An enormous 15,000-square-foot minimalist mansion sits in a secluded Hyderabad bylane, nestled away in the posh Jubilee Hills neighborhood. The nameplate says ‘Ghattamaneni.’ Mahesh Babu, a Telugu film superstar, lives here with his wife, former actress and model Namrata Shirodkar, and their two children.
You are met with two enormous sculptures of Shirdi Saibaba and Ganesha as soon as you enter the private sanctuary. With a pleasant grin, the man of the manor approaches us. Namrata, who is sitting in a highchair in a little make-up area next to the living room, looks up and greets us. After nearly 18 years of marriage, this is the couple’s first photo shoot together.
In the year 2000, they met on the set of Vamsi. Mahesh chuckles, “It was one of the worst catastrophes.” “However, I met her, and we fell in love on set and began dating.” “We dated for five years before getting married, but after two years, we were very sure this was serious.”
A big, gold-framed Ramesh Gorjala, with a vibrant, crimson visage splattered across half the canvas, takes pride of place within their trendy, casual office space. The laughing buddhas are highlighted by the sunlight flowing in through the windows. Not just in appearance, but also in their easy banter, Mahesh and Namrata are a perfect match. Her demeanor is steady and certain, while he takes a back seat, both literally and symbolically, preferring to allow his stunning wife to take center stage.
This superstar, whose net worth is estimated to be more than $1.13 billion, is anything from a celebrity. “It took a long time for him to establish this disposition.” He does have a temper; it’s a high-pressure job, and he gets frustrated on occasion. However, as he acquired experience, he found that remaining calm made it easier to finish things.
Acting has always been an important aspect of his life. Mahesh was bitten by the acting bug as a child when he made his debut in his father, legendary actor Krishna Babu’s film Needa. The 46-year-old has had more than 25 films to his credit, eight of which have earned him prizes.
“He has been gifted with a wonderful career, but it is difficult to retain this position as expectations rise with each picture.” “He chooses his scripts and has done so since the beginning of his career,” he says. “As a rule, I don’t discuss the films I sign with anybody, not even my wife.” He’s made blunders that have aided my development. It stings when a picture doesn’t go well, he shared.
He had a strong run recently, although it had been erratic in the past. Spider, for example, was an experimental film that did not work. You get carried away, yet failing to glance back puts many others in danger, which is unjust. It’s not just me; distributors, exhibitors, and others are also involved. Now that the stakes are so high, and the funds are risen, upwards of Rs. 200 crores.”
