In the 1990 film "Bobbili Raja", he played a young man, who seeks to undo injustice done to his mother. The commercially successful film proved to be a turning point of his career. A year later, he starred in Ram Gopal Varma's road movie "Kshana Kshanam" alongside Sridevi. The film, where Venkatesh played a small time thief, is considered one of best thrillers of Telugu cinema. His portrayal of an innocent villager in "Chanti" (1992) is also considered a notable role. In 1993, Venkatesh made his debut in Hindi cinema with "Anari", a remake of his film "Chanti". Later, he also featured in "Taqdeerwala" (1995).