An award-winning Indian actor, producer, and entrepreneur, Akkineni Naga Chaitanya, known as Naga Chaitanya, mainly works in Telugu cinema.
He was born on 23 November 1986 (39 years old) in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Naga Chaitanya’s acting in the Josh film earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut – South.
He became widely known after the romantic drama Ye Maaya Chesave in 2010.
He is also known for films such as 100% Love, Manam, Premam, Majili, Love Story, Bangarraju, and Thandel.
Quick Facts Naga Chaitanya
| Full Name | Akkineni Naga Chaitanya |
| Profession | Actor, Producer and Entrepreneur |
| Age | 39 years old |
| Date of Birth | 23 November 1986 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Zodiac/Sun Sign | Sagittarius |
| Birthplace | Hyderabad, Telangana, India |
| Current Address | Hyderabad, Telangana, India |
| Gender | Male |
Naga Chaitanya Early Life and Education
Naga Chaitanya comes from a well-known Telugu film family. He was brought up in Chennai.
Education
Naga Chaitanya studied at Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan, Chennai, and AMM School, Chennai.
Later, he completed B.Com from St. Mary’s College, Hyderabad.
| School | AMM School, Chennai |
| Alma Mater | St. Mary’s College, Hyderabad |
| Highest Qualification | Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) |
Naga Chaitanya Personal Life
Naga Chaitanya married to actress Sobhita Dhulipala on 4 December 2024.
How They Met
Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala first met briefly at his family home.
Sobhita was invited there by Naga Chaitanya’s father, Nagarjuna, after he liked her performance in the film Goodachari.
At that time, Chaitanya and Sobhita only met in passing.
Their Relationship
Their relationship started later through Instagram.
In April 2022, they began talking online after following each other. Their chats slowly turned into a close bond over shared love of food.
Two weeks later, Naga flew to Mumbai and asked Sobhita out for lunch.
Their Engagement
Chaitanya proposed to Sobhita during their first trip to Bandipur National Park in Karnataka.
They got engaged, and the intimate celebration was held at Chaitanya’s father’s (actor Nagarjuna) residence.
On August 8 2024, Sobhita and Naga exchanged rings in an intimate ceremony in Hyderabad.
Naga’s father tweeted on X about the engagement.
Their Marriage
Naga married actress Sobhita on December 4, 2024, in a traditional ceremony at the iconic Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad.
About Wife
Sobhita Dhulipala is an Indian actress and beauty pageant titleholder across multiple regional film industries in India.
She is known for her acting performance in Made in Heaven, Goodachari, Major Ponniyin Selvan -1,2, and Moothon.
Winner of Style Awards
Dhulipala has won style awards in Grazia, Vogue, Grazia India, Mid-Day Showbiz Awards, and Elle.
Winner of 7 Film Awards
She has won the Indian Television Academy Awards, India, HELLO! Hall of Fame Awards, India, Lions Gold Awards, OTTplay Awards, Bollywood Life Awards, Bollywood Hungama OTT India Fest, and Star Eminence Awards for her best on-screen acting.
Rumoured Extramarital Affair with Divyansha Kaushik
There was speculation that Naga was dating Divyansha Kaushik, his Majili (2019) co-star, at the time of his marriage to Prabhu.
However, Prabhu clarified that she and Naga know the rule of what’s real and what’s acting. That is why it doesn’t make any difference to her or to him.
Past Marriage
In 2010, Naga and Samantha Ruth Prabhu crossed paths on the sets of the Telugu film Ye Maaya Chesave.
It is known that Lakshmi Manchu also revealed that Samantha and Naga Chaitanya were in a live-in relationship before their wedding.
It was his first marriage. They tied the knot on October 6, 2017, in a lavish, two-day ceremony in Goa that celebrated both Hindu and Christian traditions.
In October 2021, they announced their divorce; Samantha refused Rs 200 crore alimony from him and his family, even though they were ready to offer it.
About Ex-Wife
Samantha Ruth Prabhu is an Indian actress, director, producer, podcast host, and entrepreneur.
She is best known for her work in the Telugu and Tamil film industries.
Prabhu is recognized as one of the highest-paid and most celebrated stars in Indian cinema.
Her Award-winning Films
She has earned multiple Filmfare and Nandi Awards for her acting in films like Ye Maaya Chesave, Rangasthalam, Eega, and 24.
Running an NGO and School
Samantha also runs an NGO, Pratyusha Support, to provide medical support for women and children in 2012, as well as a progressive early learning school called Ekam, Early Learning Centre.
