K. V. Vijayendra Prasad

Koduri Viswa Vijayendra Prasad (born 27 May 1942) is an Indian screenwriter and film director who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. With a career spanning across nearly three decades, his filmography consists of over 25 films as a screenwriter. He is considered to be one of the most successful screenwriters of Indian cinema. He has frequently collaborated with his son, director S. S. Rajamouli, to deliver some of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.

His notable work as a writer includes films like Bobbili Simham (1994), Magadheera (2009), Eega (2012), Baahubali duology (20152017), Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and RRR (2022). In 2011, he has directed Rajanna, for which he won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film. In 2016, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Story for Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

On 6 July 2022, President of India Ram Nath Kovind nominated him as a member of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament.

Early life Koduri Viswa Vijayendra Prasad was born on 27 May 1942 in a Telugu family, in Kovvur near Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh. He studied at Sir C. R. Reddy College in Eluru. Then, Prasad moved to Karnataka from Kovvur in 1968. He, along with his elder brother K. V. Sivashankar, bought seven acres of paddy fields in Hirekotikal village of Manvi Taluk in Raichur district. Their family moved back to Kovvur in 1977. He also ventured into various businesses which ended up as losses.

Next, he wrote the film Bangaru Kutumbam (1994) which won the Nandi Award for Best Film. His next film was Bobbili Simham (1994) which was commercially successful and earned Prasad recognition as a screenwriter.

Personal life Prasad married Raja Nandini. They have two children—a daughter who now lives in Australia and a son S. S. Rajamouli, a filmmaker. He cites 1957 Telugu film Mayabazar, as his all-time favourite film. He also cited the screenwriting duo Salim–Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar) as a major inspiration on his work, especially their screenplay for Sholay (1975), among other films. On 6 July 2022, Indian government nominated Prasad to the Rajya Sabha.

Best Story

Best Screenplay

2011 Second Best Feature Film Rajanna

2015 Best Story

2016 Best Story

Best Story

Best Screenplay