Last updated: October 2026
What Is Tollywood?
Tollywood is the Telugu film industry, which makes films mainly in Telugu. The industry serves audiences in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and Telugu movies are also popular across India and overseas. The name Tollywood follows the style of Hollywood. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are separate states that share Telugu as a major language. Chiranjeevi, Balakrishna, Nagarjuna and Venkatesh are among the established stars of Telugu cinema, and they still have strong fan followings.
Who Are the Top Actors in Tollywood?
These are some of the most popular Telugu cinema stars, known for their fans, films and screen presence. There is no official No. 1 ranking of all Tollywood actors; popularity depends on the criteria used.
These names are regularly discussed among top Tollywood actors. The label "tier 1" is used informally by fans and entertainment media, not as an official industry classification. For a dedicated discussion, see Tier 1 Heroes in Tollywood.
Pawan Kalyan
Pawan Kalyan has one of the most devoted fan bases in Telugu cinema. His dialogue delivery and screen presence are a big part of his appeal. Films such as Tholi Prema, Kushi, Gabbar Singh and Attarintiki Daredi are important highlights of his career, and his recent releases include Bheemla Nayak (2022), They Call Him OG (2025) and Hari Hara Veera Mallu (2025). He is also known for his political work: he founded the Jana Sena Party and has served as Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh since June 2024. Fans often call him the Power Star, while claims about having the most fans cannot be verified by an official count. Read more about Pawan Kalyan and the No. 1 hero debate.
Mahesh Babu
Mahesh Babu is widely known as the Superstar of Tollywood. He has a strong following in the Telugu states and beyond, and films such as Okkadu, Pokiri, Srimanthudu and Bharat Ane Nenu helped establish his popularity. His understated performances and screen presence remain important parts of his appeal. He also connects with fans through his social media account.
Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi is one of Telugu cinema's most influential stars. His energetic dance moves and performances helped reshape mainstream Telugu films, especially during the 1980s and 1990s. He remains popular with audiences of different generations and continues to act in Telugu cinema.
Prabhas
Prabhas became known across India through Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. Those films transformed him from a major Telugu star into a widely recognised pan-Indian actor. Salaar: Part 1 followed in 2023 and Kalki 2898 AD in 2024, and The Raja Saab arrived in 2026. His large-scale films continue to attract interest from audiences in several languages. Read about pan-Indian stars in Tollywood.
Allu Arjun
Allu Arjun is known for dance, style and varied commercial roles. His popularity extends beyond the Telugu states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Pushpa: The Rise was released in 2021, followed by Pushpa 2: The Rule in 2024. His performance alongside Fahadh Faasil helped make the Pushpa films a major talking point. Fans also follow him on Instagram and Facebook. See our article on versatile Telugu actors.
Jr NTR
Jr NTR is admired for his acting, dancing and powerful dialogue delivery. Temper showed a different side of his screen image, while Janatha Garage, in which he appeared with Mohanlal, was another major film. RRR was released in 2022 and introduced him to a much wider international audience. He comes from a film family associated with N. T. Rama Rao and Balakrishna.
Ram Charan
Ram Charan is known for his screen presence and performances in action and dramatic roles. Magadheera and Rangasthalam are among his career landmarks. RRR was released in 2022 and increased his international recognition. As the son of Chiranjeevi, he comes from a well-known film family, but his career also includes successes of his own.
Vote for Top Actors of Tollywood
Vote for your favourite among the top actors of Tollywood in our reader poll:
Who Is the Tollywood King?
Many Pawan Kalyan fans consider him the King of Tollywood because of his loyal fan following, dialogue delivery and screen presence. He is popularly known as the Power Star. However, there is no official title of "Tollywood King", and fans of other actors may have different opinions.
Top 10 Actors of Tollywood
These are well-known Tollywood heroes. This is our editorial list, not a verified ranking of salaries or popularity.
Also read: Who has more fans in Tollywood?
Which Actors Are Tier 2 Actors in Tollywood?
These are the actors we usually place in Tier 2. "Tier 2" is a fan or trade-media term rather than an official classification, and different lists may group stars differently. Nani, Vijay Deverakonda and Balakrishna appear in the Top 10 list above, so they are not repeated here.
- Varun Tej
- Ram Pothineni
- Ravi Teja
- Venkatesh
- Nagarjuna
- Nithin
- Naga Chaitanya
- Akhil Akkineni
- Rana Daggubati
- Sai Dharam Tej
- Bellamkonda Sreenivas
- Gopichand
For more about the separate Tier 1 topic, read Tier 1 Heroes in Tollywood.