Rana Daggubati Biography: Age, Wife, Family, Movies, Baahubali & Latest News

Rana Daggubati (born 14 December 1984) is an Indian actor, producer and entrepreneur who works mainly in Telugu cinema, along with Hindi and Tamil films. The grandson of producer D. Ramanaidu, he debuted in Leader (2010) and became known across India as the villain Bhallaladeva in Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. He is also known for Ghazi, Nene Raju Nene Mantri, Bheemla Nayak and the Netflix series Rana Naidu. Through Spirit Media, he backs independent and mainstream films.

Rana Daggubati Latest News (October 2026)

• 12 October 2026: Speaking about short vertical videos and cinema, Rana said the big screen still has the deepest impact. He compared short content to chips and a cola: fine now and then, but audiences eventually want a full meal. He also said the next season of Rana Naidu is coming, but left the details to Netflix.
• 30 September 2026: Reports said director Chandoo Mondeti will make his Bollywood debut with a film starring Akshay Kumar and Rana, with Sanjay Leela Bhansali reportedly backing the project.
• 2 October 2026: He launched the trailer of the film Dorothy in Hyderabad and praised the team.
• Other reported projects (2026): A key role in Mirai 2 and an approach to play Ashwatthama in Prasanth Varma’s Jai Hanuman. Neither has been officially confirmed.

Rana Daggubati Profile, Age and Wiki

Rana Daggubati Early Life, Family and Education

Rana was born in Madras to producer D. Suresh Babu and was named after his grandfather, D. Ramanaidu, the founder of Suresh Productions and Ramanaidu Studios. Actor Venkatesh is his paternal uncle, and actor Nagarjuna was married to his aunt, Lakshmi Daggubati, which makes Naga Chaitanya his cousin.

He studied at Chettinad Vidyashram in Chennai and later at Nalanda Vidya Bhavan and The Hyderabad Public School in Hyderabad. He enrolled at St. Mary’s College in Hyderabad but dropped out to work in films behind the camera. In 2016, he revealed that he is blind in his right eye and that his left eye was a transplant, a disclosure that drew wide praise for its honesty.

Rana Daggubati Career

Visual Effects and Production (Before 2010)

Before acting, Rana worked in visual effects and production. He founded Spirit Media, which handled animation and visual effects on more than 70 films, and won the Nandi Award for Best Special Effects for Sainikudu (2006). As co-producer of the animated film Bommalata, he shared a National Film Award.

Leader and Early Roles (2010–2014)

Rana made his acting debut in Sekhar Kammula’s political drama Leader (2010), winning the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut – South. His Hindi debut, Dum Maaro Dum (2011), earned him a Zee Cine Award for Best Male Debut. He followed it with Krish’s Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum (2012) and a cameo in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013).

Baahubali and Ghazi (2015–2017)

S.S. Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017) changed his career. As the ruthless Bhallaladeva, rival to Prabhas‘s Baahubali, he became one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable villains. In 2017, he also led Ghazi, India’s first underwater war film, and the political drama Nene Raju Nene Mantri, both of which were well received.

Bheemla Nayak, Virata Parvam and Rana Naidu (2018–2025)

Rana played a forest dweller in the trilingual Kaadan (2021, released as Aranya in Telugu) and faced off with Pawan Kalyan in the action drama Bheemla Nayak (2022). He played a Naxalite leader in Virata Parvam (2022), opposite Sai Pallavi. In 2023, he starred with his uncle Venkatesh in Netflix’s crime series Rana Naidu, playing a fixer for the rich and famous; the second season, which added Arjun Rampal, streamed in 2025. He has also hosted the talk show No. 1 Yaari and The Rana Daggubati Show.

Producing and New Projects (2025–2026)

Through Spirit Media, Rana co-produced Dulquer Salmaan’s period film Kaantha and has backed independent films such as Ameer Log. In 2026, reports linked him to a historical thriller with Akshay Kumar, to Chandoo Mondeti’s Hindi debut, and to Mirai 2.

Rana Daggubati Movies List (Selected)

Awards and Honours

• National Film Award, as co-producer of the animated film Bommalata.
• Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut – South for Leader.
• Zee Cine Award for Best Male Debut for Dum Maaro Dum.
• Nandi Award for Best Special Effects for Sainikudu.
• Two Nandi Awards, six SIIMA Awards and three Filmfare Awards South in total.

Rana Daggubati Personal Life

Rana announced his engagement to Miheeka Bajaj, an interior and event designer from Hyderabad, in May 2020. The couple married on 8 August 2020 in a small ceremony at Ramanaidu Studios, held under pandemic restrictions.

Beyond films, he has invested in several ventures, including the startup accelerator Anthill Studio, the talent agency Kwan South, a stake in Amar Chitra Katha and co-ownership of Hyderabad FC.

Rana Daggubati as a Host

Rana has built a parallel career as a talk-show host. He hosted No. 1 Yaari from 2017 to 2021, where he chatted with film personalities in a relaxed, informal style, and later fronted The Rana Daggubati Show. His easy screen presence as a host has helped him connect with audiences who may not follow his films.

Why Rana Daggubati Stands Out

Rana is one of the few Indian actors who moves easily between hero, villain and character roles, and between Telugu, Hindi and Tamil. He is also a working producer and technology investor, with a background in visual effects that predates his acting career. His openness about his vision impairment and his support for independent cinema have earned him respect well beyond his fan base.

Lesser-Known Facts About Rana Daggubati

• He worked in visual effects before becoming an actor and won a Nandi Award for special effects.
• He is named after his grandfather, producer D. Ramanaidu.
• He has said he is blind in his right eye.
• Ghazi was promoted as India’s first underwater war film.
• His uncles Venkatesh and Nagarjuna are both Telugu superstars.

Related Biographies

• Prabhas Biography – co-star in Baahubali
• Nagarjuna Biography – his uncle
• Naga Chaitanya Biography – his cousin
• Sai Pallavi Biography – co-star in Virata Parvam
• Anushka Shetty Biography – co-star in Baahubali
• More stars: Tollywood biographies

Rana Daggubati FAQs

How old is Rana Daggubati?

Rana Daggubati was born on 14 December 1984, so he is 41 years old (as of 2026).

Who is Rana Daggubati’s wife?

Rana is married to Miheeka Bajaj, an interior and event designer. They married on 8 August 2020 at Ramanaidu Studios in Hyderabad.

What role did Rana Daggubati play in Baahubali?

He played Bhallaladeva, the main antagonist, in Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017).

Is Rana Daggubati related to Naga Chaitanya?

Yes. They are cousins. Naga Chaitanya’s mother, Lakshmi Daggubati, is the sister of Rana’s father, D. Suresh Babu.

What was Rana Daggubati’s first movie?

His first film as an actor was Leader (2010), directed by Sekhar Kammula.

Is Rana Naidu season 3 coming?

In October 2026, Rana said the next season of Rana Naidu is coming but that Netflix will share the details. No release date has been announced.

What is Spirit Media?

Spirit Media is Rana’s production and visual effects company. It has worked on more than 70 films and now backs feature films, including independent productions.

Sources

• Rana Daggubati – Wikipedia
• Rana on cinema vs short videos – Social News XYZ
• Rana Daggubati news – The Hans India
• Rana Naidu Season 2 – Khaleej Times