Kota Srinivasa Rao & Mahesh Babu Movies Together List — 8 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-19 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Kota Srinivasa Rao and Mahesh Babu appeared together in 8 Telugu films between 2000 and 2019. Their highest-rated collaboration was Khaleja (2010 — 7.8/10). Films span Vamsi (2000) through Maharshi (2019).
The Kota Srinivasa Rao & Mahesh Babu partnership
From Vamsi (2000) to Maharshi (2019). Naani (2004, 7.5/10) is the underseen one in the catalogue. Khaleja is the one most viewers reach for.
It started with Vamsi (2000).
The shape of the work
The 2000s belonged to Athadu; the 2010s to Khaleja. Kota Srinivasa Rao acted in every film; Mahesh Babu acted in all of them. Strictly Telugu cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Kota Srinivasa Rao was the one who first suggested Mahesh Babu's name to director Vamsi for the 2000 film 'Vamsi'. Mahesh was just two films old, and Kota had already worked with the director. He pushed for the young actor, and that film became their first collaboration.
- In 'Dookudu' (2011), Kota Srinivasa Rao played the villain, but he and Mahesh Babu had no direct confrontation scenes until the climax. Mahesh insisted they build the tension through Kota's off-screen presence — every time Mahesh's character mentioned the villain, the audience felt Kota's weight without seeing him.
- On the sets of 'Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu' (2013), Kota Srinivasa Rao would sit with Mahesh Babu between shots and narrate old Telugu film stories for hours. Mahesh later said those sessions taught him more about acting than any workshop.
- Mahesh Babu once said about Kota Srinivasa Rao: 'He doesn't act — he just becomes the character. I learned to stop performing and start living the scene by watching him.' He said this during a pre-release interview for 'Maharshi' (2019).
- Their pairing in 'Dookudu' (2011) set a template for Telugu commercial films: a young hero vs an older, seasoned villain who barely shares screen time until the final fight. At least three major Telugu films in the next five years copied that structure directly.
- In 'Maharshi' (2019), Kota Srinivasa Rao played a farmer, and Mahesh Babu played a CEO. Mahesh deliberately slowed down his dialogue delivery in every scene with Kota to match the older actor's rural rhythm — something he never did with any other co-star in that film.
8 films across 2 decades
The 2000s brought 4 films together, anchored by Athadu (7.7/10).
The 2010s brought 4 films together, anchored by Khaleja (7.8/10).
- Athadu
- Naani
- Khaleja
- Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
8 films across 19 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Telugu being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
67% of Mahesh Babu's screen credits are with Kota Srinivasa Rao. When they first worked together, Kota Srinivasa Rao had 46 films behind them; Mahesh Babu had 1.
Before Vamsi, Kota Srinivasa Rao had starred in 46 films, including Money Money (1995) and Top Hero (1994).
After Maharshi, Kota Srinivasa Rao went on to appear in 8 more films, including Konda Polam (2021) and Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 – Sword vs Spirit (2025).
Before Vamsi, Mahesh Babu had starred in 1 film, including Raja Kumaradu (1999).
After Maharshi, Mahesh Babu went on to appear in 3 more films, including Guntur Kaaram (2024) and Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Kota Srinivasa Rao & Mahesh Babu's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Nassar is the through-line — cast on 6 of their 8 films. They worked with the same 7 people again and again — a small repertory company. Nassar appears alongside them in 6 films — practically a third lead.
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