# Allu Aravind

Allu Aravind (born 10 January 1949) is an Indian film producer, film distributor, and businessman. He is regarded as one of the most successful producers in South Indian cinema. He is the founder of Geetha Arts, a major film production house in the Telugu film industry. He is also the co-owner of Aha, an online streaming service, and the Indian Super League club, Kerala Blasters FC. Aravind won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement and two Nandi Awards for his work as a producer.
Some of his notable works as a producer include Bantrothu Bharya (1974), Subhalekha (1982), Pasivadi Pranam (1987), Attaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu (1989), Mappillai (1989), Master (1997), Ninaithen Vandhai (1998), Mangalyam Tantunanena (1998), Annayya (2000), Jalsa (2008), Ghajini (2008), Magadheera (2009), Sarrainodu (2016), Ala Vaikuntapuramulo (2020).

## Early life

Allu Aravind is born on 10 January 1949 in Palakollu, West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. His father, Allu Ramalingaiah is a noted Telugu comic actor who acted in over 1000 films. His sons, Allu Arjun and Allu Sirish are Telugu film actors. His sister Surekha is the wife of Telugu actor Chiranjeevi. Aravind is the maternal uncle of Ram Charan.

## Career

Allu Aravind founded Geetha Arts, a film production and distribution company in 1972. The company was named after the Hindu philosophical text Bhagavad Geeta which inspired Allu Aravind. Geetha Arts marked its beginning through the 1974 Telugu film Bantrothu Bharya.
Aravind has produced many films over the years. Jalsa, a 2008 Telugu film starring Pawan Kalyan was the second-highest grosser in Telugu cinema at the time. Their next, Ghajini, a Bollywood film starring Aamir Khan grossed over $45 million at box office, making it the highest grossing Indian film. Magadheera, a big-budget sword-and-sandal epic grossed $25 million at the box office and was the highest-grossing Telugu film of all time at the time of its release.

## Filmography
### Producer
#### Telugu

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1974 | Bantrotu Bharya | Co-produced with Dasari Narayana Murthy |
| 1975 | Devude Digivaste | Director - Dasari Narayana Rao |
| 1979 | Maavullo Mahasivudu | Director - Raja Chandra |
| 1982 | Subhalekha | Co-produced with V. V. Sastry under "Prashanthi Creations" |
| 1982 | Yamakinkarudu | Director - Raj Bharat |
| 1984 | Hero | |
| 1985 | Vijetha | |
| 1987 | Aradhana | |
| 1987 | Pasivadi Pranam | Director - A. Kodandarami Reddy |
| 1989 | Attaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu | |
| 1991 | Rowdy Alludu | Co-produced with K. Venkateswara Rao and Panja Prasad under "Sri Sai Ram Arts" |
| 1993 | Mechanic Alludu | |
| 1994 | S. P. Parasuram | Co-produced with G. K Reddy and Mukesh Udeshi under "Sai Charan Combines" |
| 1996 | Pelli Sandadi | Co-produced with C. Ashwini Dutt and K. Raghavendra Rao under "Shri Raghavendra Movie Corporation" |
| 1996 | Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi | |
| 1997 | Master | |
| 1998 | Paradesi | Co-produced with C. Ashwini Dutt and K. Raghavendra Rao under "Shri Raghavendra Movie Corporation" |
| 2000 | Annayya | Co-produced with K. Venkateswara Rao under "Sri Sai Ram Arts" |
| 2001 | Daddy | |
| 2003 | Pellam Oorelithe | Co-produced with C. Ashwini Dutt under "Siri Media Arts" |
| 2003 | Gangotri | Co-produced with C. Ashwini Dutt and K. Raghavendra Rao under "United Producers" Marking as KRR's 100th Film |
| 2003 | Johnny | |
| 2004 | Intlo Srimathi Veedhilo Kumari | Co-produced with C. Ashwani Dutt under "Siri Media Arts" |
| 2005 | Bunny | Co-produced with M. Satya Narayana under "Siri Venkateswara Productions Pvt. Limited" |
| 2005 | Andarivaadu | |
| 2006 | Happy | |
| 2008 | Jalsa | Santosham Best Film Award |
| 2009 | Magadheera | National Film Award for Best Special Effects Nandi Award for Best Popular Feature Film Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu CineMAA Award for Best Film Santosham Best Film Award |
| 2011 | 100% Love | |
| 2011 | Badrinaath | |
| 2014 | Kotha Janta | |
| 2014 | Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitham | |
| 2016 | Sarrainodu | |
| 2016 | Srirastu Subhamastu | |
| 2016 | Dhruva | |
| 2020 | Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo | |

#### Hindi

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1990 | Pratibandh | |
| 1994 | The Gentleman | |
| 1997 | Mere Sapno Ki Rani | Co-produced with C. Ashwani Dutt and K. Raghavendra Rao under "Sri Raghavendra Movie Corporation" |
| 1999 | Kaun? | Co-produced with Mukesh Udeshi under "Kshitij Production Combines" |
| 2000 | Kunwara | |
| 2002 | Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai | |
| 2003 | Calcutta Mail | Co-produced with C. Ashwani Dutt and Mukesh Udeshi under "Siri Media Arts" |
| 2008 | Ghajini | Stardust Hottest New Film Award |
| 2022 | Jersey | |
| 2023 | Shehzada | Co-produced with Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Aman Gill, S. Radha Krishna and Kartik Aaryan |

#### Tamil

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1989 | Mappillai | |
| 1998 | Ninaithen Vandhai | Co-produced with C. Ashwani Dutt and K. Raghavendra Rao under "Sri Raghavendra Movie Corporation" |
| 2003 | Magic Magic 3D | Presenter of the film along with Navodaya Appachan |
| 2015 | Darling | |

#### Kannada

| Year | Title | Notes | Ref |
| 1998 | Mangalyam Tantunanena | | |
| 2016 | Sundaranga Jaana | | |

### Actor

* Maa Voollo Mahasivudu (1979) as Sub-Inspector of Police
* Hero (1984)
* Mahanagaramlo Mayagadu (1984)
* Chantabbai (1986)

### Distributor

* Ghajini (2005) (Dubbed version)

## Awards and honours
### Nandi Awards

* Best Home Viewing Feature Film - Pelli Sandadi
* Best Popular Feature Film - Magadheera (2009)

### Filmfare Awards South

* Best Film - Telugu - Magadheera (2009)
* Lifetime Achievement Award (2022)

### Other Awards

* Champions of Change Award in 2019, for his exceptional work in social welfare in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
* Santosham Dasari Smarakam Award (producer) at 15th Santosham Film Awards.

## Other works

Allu Aravind is one of the minority stake holders of the football club Kerala Blasters FC that competes in the Indian Super League, the top tier of Indian Football. He is a key person and co-owner of aha, a Telugu-streaming over-the-top service.