Allu Aravind

Allu Aravind (born 10 January 1949) is an Indian film producer, distributor, and businessman. He is regarded as one of the most powerful and 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).

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.[10] His sister Surekha is the wife of Telugu actor Chiranjeevi. Aravind is the maternal uncle of Ram Charan.

Allu Aravind founded Geetha Arts, a film production and distribution company in 1972.[11] The company was named after the Hindu philosophical text Bhagavad Geeta which inspired Allu Aravind.[12] Geetha Arts marked its beginning through the 1974 Telugu film Bantrothu Bharya.[13]

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.[14] 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.[15]

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.[20][21]