Happy birthday, Ram Charan: Memorable roles of 'RRR' star

Global star Ram Charan is currently riding high on the unprecedented popularity and success of his all-time blockbuster film RRR. Son of Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi, he stepped into the industry in 2007 and, since then, has carved a niche of his own through his versatility. As the charming actor turns 38, we look at some of his most acclaimed roles over the years.

Written and directed by Sukumar (Pushpa), Rangasthalam (which translates to theater or stage) premiered theatrically in March 2018. Reportedly mounted on a budget of Rs. 60cr, it went on to gain humungous profits at the box office and earned about Rs. 216cr. It co-starred Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Jagapathi Babu, and Anasuya Bharadwaj. The movie is currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

A 2014 film, Yevadu was fronted by Charan, Shruti Haasan, Amy Jackson, and Rahul Dev, while Allu Arjun appeared in a cameo. One of the most successful movies of 2014, it is said to be slightly inspired by John Woo's 1997 movie Face/Off. Vamshi Paidipally co-wrote and directed the drama. It can be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar, Voot, Amazon Prime Video, or Netflix.

Charan's debut film, Chirutha (2007) was directed by Puri Jagannadh (Liger) and co-starred an ensemble of Neha Sharma, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Prakash Raj. It was reportedly the highest-grossing Tollywood film for a debut actor until the record was broken by Uppena (2021). The action revenge drama, streaming on ZEE5, MX Player, and Prime Video, follows a young man who goes after his parents' murderer.

Another film that catapulted him to pan-Indian popularity, SS Rajamouli's Magadheera was a story of two star-crossed lovers who lose each other in ancient India but find each other again in the modern world! Co-starring Kajal Aggarwal, the 2009 film put to the fore Charan's ability to get into the skin of any character—contemporary or historical. It is available on Aha and MX Player.