Past Relationships
In 2011, Chaitanya was rumoured to be dating actress Kajal Aggarwal soon after their film Dhada. They were often spotted together at events.
Two years later, Naga started dating Shruti Haasan. It is known that their chemistry was public during the Filmfare South Awards. He asked Shruti to marry him. But after that, they quit the idea.
In 2022, he was allegedly dating two actresses, Daksha Nagarkar and Krithi Shetty.
Family
Naga Chaitanya belongs to the Daggubati-Akkineni film family. His paternal grandfather and maternal grandfather were well-known filmmakers of their time.
Father
Chaitanya’s father is Akkineni Nagarjuna. He is an actor, film producer, and entrepreneur best known for his works primarily in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil films.
He is the son of veteran actor and filmmaker Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Annapurna.
Mother
Chaitanya’s mother is Lakshmi Daggubati. She is an interior designer.
She was born to Daggubati Ramanaidu, a film producer and politician, and Rajeshwari.
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Wife/Rumored Girlfriends/Rumored Extramarital Affair | Sobhita Dhulipala Ex-wife: Samantha Ruth Prabhu Rumoured Girlfriends: Kajal Aggarwal, Shruti Haasan, Daksha Nagarkar, Krithi Shetty Rumored Extramarital Affair: Divyansha Kaushik |
| Parents | Father: Akkineni Nagarjuna Mother: Lakshmi Daggubati |
Naga Chaitanya Career
Before entering films, Naga Chaitanya trained for acting. He took a three-month acting course in Mumbai.
He also trained in acting and martial arts in Los Angeles.
Before his first film, he also took voice and dialogue coaching.
His Acting Debut in Josh (2009)
Naga Chaitanya made his acting debut in 2009 with the Telugu film Josh with Karthika Nair, in which he played Satya, a college student.
Breakthrough with Ye Maaya Chesave (2010)
In 2010, Chaitanya acted in Ye Maaya Chesave, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon.
He played Karthik, a Hindu Telugu assistant director who falls in love with Jessie, played by Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
The film became a major turning point in his career.
Cameo in Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010)
In the same year, he made a cameo appearance in the Tamil filmVinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa with Silambarasan and Trisha Krishnan.
100% Love, Dhada, and Bejawada (2011)
In 2011, Naga paired in 100% Love with Tamannaah Bhatia. The film became one of his early successful films.
In the same year, Chaitanya acted in Dhada with Kajal Aggarwal and in Bejawada with Amala Paul.
Official Remake Of Vettai (2013)
In 2013, he acted in the remake of the Tamil film Vettai, known as Tadakha, with Andrea Jeremiah.
The film was one of the successful films in his early career and helped him stay active as a commercial Telugu actor.
Manam, Autonagar Surya, and Oka Laila Kosam in 2014
Chaitanya acted in Manam (2014) with Shriya Saran, Samantha Ruth Prabhu,Amitabh Bachchan, Brahmanandam, Raashi Khanna, Krishnudu, and Akhil Akkineni.
The film also featured three generations of the Akkineni family, including Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Akkineni Nagarjuna.
In the same year, he also acted in Autonagar Surya with his ex-wife. The film was an action drama.
Also, he appeared in Oka Laila Kosam, a romantic comedy with Pooja Hegde.
Dohchay in 2015
In 2015, Naga Chaitanya joined Dohchay with Kriti Sanon.
3 Notable Releases in 2016
In 2016, Naga starred in Premam, the Telugu remake of the Malayalam film of the same name. Shruti Haasan, Anupama Parameswaran, Madonna Sebastian, Arvind Krishna, and Pujita Ponnada.
In the same year, he acted in Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon. His co-stars were Manjima Mohanand Anjali Rao.
Chaitanya also made a cameo appearance in Aatadukundam Raa with Sushanth Anumolu and Sonam Bajwa.
His Casting in Rarandoi Veduka Chudham and Yuddham Sharanam in 2017
In 2017, Chaitanya acted inRarandoi Veduka Chudham with Rakul Preet Singh. The film helped strengthen his image as a romantic lead in Telugu cinema.
Later, he appeared inYuddham Sharanam, an action thriller with Kireeti Damaraju, Lavanya Tripathi, and Revathi.
Savyasachi, Shailaja Reddy Alludu, and Mahanati Cameo in 2018
In 2018, he acted in Savyasachi alongside R. Madhavan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Bhumika Chawla, andin Shailaja Reddy Alludu with Anu Emmanuel.
He also made a cameo appearance in Mahanati, a biographical film based on actress Savitri.
