Mahesh Babu Birthday Special: 5 Impressive Traits That Made Him Telugu's Favourite Superstar

The very handsome Mahesh Babu turns 43 today, but it is another matter that he doesn't look a year beyond 30. We are still trying to crack his ever-youthful looks, which mostly should be given credit to his stickler nature towards fitness. One of the busiest and in-demand superstars of Telugu cinema, Mahesh Babu is a force de majeure in the industry. He has just delivered a huge hit this year in Bharat Ane Nenu, a movie that also got referenced in the recent Parliament session.

Speaking more about the superstar, Mahesh Babu was born in 1975 to actor Krishna and his wife Indira. Not many know that his full name is Mahesh Ghattamaneni. After playing a child artiste in several movies, Mahesh Babu made his adult debut in the year 1999 with Raja Kumarudu. Preity Zinta was the female lead in the movie. While the movie was a success, it was 2003's Okkadu that thrust superstardom upon him. The movie was later remade into Tamil (Vijay's Ghilli) and Hindi (Arjun Kapoor's Tevar). From thereon, there was no turning back for this superstar. Even though he had delivered duds in his career, Mahesh Babu's superstardom remained intact. Here's looking at 5 traits that helped him in retaining that massive fan-following that Mahesh Babu commands.

Handsomeness Mixed with Machismo 

Mahesh Babu is considered as one of the most handsome stars in the country. Why, he even beat the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan for the first spot in the list of Most Desirable Men in India in 2013. But Mahesh Babu doesn't use his chocolate boy looks for maintaining a romantic image in film. He has created an action legacy for himself, that works well with the masses. The combination of good looks with a killer attitude is pure deadly!

The Family Man

While he kicks ass on screen, off-screen, Mahesh Babu is a complete family man, something his fans totally respect him for. Mahesh married Marathi mulgi Namrata Shirodkar, with whom he worked with in Vamsi, in 2005 after dating her for four years. They have two kids now, a boy Gautham Krishna and a girl Sithara. Whichever function that Mahesh Babu attends, he makes sure that his better half do accompany him.

The box appeal

You can only be called a superstar if your films work at the box office. While he has seen his ups and downs in his career, Mahesh Babu's films often get that great initial at the box office, and if the movies are really good, like the recent Bharat Ane Nenu, it will turn out to be blockbusters. The superstar also has a huge following overseas.

The philanthropic nature

South stars are known for their charitable work, and Mahesh Babu is no different from them. He is one of the rare few who doesn't like to crow about what he is doing for the society. It is said that he gives 30% of his annual income to charities, has adopted villages and helps the government in relief projects without publicising his name. Mahesh Babu is also a part of Farhan Akhtar's Men Against Rape and Discrimination (MARD) campaign, as well as being appointed as the goodwill ambassador of Heal-a-child Foundation.

Mixing genres 

There is a reason why Mahesh Babu's movies don't always work at the box office. 'Cos while they are made on a large scope, they don't stick to a particular genre so it makes for a more risky move with good dividends if played well. Just look at some of his recent movies - Srimanthudu was a family drama and so was Brahmotsavam. SPYder, as the name goes, is a spy thriller while Bharat Ane Nenu is a political drama with scope for action. While he does massy roles, save for BAN, his movies don't exactly reek of future real-life political ambitions.

On behalf of the entire LatestLY desk, we wish the very handsome Mahesh Babu Many Many Happy Returns of the Day!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 09, 2018 02:29 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).