# Venu Thottempudi
**Venu Thottempudi** (వేణు తొట్టెంపూడి; born 1976) is an Indian actor who works primarily in [Telugu cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/telugu-cinema), known for family dramas and comedies of the early 2000s such as *Swayamvaram* (1999), *Chirunavvutho* (2000), and *Hanuman Junction* (2001).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1002353/) • [2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) He is credited in many films simply as Venu.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1002353/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1976, Andhra Pradesh, India; birthplace given as Peridepi village, Kondapi mandal, Prakasam district[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1002353/) • [2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) |
| Debut | *Swayamvaram* (1999), directed by K. Vijaya Bhaskar; a box-office success that won him a Nandi Special Jury Award[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) |
| Career scale | About 25 to 26 films as a lead actor, of which roughly 15 were successful[3](https://www.ntnews.com/actors/do-you-remember-actor-venu-thottempudi-who-acted-in-hanuman-junction-and-kalyana-ramudu-114051) |
| Signature films | *Chirunavvutho* (2000), *Hanuman Junction* (2001), *Kalyana Ramudu* (2003), *Pellam Oorelithe* (2003), *Gopi Gopika Godavari* (2009)[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/venu_thottempudi) |
| Hiatus and return | Left films after *Ramachari* (2013) for business in the United States; returned in *Ramarao on Duty* (2022) as C.I. Jammi Murali[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1002353/) |
| OTT debut | *Athidhi* (2023), a web series on Disney+ Hotstar produced by Praveen Sattaru[5](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2023/epaper/september/vijayawada-english-edition-2023-09-21.pdf) |
| Family | Married to Anupama Choudary since 2001; two children[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1002353/) |
## Early life
Venu Thottempudi was born in 1976 in [Andhra Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/andhra-pradesh).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1002353/) The Telugu film site FilmiBeat places his birth in Peridepi village in Kondapi mandal of [Prakasam district](https://www.edgepedia.org/prakasam-district), and says he grew up in Ongole, Vijayawada, and Madurai.[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) His father Krishnamurti completed a PhD in English at the [University of London](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-london).[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) Venu is an engineering graduate.[6](https://www.vcinema.com/celebrity/venu-thottempudi/news-article/actor-venu-spills-the-tea-on-co-starring-with-ravi-teja-in-ramarao-on-duty)
In interviews he has described a childhood fascination with cinema: as a schoolboy he watched films secretly, telling his father he was going to a friend's house, and after being caught he was allowed one film a month.[7](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/venu-thottempudi-from-secret-cinema-fan-to-actor-navigating-familys-powerful-political-legacy-1834671.html) His family has a strong political background; relatives include the politicians Maganti Ankinidu, Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, and Nama Nageswara Rao, but Venu has said he has no interest in politics.[7](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/venu-thottempudi-from-secret-cinema-fan-to-actor-navigating-familys-powerful-political-legacy-1834671.html)
## Career
**Debut and early success.** Venu entered the industry with *Swayamvaram* (1999), directed by K. Vijaya Bhaskar, opposite Laya, for whom it was also a first film; the film succeeded at the box office and Venu received a Nandi Special Jury Award for his performance.[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) *Chirunavvutho* (2000), produced under SP Entertainments, was another success.[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) In a 2026 interview he recalled that his first film was a blockbuster and gave him a strong start to his career.[8](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/hero-venu-thottempudi-about-his-career-and-upcoming-movies-1718634.html)
**Family-hero image.** Through the 2000s he appeared in a string of films aimed at family audiences, including *Hanuman Junction* (2001), *Kalyana Ramudu* (2003), *Pellam Oorelithe* (2003), *Cheppave Chirugali* (2004), *Sadaa Mee Sevalo* (2005), and *Gopi Gopika Godavari* (2009).[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) • [8](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/hero-venu-thottempudi-about-his-career-and-upcoming-movies-1718634.html) FilmiBeat writes that he built a good image as a family hero after Venkatesh.[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) He estimates he acted in about 25 to 26 films as a hero, and the Namasthe Telangana profile counts roughly 15 of them as successes.[8](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/hero-venu-thottempudi-about-his-career-and-upcoming-movies-1718634.html) • [3](https://www.ntnews.com/actors/do-you-remember-actor-venu-thottempudi-who-acted-in-hanuman-junction-and-kalyana-ramudu-114051) Beyond lead roles, he has worked as a supporting actor, producer, and dialogue writer.[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) He has also said he favored multi-starrers, following the hit *Chirunavvutho* immediately with the ensemble film *Hanuman Junction*.