2 Films and 1 Cameo Appearance in 2019
In 2019, Naga Chaitanya starred in Majili with Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Divyansha Kaushik.
The film became one of the key emotional romantic dramas in his career.
In the same year, he acted in Venky Mama with Venkatesh Daggubati and Payal Rajput.
He also made a cameo appearance in Oh! Baby with Yaragudipati Venkata Mahalakshmi.
Love Story with Sai Pallavi in 2021
In 2021, Chaitanya acted in Love Story, directed by Sekhar Kammula.
The film is about Mounika, played by Sai Pallavi, and Revanth, played by Naga Chaitanya.
They come from different castes and meet in the city while trying to build a better life.
Their love story shows the problems they face because of caste and society.
His Screen Appearance in Soggade Chinni Nayana’s Sequel in 2022
Naga Chaitanya appeared in Bangarraju with Ramya Krishna and Krithi Shetty in 2022. The film was a sequel to Soggade Chinni Nayana.
In the same year, he also acted in Thank You, a romantic drama pairing Malavika Nair and Avika Gor.
His Hindi Film Debut
Chaitanya made his Hindi film debut with Laal Singh Chaddha, starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh, and Manav Vij.
His Tamil Film Debut in 2023
In 2023, Naga acted in Custody, directed by Venkat Prabhu.
The film was shot simultaneously in Telugu and Tamil.
It marked his Tamil film debut as a lead actor alongside Arvind Swamy, R. Sarathkumar, Priyamani, and Ramki.
OTT Debut with 8 Episodes in Dhootha
Naga made his OTT debut with Dhootha, a supernatural suspense thriller written and directed by Vikram K. Kumar in 2023.
The 8-episode series starred him with Parvathy Thiruvothu, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Tharun Bhascker, and Prachi Desai.
Fifth-Highest-Grossing Telugu film of 2025
In 2025, Chaitanya starred in Thandel with Sai Pallavi, Aadukalam Naren, and Babloo Prithiveeraj.
The film was directed by Chandoo Mondeti and produced under Geetha Arts.
The story was based on a real-life incident linked to a fisherman from Srikakulam. Chaitanya played a fisherman named Raju.
The film became one of the biggest hits of his career, grossing over ₹100 crores worldwide.
His Upcoming Films
Naga announcedDhootha 2. The film project also marks his first step as a producer.
Chaitanya will also appear in the upcoming Telugu film Vrushakarma. He will be cast with Meenaakshi Chaudhary, Sparsh Shrivastava, and Jayaram in this film. It is known that the film is likely in 2026.
Naga Chaitanya Awards and Achievements
Naga Chaitanya has won awards for his debut film, supporting roles, romantic roles, and recent acting performances in Telugu cinema.
His Key Wins
- Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut – South (2010): Won for his first film, Josh. This award marked his early recognition as a new actor in Telugu cinema.
- CineMAA Award for Best Male Debut (2010): Won for Josh.
- Media Recognition (2010): Ranked 2nd in Rediff.com’s Top Telugu Actors list.
- South Scope Cinema Award (2011): Won Rising Star of South Cinema for Ye Maaya Chesave.
- Nandi Award for Best Supporting Actor (2014): Won for Manam. The film featured three generations of the Akkineni family.
- SIIMA Award for Best Actor Critics – Telugu (2015): Won for Manam.
- TSR-TV9 National Film Award Special Appreciation Award (2016): Won for Premam.
- Santosham Film Award for Best Actor (2017): Won for Premam.
- TSR-TV9 National Film Award Special Jury Award (2019): Won for Shailaja Reddy Alludu.
- Telangana Gaddar Film Award for Best Leading Actor (2025): Won for Thandel. The award was given by the Telangana government for his acting performance in the film.
- Hyderabad Times Most Desirable Men List: Ranked 12th in 2017, 7th in 2018, 11th in 2019, and 6th in 2020.
His Key Nominations
- Filmfare Award Nomination for Best Actor – Telugu (2011): Nominated for Ye Maaya Chesave.
- SIIMA Award Nomination for Best Actor – Telugu (2012): Nominated for 100% Love.
- Hyderabad Times Film Award Nomination (2012): Nominated for Best Actor – Male for 100% Love
- SIIMA Award Nomination for Best Actor – Telugu (2015): Nominated for Manam.
- Filmfare Award Nomination for Best Actor – Telugu (2017): Nominated for Premam.
- Zee Cine Awards Telugu Nomination (2018): Nominated for Entertainer of the Year for Rarandoi Veduka Chudham.
- SIIMA Award Nomination for Best Actor – Telugu (2020-2021): Nominated for Majili.
