Akkineni Nageshwar Rao was born in 20 September 1924 at Ramapuram, Gudivada Taluk, Krishna District. Nageswara Rao has worked in several genres of films in his 69-year acting career, including mythological, social, and drama films. Nageswara Rao's first Telugu film was Dharmapatni. In his career spanning 69 years in the Telugu film industry, he has played the lead role in over 256 Telugu films and 26 Tamil films. ANR has acted in several landmark Telugu films like Tenali Rama Krishna, Kalidasu, Devadasu, Mayabazar, Missamma, Dr.Chakravarthi, Ardhangi, Muga Manasulu, Dasara Bullodu, Prem Nagar and Premabhishekam. Nageswara Rao has received several awards and honours including the Padma Shri (1968), Padma Bhushan (1988), Raghupathi Venkaiah Award (1989), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1990), Padma Vibhushan (2011), Kalaimamani. He has won a Filmfare Best Telugu Actor award, for Marapurani Manishi (1973). He has received five Nandi Awards, for Doctor Chakravarthy (1964), Antastulu