Naresh Vijaya – Popular film actor of Telugu cinema

Naresh Vijaya Krishna popularly known as Naresh is a Telugu cine personality and politician. He has played both lead and supporting roles, and has excelled in comic roles as well. He is the son of popular south Indian actress-director Vijaya Nirmala and stepson to superstar Krishna. Popular Telugu actors – Mahesh Babu, Manjula and Ramesh Babu are his step-siblings. He is a social activist, philanthropist and the founder of NGO – Blood Brothers Club, and has been associated with politics as well. He is a member of Bharatiya Janata Party. He served as the president of the Movie Artists Association.

Hindupur belonging to Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh is his birth place. His birth name is Naresh Krishna Murthy. He was born to Krishna Murthy and film actress turned director Vijaya Nirmala, who was a leading south Indian heroine of 1960s and 1970s. After his mother married her co-star Krishna in 1969, Naresh was brought up by his stepfather, though his parents were legally not divorced. Naresh’s first screen appearance was for the film Pandanti Kapuram in 1972, where he played a child. The following year he also appeared in his mother’s directorial debut Kavitha, which happens to be the first Malayalam film directed by a female director.

Prema Sankellu (1982) was his first film in a lead role, and he tasted success for the first time through Nalugu Stambhalata the same year. As a lead actor he owns many hit films to his credit throughout 1980s till mid-1990s, before he moved to supporting roles. He also appeared in many offbeat films screened at various film festivals. Some of his hit films as a hero include – Prema Sankellu, Rendu Jella Sita, Sreevariki Prema Lekha, Sri Kanaka Mahalaxmi Recording Dance Troupe, Bava Bava Panneeru, Manasu Mamatha, Jamba Lakidi Pamba etc. Now he is fully active in the industry playing father and other character roles onscreen.

Naresh – Some interesting and unknown facts

1. As a member of superstar Krishna’s family, he is related to politician and parliamentarian Jay Galla (son of Ramachandra Naidu Galla – well-known industrialist and Aruna Kumari Galla – an ex minister of Andhra Pradesh, and grandson of Paturi Rajagopala Naidu), who is married to Krishna’s daughter Padmavathi, as well as Telugu actor Sudheer Babu, who married Krishna’s second daughter Priyadarsini.

2. As a stepbrother to superstar Mahesh Babu, actress Namrata Shirodkar is his sister-in-law. Thus he is related to Shirodkar family too.

3. He received Nandi Award for Best Actor for Sogasu Chuda Taramaa? (1995) and Nandi Special Jury Award for Chitram Bhalare Vichitram (1992).

4. He is also a television actor who received Nandi awards for the series, Munimanikyam Gari Kantham Kadhalu.

5. He has done a few plays before he turned a solo hero in the early 1980s.

6. He has done many hilarious comic scenes with comedian Rajendra Prasad on Telugu big screen.