Uppalapati Venkata Krishnam Raju was an Indian actor and politician. He was known for his works in Telugu cinema and was widely known as "Rebel Star" for his rebellious acting style. He was also the winner of the inaugural Nandi Award for Best Actor. Krishnam Raju starred in more than 183 feature films in his career. He made his film debut with the 1966 film Chilaka Gorinka produced and directed by K. Pratyagatma. Krishnam Raju had won five Filmfare Awards South and three state Nandi Awards. Krishnam Raju was also an active politician.