A rare coincidence: Akkineni Nagarjuna’s debut Vikram, Nageswara Rao’s last film Manam released on May 23

Hyderabad: In a rare coincidence, May 23 marks two major milestones for the Akkineni family, making it a memorable date for their fans and Telugu cinema alike.

On this day in 1986, Akkineni Nagarjuna made his acting debut with Vikram. Exactly 28 years later, on May 23, 2014, Manam was released, marking the final film of his father, veteran actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao. The film also featured Nagarjuna and his sons, Naga Chaitanya and Akhil, bringing three generations of the family together on screen.

“For my debut and my father’s final film to release on the same day, decades apart, feels like cinema’s way of telling our story, a story of legacy, love, and a lifelong commitment to the craft,” Nagarjuna said. Manam, released a few months after Nageswara Rao’s death, was received as a tribute to his six-decade-long film career. Nagarjuna was born on August 29, 1959, in Madras, now Chennai, to Nageswara Rao and Annapurna. The family hails from Ramapuram in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna District. Nageswara Rao moved to Madras to pursue acting and went on to become one of the most respected names in Telugu cinema.

Over his career, Nagarjuna has acted in more than 90 films across Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil languages. He has received two National Film Awards for Ninne Pelladata in 1996 and Annamayya in 1997, along with ten Nandi Awards and three Filmfare Awards South. He has also worked as a producer, television presenter, and entrepreneur.

As Nagarjuna completes 39 years in the industry, May 23 stands out as a day that shows both a personal and professional journey, one that continues to resonate with Akkineni fans and the wider film community.