Bokkala Kishore Kumar (born 19 September 1977), known professionally as Vennela Kishore, is an Indian film actor and director who works in Telugu films. Known for his comic roles, he was given the moniker "Vennela" after his first feature film Vennela (2005). He is a recipient of two Nandi Awards,

Early life

Kishore was born and brought up in Kamareddy of present-day Telangana. He moved to Hyderabad for graduation and then emigrated to the US for higher studies. Kishore completed his master's degree in Ferris State University, Michigan and worked as a software engineer.

Career

During his stay in the U.S., Kishore got an opportunity to work in Deva Katta's directorial Vennela (2005) which marked his entry into the film industry. Kishore received appreciation for his role "Akella Vigneswara Rao" in the film DJ. His other performances include Bindaas, Pilla Zamindar, Daruvu, Sarkaru Vaari Paata, Badshah, Doosukeltha, Pandaga Chesko, Goodachari, S/O Satyamurthy, Srimanthudu, Bale Bale Magadivoy, Ekkadiki Pothavu Chinnavada, and Ami Thumi. He also directed two Telugu films (Vennela 1½, and Jaffa). After tasting failure with his directorial projects, he has returned to acting.

Filmography

Awards and nominations