Nani, born as Ghanta Naveen Babu, was a simple boy from Hyderabad who became addicted to films when he was an undergraduate. Especially Mani Ratnam’s movies. As an outsider he worked various jobs on many film sets. When the time came for him to be on screen, the actor chose to be called by the nickname given to him by his mother — Nani.
It was with this name that the outsider entered into the Telugu film industry in 2008. Now, 17 years later, Nani is one of the highest-paid Telugu actors. Moreover, he has also proven his prowess as a producer with his blockbuster HIT franchise.
Nani’s journey: Worked as a clap director and then as an RJ
But Nani’s journey in the acting world did not start with a desire for acting. He wanted to become a director rather than an actor. So he started working around film sets as a clap director, where his job was to clap the board. Then he went on to work as a radio jockey for a year, and hosted a programme named Non-stop Nani. This would mark the first time that the actor used his nickname while connecting with the public.
