Deverakonda Vijay Sai (born May 9, 1989), better known as Vijay Deverakonda, is an Indian actor and film producer best known for his work in Telugu cinema. He has won a Filmfare Award, a Nandi Award, and a SIIMA Award. He has been on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2018.
Deverakonda made his acting debut in Nuvvila (2011) and was praised for his performance in the coming-of-age drama Yevade Subramanyam (2015). With the blockbusters Pelli Choopulu (2016) and Arjun Reddy (2017), he established himself as a leading film actor, winning the Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Telugu for his performance in the latter. He rose to prominence after appearing in Mahanati (2018), Geetha Govindam (2018), and Taxiwaala (2018). (2018).
Deverakonda began producing under the banner King of the Hill Entertainment, which has notably supported Meeku Maathrame Cheptha (2019) and Pushpaka Vimanam (2019). (2021). Aside from his film career, Deverakonda endorses numerous products and created his own fashion label, Rowdy Wear, which will debut on Myntra in 2020. In January 2023, he became a co-owner of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League's premier volleyball team, the Hyderabad Black Hawks.
Early years
Deverakonda Vijay Sai was born to Govardhan Rao and Madhavi in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana). His ancestors are from Thummanpeta village in the former Mahbubnagar district (now Nagarkurnool). His father was a television serial director who gave up after a lack of success.
Vijay attended Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School in Puttaparthi until the tenth grade. He went on to study Intermediate at Little Flower Junior College in Hyderabad. He is a Bachelor of Commerce graduate. Anand Devarakonda, his younger brother, is also a Telugu film actor.
Career
Early in one's career (2011–2015)
Deverakonda made his acting debut in Ravi Babu's romantic comedy Nuvvila (2011). He later played a minor role in Sekhar Kammula's Life is Beautiful (2012). He was introduced to Nag Ashwin, who cast him in a supporting role alongside actor Nani in the 2015 coming-of-age drama Yevade Subramanyam. The film was produced by the daughters of Telugu film producer Ashwini Dutt; Priyanka Dutt backed him and once shooting began, Swapna Dutt signed him onto her company.
Breakthrough and achievement (2016–present)
Pelli Choopulu, a coming-of-age romance directed by Tharun Bhascker, was Deverakonda's first lead role. The film was a commercial success, earning the Filmfare Award for Best Film - Telugu and the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu at the 64th National Film Awards. In 2017, he appeared in the masala film Dwaraka. He then starred in Arjun Reddy, a romantic drama that received both praise and criticism for being daring and radical. His portrayal of a self-destructive, short-tempered, and alcoholic surgeon, on the other hand, garnered widespread critical acclaim and earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Telugu. Deverakonda's performance in Arjun Reddy was named one of the "100 Greatest Performances of the Decade" by Film Companion in 2019.
Following Arjun Reddy, he starred in Ye Mantram Vesave, a film that was supposed to be released in 2013, but was instead released in 2018. He later appeared in Mahanati, a biographical film based on the life of actress Savitri. Geetha Arts' romantic comedy Geetha Govindam, in which he starred as an innocent and nervous college professor, was Deverakonda's next release in 2018. The film received mixed-to-positive reviews upon its initial release and went on to become a huge commercial success at the box office. For his performance in the film, Deverakonda received his second nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Telugu. NOTA, a Tamil political thriller directed by Anand Shankar, was his next film, which did poorly at the box office. Taxiwaala, a supernatural comedy thriller produced by UV Creations, was his next project.
Deverakonda appeared alongside Rashmika Mandanna in Bharat Kamma's Dear Comrade, a romantic action drama, in 2019. Later, he signed on for Hero, directed by Anand Annamalai and starring Malavika Mohanan. However, the film was reportedly shelved after it began production. In 2020, he starred in Kranthi Madhav's romantic drama World Famous Lover alongside Raashi Khanna, Catherine Tresa, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Izabelle Leite, which received mixed reviews upon its initial release. In 2022, he appeared in the Hindi-Telugu bilingual film Liger, directed by Puri Jagannadh and produced by Karan Johar, which received mixed reviews. He is currently starring in Kushi, a film directed by Shiva Nirvana and set to be released on December 23, 2022. He is also attached to the film Jana Gana Mana, directed by Puri Jagannadh and set to be released on August 3, 2023.
