Known for his roles in numerous 1970s and 1980s Tollywood (Telugu cinema) films, he was the recipient of a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, two Nandi Awards, and numerous other honors. Also a politician, he served in the Lok Sabha (lower house of the Indian Parliament) in the 1990s and early 2000s. He made his film debut in the 1966, Kotayya Pratyagatma-directed feature, Chilaka Gorinka.