- Filmfare Award Nomination for Best Actor – Telugu (2022): Nominated for Love Story.
- SIIMA Award Nomination for Best Actor – Telugu (2022): Nominated for Love Story.
- Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards India Nomination (2022): Nominated for Favourite Movie Actor – South for Love Story.
Naga Chaitanya Controversies
Naga Chaitanya has not faced many legal or professional controversies. Most public issues linked to him came from his personal life, divorce, online rumours, and misuse of his identity.
Divorce Rumours and Public Scrutiny (2021): After Naga \and Samantha Ruth Prabhu announced their separation in 2021, many rumours spread online that the split was due to cheating, abortion rumours, and alimony claims. Samantha faced relentless personal attacks.
Konda Surekha Divorce Remark Controversy (2024): Telangana minister Konda Surekha made comments linking BRS leader K. T. Rama Rao to Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s divorce. Naga Chaitanya rejected the claim and called it false, ridiculous, and unacceptable.
Sobhita Dhulipala Trolling After Marriage (2024-2025): After Naga married Sobhita Dhulipala in December 2024, some internet users blamed Sobhita for his earlier divorce from Samantha. He later clarified that Sobhita was not connected to his past marriage in any way.
Astrologer Venu Swamy Prediction Row (2024): After Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala got engaged in August 2024, astrologer Venu Swamy predicted their relationship ending in 2027. The comment led to public criticism and a police complaint from the Telugu Film Journalists Association. However, Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita did not publicly react to the prediction.
Personality Rights and AI Misuse Case (2026): Naga approached the Delhi High Court against false and defamatory online content, AI-generated material, and misuse of his name, image, and identity. The case also included online claims that he cheated on Samantha and damaged her career. The court gave him interim protection in the matter.
Naga Chaitanya Net Worth
Naga Chaitanya’s net worth is reportedly around ₹1000 crore ($106 million), and he charges ₹15 crore-₹20 crore per film.
| Net Worth in Dollars (Approx.) | $106 million (approximately ₹1000 crore) |
| Salary (Approx.) | ₹15 crore–₹25 crore per film |
Naga Chaitanya Height, Weight and Physical Stats
The following are Naga’s physical appearances:
| Height | In centimetres: 170 cm In meters: 1.70 m In feet & inches: 5 feet 7 inches |
| Weight | In kg: 75 kg In lbs: 165 lbs |
| Body Measurements | 40-32-14 |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
Naga Chaitanya Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube
 @chayakkineni | |
| X |  @chay_akkineni |
 @chay.akkineni | |
| YouTube |  @chay_akkineni |
Interesting Facts About Naga Chaitanya
- Naga played keyboard and bass guitar in his school band. He also studied keyboard at Trinity College, London.
- Chaitanya was the brand ambassador of Tollywood Thunders in the first season of the Celebrity Badminton League in 2016.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated ₹25 lakh to support daily wage workers in the Telugu film industry.
- Naga has endorsed brands such as Ariel, Big Bazaar, Myntra, and Colgate.
- He has a strong interest in cars, bikes, and motorsport. In 2024, he became the owner of the Hyderabad Blackbirds team in the Indian Racing League.
- He started the cloud kitchen brand Shoyu in Hyderabad in 2022. Later, he also founded the food brand Scuzi.
FAQs
Who is Naga Chaitanya?
Naga Chaitanya is an Indian actor and entrepreneur. He mainly works in Telugu cinema. His full name is Akkineni Naga Chaitanya.
What is Naga Chaitanya’s age?
Naga Chaitanya is 39 years old, and he was born on 23 November 1986 in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Who is Naga Chaitanya’s wife?
Naga Chaitanya’s wife is actress Sobhita Dhulipala. They got married on 4 December 2024 at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad.
Was Naga Chaitanya married before?
Yes. Naga Chaitanya was earlier married to actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu in 2017.
How did Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala meet?
Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala’s bond started through Instagram chats and in person.
Who are Naga Chaitanya’s parents?
Naga Chaitanya’s father is actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, and his mother is Lakshmi Daggubati.
What was Naga Chaitanya’s first film?
His first film was Josh, released in 2009.
What was Naga Chaitanya’s Hindi debut film?
Naga Chaitanya made his Hindi film debut with Laal Singh Chaddha in 2022.
What was Naga Chaitanya’s OTT debut?
Naga Chaitanya’s OTT debut was Dhootha, a supernatural suspense series.
Is Naga Chaitanya a producer?
Yes. Naga Chaitanya turned producer with Dhootha 2, which was announced in 2026.