Other assignments
He was the brand ambassador for Zomato, a food delivery app. Rowdy Wear, Deverakonda's fashion label, debuted on October 15, 2018. Rowdy Wear was later launched on Myntra in 2020.
Deverakonda has contributed to relief efforts, including a gift to the families of those killed in the 2019 Pulwama attack.
In April 2019, Deverakonda conceptualised and established The Deverakonda Foundation, a non-profit organisation. In early 2020, he donated $24,000 to Ganesh Ambari, a kickboxer who won the Vaco Indian Open International Kick-boxing Championship Title 2020, through the Foundation.
An initiative has been launched to combat the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. With the help of his Middle Class Fund, the foundation has successfully assisted 17,000 middle-class families with their groceries and basic necessities, spending 1.7 crores (MCF). Over 8,500 volunteers contributed over 1.5 crores to his community effort. The organisers have decided to end the initiative on June 2, 2020.
In the news
Deverakonda claims that his family used to call him a rowdy whenever he did something they didn't approve of. He began using this term for himself and his fans over time.
Deverakonda is known for expressing his true, unfiltered opinions on stage or in interviews, and has gained both popularity and criticism for his brutal honesty, such as his speech at the Arjun Reddy audio launch in 2017.
Deverakonda was ranked 72nd on the 2018 Forbes India Celebrity 100 list. He was ranked No. 4 in The Times Most Desirable Men in 2018, No. 3 in 2019, and No. 2 in 2020. He was also named to Forbes India's 30 Under 30 list, and according to Google's annual report, he is the most-searched South Indian actor.
 | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Nuvvila | Vishnu | Telugu | |
| 2012 | Life Is Beautiful | Ajay | Telugu | |
| 2015 | Yevade Subramanyam | Rishi | Telugu | |
| 2016 | Pelli Choopulu | Prashanth | Telugu | |
| 2017 | Dwaraka | Erra Srinu/Sri Krishnananda Swamy | Telugu | |
| Arjun Reddy | Dr. Arjun Reddy Deshmukh | Telugu | ||
| 2018 | Ye Mantram Vesave | Nikhil "Nikki" | Telugu | |
| Mahanati | Vijay Anthony | Telugu | ||
| Geetha Govindam | Vijay Govind | Telugu | Also singer for "What the Life" | |
| NOTA | Varun Subramanyam | Tamil | ||
| Ee Nagaraniki Emaindhi | Himself | Telugu | Cameo | |
| Taxiwaala | Shiva Rawaali | Telugu | ||
| 2019 | Dear Comrade | Chaitanya ''Bobby" Krishna | Telugu | |
| Meeku Maathrame Cheptha | Himself | Telugu | Cameo; also producer | |
| 2020 | World Famous Lover | Gautham/Seenayya "Srinu" Prajapat | Telugu | |
| 2021 | Jathi Ratnalu | Blue shirt guy | Telugu | Cameo |
| 2022 | Liger | Sashwath Agarwal (Liger) | Hindi Telugu | |
| 2023 | Kushi | TBA | Telugu | Filming |
| Year | Films |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Meeku Maathrame Cheptha |
| 2021 | Pushpaka Vimanam |
| Year | Shows | Role | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Bigg Boss 1 | Himself | Star Maa | Guest Contestant |
| 2019 | Bigg Boss 3 | Himself | Guest Contestant |
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Nandi Awards | Special Jury Award | Yevade Subramanyam | Won |
| 2017 | Zee Golden Awards | Best Actor | Arjun Reddy | Won |
| 2018 | Filmfare Awards South | Best Actor – Telugu | Won | |
| 2018 | South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Actor (Telugu) | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Geetha Govindam | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor (Critics) – Telugu | Won | |||
| 2019 | Filmfare Awards South | Best Actor – Telugu | Nominated | |
| 2022 | South Indian International Movie Awards | Youth Icon South (Male) | — | Won |
| 2023 | Hello Awards | Break Through Super Star of the year | . -- | Won |
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Other Name | Rowdy |
| Full Name | Deverakonda Vijay Sai |
| Profession(s) | Actor, Film Producer |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 180 cm in meters- 1.80 m in feet inches- 5’ 11” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 70 kg in pounds- 154 lbs |
| Body Measurements (approx.) | - Chest: 42 inches - Waist: 32 inches - Biceps: 14 inches |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Hair Colour | Brown |
| Career | |
| Debut | Film (Telugu; As an actor): Nuvvila (2011) as Vishnu Film (Tamil; As an actor): ‘NOTA’ (2018) as Varun Subramanyam Film (Hindi; As an actor): Liger (2022) as Liger Film (Telugu; As a producer): ‘Meeku Maathrame Cheptha’ (2019; produced under Vijay's film production banner King of the Hill Entertainment) |
