30 Best Nagarjuna Movies and Where to Stream Them
For decades now, Nagarjuna has endured as one of the most bankable stars in Telugu movies.
Nagarjuna’s Career at a Glance
Nagarjuna hails from a prestigious film family, with his father, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, being a legendary actor. His own son Akkikkeni Nagarjuna has gone on to be a popular Telugu actor. But Nagarjuna has managed to carve his own niche as a star capable of leading action thrillers, romantic comedies, and slice-of-life dramas.
Debuting in 1986 with the Telugu film Vikram, directed by V. Madhusudhan Rao, Nagarjuna quickly gained attention for his charismatic screen presence and dynamic dance moves. However, his breakthrough came with Majnu (1987), where he portrayed a captivating young man entangled in a love triangle. This success propelled him to stardom, laying the groundwork for a prolific career.
Throughout his journey, Nagarjuna has effortlessly portrayed a wide range of characters across genres. From romantic dramas like Geethanjali (1989) and Ninne Pelladatha (1996) to action-packed thrillers such as Siva (1989) and Don (2007), and intense dramas like Annamayya (1997) and Manam (2014), he has garnered acclaim and adoration.
Beyond acting, Nagarjuna has made significant contributions as a producer through his company, Annapurna Studios, nurturing emerging talent in the industry. His ventures into Hindi cinema with films like Ram Gopal Varma’s cult crime classic Shiva (1990) and the Amitabh Bachchan-fronted epic romance Khuda Gawah (1992) expanded his fan base, establishing him as a pan-Indian star.
One of his most recent Hindi hits included a superpowered divine being in Brahmastra Part One Shiva, the first installment of the Ranbir Kapoor-led Astraverse. Despite a brief role, Nagarjuna proved how despite his leading man status, he can often share screen space with other rising stars.
A great example of Nagarajuna’s later roles is similarly in Oopiri, the Telugu remake of the French drama The Intouchables. Playing a wheelchair bound, introverted millionaire, Nagarjuna seamlessly sunk his teeth into the role while sharing impeccable chemistry with a younger star like Karthi who plays his free-spirited caretaker.
And at the same time, Nagarjuna still lives up to his hero status in his 60s with a recent case in point being the military thriller Wild Dog in which the Telugu industry stalwarts plays a National Investigative Agency operative leading a black-ops team. The man who played the rowdy college student in Shiva still has what it takes to cook up a storm.
Why is Shiva/Siva Nagarjuna’s best movie to watch?
While many of Nagarjuna’s mass entertainers are exciting to watch, it’s the Ram Gopal Varma cult hit Shiva (Hindi)/Siva (Telugu) that adds a unique depth to mainstream Indian action. Set in the context of gang violence in a college, Nagarjuna plays a violent student who gets embroiled in a larger criminal conspiracy. With subversive introspection on youth and masculinity, Shiva has only aged well with time for both Hindi and Telugu audiences. The scene with Nagarjuna’s Shiva beating his adversaries to pulp with nothing but a bicycle chain wrapped around his fists, has gone down as one of the most memorable visuals of ‘90s-era cinema in the country.
If you are a diehard fan of the Mass and Don actor, then we have got the definitive list of the best Nagarjuna movies along with a handy guide on where to stream them.
