Prakash Raj & Mahesh Babu Movies Together List — 18 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-04 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Prakash Raj and Mahesh Babu appeared together in 18 Telugu films between 1999 and 2024. Their highest-rated collaboration was Khaleja (2010 — 7.8/10). Films span Raja Kumaradu (1999) through Guntur Kaaram (2024).
The Prakash Raj & Mahesh Babu partnership
Their work runs across 4 decades of Telugu cinema. For 25 years, a Prakash–Mahesh film arrived almost every year. From Raja Kumaradu (1999) to Guntur Kaaram (2024).
Pokiri (2006, 7.5/10) is the underseen one in the catalogue. Their most recent film, Guntur Kaaram, came out in 2024 — the partnership is still active.
The shape of the work
The 1990s belonged to Raja Kumaradu; the 2020s to Guntur Kaaram. Prakash Raj acted in every film; Mahesh Babu acted in all of them. Strictly Telugu cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Prakash Raj was the one who suggested Mahesh Babu's name for the villain role in 'Okkadu' (2003). The director Gunasekhar initially hesitated, but Prakash Raj insisted that Mahesh had the intensity to pull it off. That film turned Mahesh into a star.
- In 'Pokiri' (2006), Prakash Raj deliberately slowed down his dialogue delivery in the climax scene to let Mahesh's silence land harder. He told Mahesh on set: 'Your pause is the punch. Don't rush it.' That scene is still memed in Telugu cinema.
- Prakash Raj and Mahesh Babu have a standing rule: they never rehearse their scenes together before the shoot. They believe the first take has a raw energy that can't be recreated. This started during 'Arjun' (2004) and they've stuck to it for 20 years.
- Their pairing in 'Businessman' (2012) directly inspired the 2014 Tamil film 'Jigarthanda' — director Karthik Subbaraj said he wrote the gangster-mentor dynamic after watching how Prakash Raj's character manipulated Mahesh's in that film.
- In 'Guntur Kaaram' (2024), Prakash Raj improvised a line where he calls Mahesh's character 'mama' (uncle) — a deliberate inversion of their real-life age gap. Mahesh broke character and laughed, and the director kept that take in the final cut.
18 films across 4 decades
The 1990s accounted for 1 film, averaging 5.8/10.
The 2000s brought 8 films together, anchored by Athadu (7.7/10).
The 2010s brought 7 films together, anchored by Khaleja (7.8/10).
The 2020s accounted for 2 films, averaging 6.0/10.
- Raja Kumaradu
- Athadu
- Nijam
- Khaleja
- Businessman
- Guntur Kaaram
- Sarileru Neekevvaru
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
18 films across 25 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Telugu being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
38% of Prakash Raj's screen credits are with Mahesh Babu.
Before Raja Kumaradu, Prakash Raj had starred in 23 films, including Nila (1994) and Poomani (1996).
After Guntur Kaaram, Prakash Raj went on to appear in 6 more films, including CHAMPION (2025) and Retro (2025).
Raja Kumaradu was Mahesh Babu's acting debut.
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Prakash Raj & Mahesh Babu's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Devi Sri Prasad scored 3 of them. They worked with the same 15 people again and again — a small repertory company. Brahmanandam appears alongside them in 7 films — practically a third lead.
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