| Awards | • 2015: Nandi Award for the Telugu film Yevade Subramanyam under the Special Jury Award category • 2018: Filmfare Awards South for Best Actor for the Telugu film Arjun Reddy • 2019: South Indian International Movie Award for Best Actor (Critics) for the Telugu film Geetha Govindam • 2019: Zee Cine Awards Telugu for Favourite Actor for the Telugu film Geetha Govindam |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 9 May 1989 (Tuesday) |
| Age (as of 2022) | 33 Years |
| Birthplace | Achampet, Telangana, India |
| Zodiac sign | Taurus |
| Autograph |  |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Thummanpeta, Balmoor Mandal of Mahbubnagar District, Telangana |
| School | • Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh (up to class 10) • Little Flower Junior College, Hyderabad |
| College | Badruka College of Commerce and Arts, Hyderabad |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor of Commerce [3]News 18 |
| Religion | Hinduism [4]Instagram- Vijay Deverakonda |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian [5]The Times of India |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Family | |
| Wife | N/A |
| Parents | Father- Govardhana Rao Deverakonda (television serial director) Mother- Madhavi Deverakonda (soft skill & personality development trainer) |
| Siblings | Brother- Anand Deverakonda (actor; image in parents' section) Sister- None |
| Favourites | |
| Actor(s) | Pawan Kalyan, Mahesh Babu, Ranbir Kapoor, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep |
| Films | The Godfather (1972), Schindler’s List (1993) |
| Food | Hyderabad Dum Biryani, Mango |
| Junk Food | Burger |
| Author | Konstantin Sergeievich Stanislavski |
| Singer | Sid Sriram |
| Destination | Kerala |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | • BMW 5 Series • Ford Mustang • Mercedes Benz GLC Class • Range Rover • Volvo XC 90 |
| Money Factor | |
| Income/Fees | Rs 20 to 25 crore per film (as of 2022) |
| Assets/Properties | A bungalow in Hyderabad |
| Net Worth | Rs 39 crore (as of 2022) |
We come from a family of farmers in Achampet (Mehboobnagar). My father came to Hyderabad to become an actor, took an acting course and realised he was camera conscious. He felt he’d be a better director but getting a breakthrough was a nightmare. Satellite channels were opening up and he ventured into television series. There wasn’t much money and scripts weren’t exciting. A few production houses asked dad to direct for them. He comes from a ‘dora’ mindset of not wanting to work for others. So he got real estate people from the village to invest. They did it just to see their names on TV. But they backed out when payments were delayed. Then dad worked on ad films for the government and it kept us going. Dad is my staunch supporter. He is so happy for me today.”
I was 25. Andhra Bank lo 500 Rs. min balance maintain cheyakapothe lock chesinru account. Dad said settle before 30 – That way you can enjoy your success when you are young and parents are healthy.”
Now I work only if the content stimulates me and excites me. I’ve done lots of things for money in the past. There were movies that I did for money. There were small gigs where I had to make some sort of appearance. There’s a music video I did purely because I was planning to buy a house and I fell short of money. There was a time when I hustled and did anything that gave me Rs 10,000 and above. I was ready to do it because it was a necessity. Now money doesn’t excite me. It’s still important because I need to be paid for what I do. I know what I deserve and only if that is paid will I work. But it’s not a factor in decision-making. Even if you show me obscene amounts of money I will not do something I don’t like.”
Sometimes, what I do is I wear a burqa and go into theatres and sit amongst the audience and watch (my films). If you see a burqa-clad tall person around you, it could probably be me.”
I think, I will donate all my organs. I would love for it to be part of someone after my life and help them in their life. I don’t see any point in wasting my organs. I stay fit and keep myself healthy… My mother and I have registered ourselves to donate our organs. It is such a beautiful thing that you continue to live on in some way because of your generosity. I encourage everyone to be open to the idea of organ donation.”
