Nagar and then to Wesley Degree College in Secunderabad. Coming from a family with no film background, he became interested in cinema while still a student.

Before acting, he worked behind the camera as a clap and assistant director. He started on Radha Gopalam (2005) with veteran director Bapu and went on to work on Allari Bullodu (2005), Astram (2006) and Dhee (2007). He also spent a year as a radio jockey for World Space Satellite Radio, hosting a show called Non-Stop Nani, which helped him build the easy, conversational style he later brought to the screen.

Nani Career

Ashta Chamma and Ala Modalaindi (2008–2011)

Director Mohana Krishna Indraganti cast Nani in the romantic comedy Ashta Chamma (2008), which became a sleeper hit. His real breakthrough came with Nandini Reddy’s Ala Modalaindi (2011), a breezy romance that established him as a relatable, natural performer and gave rise to his “Natural Star” tag.

Eega and Experimentation (2012–2014)

In S. S. Rajamouli’s fantasy Eega (2012), Nani played a young man who is murdered and reborn as a housefly seeking revenge. Although he appears on screen only in the first part, the film became a major hit in Telugu and Tamil. The same year, Gautham Vasudev Menon’s bilingual romance Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu won him the Nandi Award for Best Actor.

Bhale Bhale Magadivoy to Jersey (2015–2019)

Maruthi’s comedy Bhale Bhale Magadivoy (2015), in which he played an absent-minded scientist, was a big success and won him the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor – Telugu. A run of hits followed, including Gentleman (2016), which won him a Nandi Special Jury Award, Nenu Local (2017), Ninnu Kori (2017) and MCA (2017). In Gowtam Tinnanuri’s sports drama Jersey (2019), he played a failed cricketer who returns to the game in his late thirties, a performance many critics rank as his best.

Shyam Singha Roy, Dasara and Hi Nanna (2021–2024)

Nani played a dual role across two eras in Rahul Sankrityan’s Shyam Singha Roy (2021), winning his second Filmfare Critics award. He then changed his image completely with Srikanth Odela’s rustic action drama Dasara (2023), set in a coal-mining village, which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. Later that year, the emotional father-daughter drama Hi Nanna was well received, and he followed it with Vivek Athreya’s action film Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (2024).

HIT 3 and The Paradise (2025–2026)

In 2025, Nani played a ruthless IPS officer in HIT: The Third Case, which became the highest-grossing film of the HIT franchise. As a producer, he backed the courtroom drama Court – State vs. A Nobody (2025). In 2026, he reunited with Odela for The Paradise, a large-scale period action film that drew praise for his transformation but struggled at the box office.

Nani as a Producer and Host

Nani launched Wall Poster Cinema in 2018 to back new talent. Its first production, Prasanth Varma’s Awe (2018), won two National Film Awards, and the banner later produced the HIT films and Court. He also hosted the second season of Bigg Boss Telugu in 2018. His banner’s next production will star Megastar Chiranjeevi.

Nani Movies List (Selected)

Awards and Honours

• Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for Dasara.
• Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor – Telugu for Bhale Bhale Magadivoy and Shyam Singha Roy.
• Nandi Award for Best Actor for Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu.
• Nandi Special Jury Award for Gentleman.
• As producer, Awe won two National Film Awards.

Nani Personal Life

Nani married Anjana Yelavarthy on 27 October 2012 in Visakhapatnam. Their son was born in 2017. Nani often shares family moments with fans on social media.

He is known for his down-to-earth image and frank interviews, and he regularly supports newcomers, both as a producer and by promoting smaller films.

Why Nani Stands Out

Nani is one of the few Telugu stars who rose from an assistant director’s job with no film family behind him. His career mixes everyday romances and comedies with risky choices like Eega, Jersey and Dasara. As a producer, he has backed award-winning debutants, and even when a film like The Paradise struggles, his performances usually win praise.

Lesser-Known Facts About Nani

• His real name is Ghanta Naveen Babu.
• He worked as a clap and assistant director under veteran director Bapu.
• He was a radio jockey with a show called Non-Stop Nani.
• In Eega, his character is reincarnated as a housefly.
• His first production, Awe, won two National Film Awards.

Related Biographies

• Vijay Deverakonda Biography
• Naga Chaitanya Biography
• Samantha Ruth Prabhu Biography – co-star in Eega
• Sai Pallavi Biography – co-star in MCA and Shyam Singha Roy
• Krithi Shetty Biography – co-star in Shyam Singha Roy
• More stars: Tollywood biographies

Nani FAQs

How old is Nani?

Nani was born on 24 February 1984, so he is 42 years old (as of 2026).

What is Nani’s real name?

His real name is Ghanta Naveen Babu.

Who is Nani’s wife?

Nani is married to Anjana Yelavarthy. They married on 27 October 2012 in Visakhapatnam.

When is The Paradise streaming on OTT?

The Paradise streams on Netflix from 22 October 2026 in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam.

What was Nani’s first movie?

His first film as an actor was Ashta Chamma (2008), directed by Mohana Krishna Indraganti.

Why is Nani called Natural Star?

Fans and media call him “Natural Star” because of his realistic, effortless acting style, especially in romances and comedies like Ala Modalaindi and Bhale Bhale Magadivoy.

Which award did Nani win for Dasara?

He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for Dasara (2023).

What is Wall Poster Cinema?

Wall Poster Cinema is Nani’s production house, founded in 2018. It produced Awe, the HIT films and Court – State vs. A Nobody.

Did Nani host Bigg Boss?

Yes. Nani hosted the second season of Bigg Boss Telugu in 2018.

Sources

• Nani (actor) – Wikipedia
• The Paradise OTT release – The Week