The audience only looks at talent, not the family name
Mahesh Babu’s nephew, Jaya Krishna Ghattamaneni, son of the late Ramesh Babu, made his debut with Srinivasa Mangapuram on July 30. The film reportedly registered one of the weakest openings for a star kid in recent Telugu cinema.
Ironically, history seems to be repeating itself. Jaya Krishna’s father, Ramesh Babu — the late elder brother of superstar Mahesh Babu and son of legendary actor Krishna — made his acting debut in the late 1980s with films such as Samraat. The audience rejected him as a leading man, prompting him to quit acting and concentrate on film production.
While the Telugu film industry is powered by powerful film dynasties, its audiences are equally known for being unforgiving. A famous surname may guarantee a grand launch, but it cannot ensure stardom. If the screen presence, acting ability or script selection falls short, viewers waste little time in delivering their verdict.
Star kids who struggled for acceptance
The Konidela-Allu clan, often jokingly described as a “cricket team” because of the sheer number of actors it has produced, has had its share of disappointments. Allu Sirish, younger brother of Allu Arjun, has never quite connected with audiences. Despite experimenting with different genres in films such as Srirastu Subhamastu and Okka Kshanam, he has been unable to establish himself as a frontline hero.
The Nandamuri family has also seen its share of setbacks. Nandamuri Taraka Ratna made headlines in 2002 when he signed a record nine films in a single day. However, early releases such as Okato Number Kurradu failed to click, and audiences rejected him as a leading man. He later reinvented himself in negative roles before his untimely death.
Roshan Meka, son of popular actor Srikanth, was introduced in K. Raghavendra Rao’s Pelli Sandadi (2021). Although the film’s music was a hit, Roshan’s performance drew criticism, and his subsequent projects have failed to generate significant momentum.
Actor Rajashekar’s daughters are yet to make a mark.
Late actor Krishna’s grandson, son of billionaire businessman Jay Galla, Galla Ashok, hasn’t been lucky too. Actor Nagarjuna’s nephews Sumanth and Sushant could not make it either.