[9](https://telugu.webdunia.com/article/telugu-cinema-news/i-used-to-favor-multi-starrer-venu-thottempudi-122072800051_1.html)
**Hiatus and comeback.** After *Ramachari* (2013) he entered business and now lives in the United States.[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) He returned to acting after nine years in *[Ramarao on Duty](https://www.edgepedia.org/ramarao-on-duty)* (2022), starring [Ravi Teja](https://www.edgepedia.org/ravi-teja) and directed by Sarath Mandava, playing C.I. Jammi Murali.[2](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1002353/) In a 2022 interview he said the gap was not intentional: he was occupied with family businesses, declined offers politely, and the COVID-19 period of watching films and shows rekindled his interest; director Sarath Mandava then approached him.[10](https://www.ottplay.com/news/venu-thottempudi-ramarao-on-duty-helped-me-get-over-a-regret-that-i-couldnt-dub-for-my-earlier-films/048fb19161372) The same interview notes that the film also let him get over a regret that he had never dubbed for his earlier films.[10](https://www.ottplay.com/news/venu-thottempudi-ramarao-on-duty-helped-me-get-over-a-regret-that-i-couldnt-dub-for-my-earlier-films/048fb19161372)
His comeback continued on streaming: *[Athidhi](https://www.edgepedia.org/athidhi)* (2023), a web series on [Disney+ Hotstar](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-hotstar) produced by Praveen Sattaru, marked his OTT debut.[5](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2023/epaper/september/vijayawada-english-edition-2023-09-21.pdf) In the series he plays [Raja Ravi Varma](https://www.edgepedia.org/raja-ravi-varma), a composed role reviewers described as different from his earlier screen image.[11](https://ntvtelugu.com/reviews/thottempudi-venu-starrer-athidhi-web-series-review-and-rating-in-telugu-449882.html)
## Reception
TV9 Telugu describes Venu as one of the heroes who earned a distinct identity in Telugu cinema through his own comedy timing and natural acting, with a style of making audiences laugh without fuss, especially in family entertainers.[12](https://tv9telugu.com/photo-gallery/cinema-photos/tollywood-actor-venu-thottempudi-rejects-to-act-with-young-actress-ananya-sharma-1938691.html) Ottplay writes that he made a mark in his strength areas of family dramas and comedies before his run of luck ended.[10](https://www.ottplay.com/news/venu-thottempudi-ramarao-on-duty-helped-me-get-over-a-regret-that-i-couldnt-dub-for-my-earlier-films/048fb19161372) The TeluguCinema desk noted that his run as a lead hero did not last long and that he later moved toward character roles, appearing in a key part in *Dammu* (2012) before *Ramarao on Duty*.[13](https://telugucinema.com/telugu-news/venu-thottempudi-in-ravi-tejas-ramarao-on-duty) The same outlet credits Venu with helping establish the writer [Trivikram Srinivas](https://www.edgepedia.org/trivikram-srinivas) in the industry.[13](https://telugucinema.com/telugu-news/venu-thottempudi-in-ravi-tejas-ramarao-on-duty)
## References
1. [Venu Thottempudi, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1002353/)
2. [వేణు తొట్టెంపూడి బయోగ్రఫీ, Filmibeat Telugu](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/venu-telugu-actor/biography.html)
3. [వేణు తొట్టెంపూడి గుర్తున్నాడా?, Namasthe Telangana](https://www.ntnews.com/actors/do-you-remember-actor-venu-thottempudi-who-acted-in-hanuman-junction-and-kalyana-ramudu-114051)
4. [Venu Thottempudi Movies List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/venu_thottempudi)
5. [The Pioneer, Vijayawada edition, 21 September 2023](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2023/epaper/september/vijayawada-english-edition-2023-09-21.pdf)
6. [Actor Venu spills the tea on co-starring with Ravi Teja in Ramarao on Duty, V Cinema](https://www.vcinema.com/celebrity/venu-thottempudi/news-article/actor-venu-spills-the-tea-on-co-starring-with-ravi-teja-in-ramarao-on-duty)
7. [వేణు తొట్టెంపూడి: From Secret Cinema Fan to Actor, TV9 Telugu](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/venu-thottempudi-from-secret-cinema-fan-to-actor-navigating-familys-powerful-political-legacy-1834671.html)
8. [Hero Venu Thottempudi about his career and upcoming movies, TV9 Telugu](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/hero-venu-thottempudi-about-his-career-and-upcoming-movies-1718634.html)
9. [I used to favor multi starrer - Venu Thottempudi, Webdunia Telugu](https://telugu.webdunia.com/article/telugu-cinema-news/i-used-to-favor-multi-starrer-venu-thottempudi-122072800051_1.html)
10. [Venu Thottempudi: Ramarao on Duty helped me get over a regret that I couldn't dub for my earlier films, Ottplay](https://www.ottplay.com/news/venu-thottempudi-ramarao-on-duty-helped-me-get-over-a-regret-that-i-couldnt-dub-for-my-earlier-films/048fb19161372)
11. [Athidhi Web Series Review, NTV Telugu](https://ntvtelugu.com/reviews/thottempudi-venu-starrer-athidhi-web-series-review-and-rating-in-telugu-449882.html)
12. [Tollywood Actor Venu Thottempudi, TV9 Telugu](https://tv9telugu.com/photo-gallery/cinema-photos/tollywood-actor-venu-thottempudi-rejects-to-act-with-young-actress-ananya-sharma-1938691.html)
13. [రవితేజ చిత్రంలో తొట్టెంపూడి వేణు, TeluguCinema](https://telugucinema.com/telugu-news/venu-thottempudi-in-ravi-tejas-ramarao-on-duty)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Telugu film actors › Surnames S to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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