{{Short description|Indian film actor}} {{Indian patronymic|Aadarsh|Balakrishna}} {{BLP sources|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox person | name = Aadarsh Balakrishna | birth_date = | birth_place = Bangalore, Karnataka, India | other_names = Addy, Aadhi | spouse = Gulnar Virishna<ref name="We only met four times, before our engagement. On our sixth meeting, we take the final leap of faith">{{cite news |last1=The Times of India |title=We only met four times, before our engagement. On our sixth meeting, we take the final leap of faith - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/we-only-met-four-times-before-our-engagement-on-our-sixth-meeting-we-take-the-final-leap-of-faith/articleshow/52241723.cms |accessdate=15 November 2021 |work= |date=16 January 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115044027/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/we-only-met-four-times-before-our-engagement-on-our-sixth-meeting-we-take-the-final-leap-of-faith/articleshow/52241723.cms |archivedate=15 November 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>"[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/aadarsh-balakrishna-and-gulnar-the-new-parents-in-town/articleshow/57273512.cms/ Celebrity couple Aadarsh Balakrishna and Gulnar Virk Krishna]", ''Times Of India''</ref> | relatives = Balakrishna (father) <br /> Prashanth Neel (cousin) | occupation = Film Actor }} '''Aadarsh Balakrishna''' is an Indian actor, primarily known for his negative roles in Telugu films.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/new-baddie-on-the-block-aadarsh-balakrishna/articleshow/44868712.cms|title = New baddie on the block: Aadarsh Balakrishna - Times of India|website = The Times of India| date=15 January 2017 }}</ref> He is also the runner-up of Telugu reality TV show ''Bigg Boss 1''.<ref name="Chowdhary">Chowdhary, Y. Sunita (2010) "[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/poised-to-win/article784703.ece Poised to Win]", ''The Hindu'', 3 April 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2014</ref>
==Early life== Aadarsh was born on 10 February 1984 in Bangalore.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} His father, Balakrishna, is a businessman while his mother Uma is a homemaker.{{CN|date=May 2025}} He has a younger sister, Apoorva, who is an architect. Aadarsh studied at Sophia High School, Bangalore until 3rd standard. His family then moved to Hyderabad, where he continued his schooling at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Public School and St. Andrews High School.{{CN|date=May 2025}} He completed his graduation from Nizam College in 2005–06, majoring in commerce. He was a cricketer and nurtured an ambition to play for India. He represented Hyderabad in various state-level categories and also played for Osmania University.
Kannada film director Prashanth Neel, Sriimurali’s wife, Vidya, and Naresh's second wife, Ramya Raghupathi, are his cousins.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-15|title=Exclusive Interview: Aadarsh Balakrishna- I have taken my career very seriously now|url=https://www.123telugu.com/interviews/exclusive-interview-aadarsh-balakrishna-i-have-taken-my-career-very-seriously-now.html|access-date=2021-01-10|website=123telugu.com|language=en}}</ref>
==Career== {{tone|section|date=June 2014}} Aadarsh Balakrishna initially aspired to become a cricketer and played at the state level during his teenage years.<ref name="Chowdhary"/> While training at St. John's Cricket Academy, he was discovered by Nagesh Kukunoor's team, who were searching for a real cricketer to play the role of 'Kamal' in the film ''Iqbal'' opposite Shreyas Talpade. After auditioning, he was cast in the role.<ref name="Chowdhary" /> ''Iqbal'' became a critical and commercial success and won a National Award in 2005, produced by Subhash Ghai's Mukta Searchlight Films.
Balakrishna's significant break in Telugu films came with the film ''Happy Days (2007),'' directed by Sekhar Kammula. He portrayed Sanjay, a senior bully in an engineering college setting, a role that established his presence as a 'bad guy' in Telugu cinema.<ref name="Chowdhary" /> He continued to build his career with successful films like ''Vinayakudu'' (2008), directed by Sai Kiran Avidi, and ''Ride'' (2009), directed by Ramesh Varma.
Balakrishna has worked with notable directors such as Nagesh Kukunoor, Sekhar Kammula, Gopichand Mallineni, and Ram Gopal Varma. He made his Kannada film debut in ''Nooru Janmaku,'' directed by national award-winning director Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar, where he played the second lead. Additionally, he appeared in ''Govindudu Andarivadele'', directed by Krishna Vamsi and Ram Charan.<ref>"[http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/id-like-to-make-a-mark-as-baddie-aadarsh-balakrishna/ I’d like to make a mark as baddie: Aadarsh Balakrishna]", ''The Indian Express'', 30 July 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014</ref>
Apart from his acting career, Balakrishna represents the Telugu Warriors in the Celebrity Cricket League and is considered one of their key players. He gained further recognition as the runner-up in the grand finale of ''Bigg Boss Telugu Season 1''.
Balakrishna is set to play the role of an Indian Research and Analysis Wing agent in Ullu App's upcoming web series ''Peshawar'', based on the 2014 Peshawar school massacre. His character is loosely based on the real-life hero known as 'Black Tiger'.
