From Prabhas to Chiranjeevi: 5 South-Indian actors who dropped their last names on screen

Indian Cinema is popular across the globe for various reasons. Be it for Bollywood's romantic tracks, Kollywood's action sequences, or Tollywood's larger than life story plots. Several actors not only work on their physique, acting and dancing skills but also make sure that they make a mark in the hearts of the masses.

Read: Did You Know Anushka Shetty Actually Lifted 'Baahubali' Prabahs For A Film Sequence?

Out of several exciting trends, one trend in Indian Entertainment Industry is that of having a 'massy' name which appeals to the audience. Another one is dropping one's surname. Numerous South-Indian actors have done the same. So let's take a look at the list of some popular South actors who dropped their last name on the screen.

Five South-Indian actors who dropped their surnames 

Prabhas

Baahubali superstar Prabhas is a highly popular actor across the globe.  Prabhas has been in the movies business for long. He is known for his dapper looks, charming personality, and endearing smile. But do you know that Prabhas's original name is quite long, and difficult to pronounce? For the unversed, Prabhas's real name is Venkata Satyanarayana Prabhas Raju Uppalapati, and Prabhas is the short form of his name, which has now become his identity.  

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Rajnikanth

South superstar Rajnikanth is one of the most famous people in India. Rajnikanth, the celebrated actor has a massive fan-following. The man is not just treated as an actor, but his fans worship him as a god, down south. A lot of people think that because Rajnikanth is a popular South Indian mega movie-star, he must be a South Indian. But that's a misconception, as Rajnikanth's real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. The Kabali actor is a Maharashtrian. Rajnikanth not only dropped his surname on-screen, but he is someone who changed his entire name. 

Read: Prabhas' Next With Nag Ashwin To Be Made On A Whopping Budget Of Rs100-Rs 400 Crores?

Chiranjeevi

Famous movie-star Chiranjeevi, has been a part of some memorable films like Indra, Tagore, Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari,  Aapathbandavudu, Shankar Dada MBBS amongst several others. After a successful career in the South Film Industry, Chiranjeevi shifted gears and enthralled his journey as a politician. But do you know that Chiranjeevi real name is Konidala Siva Sankara Vara Prasad? The Indra actor changed his name from Konidala Siva Sankara Vara Prasad to Chiranjeevi, so that it becomes easy for people to remember it. 

Trisha

South Indian and Bollywood actress Trisha is also a part of this list. Trishna dropped her last name prior to paving her way into the world of entertainment. Now known by her screen name as Trisha, the Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa actor's full name is Trisha Krishnan. The stunning actor has done movies in Bollywood as well like Khatta Meetha opposite Akshay Kumar.

Read:Prabhas:Take A Look At Some Unseen Childhood Pictures Of The 'Baahubali' Superstar

Shobana

Celebrated South Indian actress Shobana, who is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, also dropped her last name when she featured in films. Her full name is Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai. The gorgeous actor has acted in several films, in various languages like Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam etc.