==Filmography== ===Film=== *''Note: All films are in Telugu, unless otherwise noted.'' {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+List of films and roles |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2005 ! scope="row" | ''Iqbal'' | Kamal | Hindi Film |- | 2007 ! scope="row" | ''Happy Days'' | Sanjay | |- | 2008 ! scope="row" | ''Vinayakudu'' | Ananth Naidu || |- | rowspan="2" | 2009 ! scope="row" | ''Ride'' | Gaja || |- ! scope="row" | ''Evaraina Epudaina'' | Raja || |- | rowspan="4" | 2010 ! scope="row" | ''Maro Charitra'' | Maddy || |- ! scope="row" | ''Maa Annayya Bangaram'' | || |- ! scope="row" | ''Nooru Janmaku'' | Jeevan | Kannada Film |- ! scope="row" | ''KSD Appalaraju'' | Babu Garu || |- | 2011 ! scope="row" | ''Cricket Girls and Beer'' | Vijay || |- | rowspan="2" | 2012 ! scope="row" | ''Genius'' | Nizamuddin || |- ! scope="row" | ''Bodyguard'' | || |- | rowspan="2" | 2014 ! scope="row" | ''Nee Jathaga Nenundali'' | || |- ! scope="row" | ''Govindudu Andarivadele'' | Baachi || |- | 2015 ! scope="row" | ''Superstar Kidnap'' | Jai || |- | rowspan="3" | 2016 ! scope="row" | ''Seethamma Andalu Ramayya Sitralu'' | Seetha's suitor || |- ! scope="row" | ''Sarrainodu'' | Paddam Veerendra || |- ! scope="row" | ''Jaguar'' | Arya | Bilingual <br>Kannada-Telugu Film |- | rowspan="3" | 2017 ! scope="row" | ''Babu Baga Busy'' | Chax || |- ! scope="row" | ''Winner'' | || |- ! scope="row" | ''PSV Garuda Vega'' | || |- | rowspan="4" | 2018 ! scope="row" | ''Vijetha'' | Kiran || |- ! scope="row" | ''Neevevaro'' | Blind sculptor || |- ! scope="row" | ''W/O Ram'' | Rocky || |- ! scope="row" | ''Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava'' | Basi Reddy's henchman ||<ref name="Adarsh Balakrishna to play a guest role in 'Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava'">{{cite news |last1=The Times of India |title=Adarsh Balakrishna to play a guest role in 'Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava' - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/adarsh-balakrishna-to-play-a-guest-role-in-aravinda-sametha-veera-raghava/articleshow/65290903.cms |accessdate=15 November 2021 |work= |date=6 August 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115043023/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/adarsh-balakrishna-to-play-a-guest-role-in-aravinda-sametha-veera-raghava/articleshow/65290903.cms |archivedate=15 November 2021 |language=en}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" | 2019 ! scope="row" | ''Chanakya'' | RAW agent || |- ! scope="row" | ''Ranarangam'' | Seshu || |- | rowspan="3" | 2020 ! scope="row" |''Aswathama'' | Jagadish || |- ! scope="row" |''V'' | Sharath || |- ! scope="row" |''Colour Photo'' | Chandu || |- | rowspan="3" | 2021 ! scope="row" |''Thank You Brother'' | Surya | |- ! scope="row" |''Thimmarusu: Assignment Vali'' | | |- ! scope="row" |''Anubhavinchu Raja'' | | |- |2022 ! scope="row" |''Atithi Devo Bhava'' | | |- | rowspan="2" |2023 !Scope="row"|''Ranga Maarthaanda'' |Ranga Rao | |- !Scope="row"|''Shaakuntalam'' | |<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-05-07 |title=When will Shaakuntalam premiere on OTT? Check release date, time and where to watch Samantha Ruth Prabhu's film online |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/when-will-shaakuntalam-premiere-on-ott-check-release-date-time-and-where-to-watch-samantha-ruth-prabhus-film-online/articleshow/100051486.cms |access-date=2023-05-17 |issn=0013-0389}}</ref> |- |2024 ! scope="row" |''Mix Up'' |Sahoo | |- |2025 ! scope="row" |''Thalli Manasu'' |Charan | |- |2026 ! scope="row"|''Euphoria'' | | |} ===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+List of television shows and roles |- ! Year ! Show ! Role ! Network !Language ! Result |- | 2017 | ''Bigg Boss 1'' | Contestant | Star Maa |Telugu | Runner up - on day 70 |- | 2020 | ''Avrodh'' | Army Personnel | SonyLIV |Hindi | <ref name="Adarsh Balakrishna bags a web-series">{{cite news |last1=Deccan Chronicle |title=Adarsh Balakrishna bags a web-series |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/111018/adarsh-balakrishna-bags-a-web-series.html |accessdate=15 November 2021 |date=11 October 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115043737/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/111018/adarsh-balakrishna-bags-a-web-series.html |archivedate=15 November 2021 |language=en}}</ref> |- | 2022–2023 | ''Jhansi'' | Sankeeth | Disney+ Hotstar || Telugu |- |2024 |''The Mystery of Moksha Island'' | Rohit/Dinesh | Disney+ Hotstar || Telugu | |}
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|2217380|Aadarsh Balakrishna}} {{Bigg Boss Telugu}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balakrishna, Aadarsh}} Category:Living people Category:Telugu male actors Category:1984 births Category:Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan schools alumni Category:Male actors from Bengaluru Category:Indian male film actors Category:21st-century Indian male actors Category:Male actors in Telugu cinema Category:Male actors in Kannada cinema Category:Male actors in Hindi cinema