Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao is the most popular Indian actor, producer, editor, director and politician. He is mainly known for his work in the Telugu film industry. He is the founder of Telugu Desam Party. He also served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Let us know some more interesting details about NT Rama Rao’s life, family, death, biography and other facts.
Biography/Wiki
NT Rama Rao was born on 28 May 1923 in Nimakuru, Madras District, British India (now Andhra Pradesh, India) (aged 72 years at time of death). He was educated by a teacher named Valluru Subba Rao in a village hut. Because there was no special school in his village at that time. In 1933, his family moved to Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, and he was admitted to the Vijayawada Municipal School. He did his intermediate studies at SRR & CVR College, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. While in college, NTR played a female role in the stage play “Rachamalluni Dautyam” organized during the college’s anniversary celebrations. NTR passed the midterm exam in his third attempt. In 1947, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Andhra Christian College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. He passed the Madras Service Commission examination in the Madras Presidency of British India and was appointed as Deputy Registrar of Mangalagiri, Guntur District. However, he quit his job within three weeks to pursue an acting career.
Early NTR
NTR made his debut in the film industry in 1949 with the Telugu film Mana Desam; in which he played the role of a policeman. He played the lead role in the 1950 film Palletoori Pilla, starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Anjali Devi. Since then, he has never looked back. Apart from acting, NTR also works as a producer and director.
NTR’s first film – Mana Desam
Family, wife and caste
NT Rama Rao was born into a Hindu Rajput family, his father is Nandamuri Lakshmaih and his mother is Venkata Ramamma. His parents were farmers in Nimakuru, Madras District, British India (now Andhra Pradesh, India). NTR was adopted by his uncle Nandamuri Ramaiah. He had a younger brother, Trivikrama Rao, who was a producer and director in the Telugu film industry (died on December 3, 2008 due to heart disease).
NTR with his mother
Brother of NTR
In May 1942, NTR married his maternal uncle’s daughter, Basavatarakam Nandamuri. The couple has eight sons and four daughters. His sons are Nandamuri Ramakrishna Sr. who died in an accident in 1962, Nandamuri Jayakrishna – cinematographer, Nandamuri Saikrishna – theater owner who died in 2004 due to a long illness, Nandamuri Harikrishna – actor who died in 2018 in Nandamuri Mohanakrishna – cinematographer, Nandamuri Balakrishna – actor, Nandamuri Ramakrishna Jr. – film producer and Nandamuri Jayashankar died in an accident. His daughters are politicians Daggubati Purandeswari, Nara Bhuvaneswari, Garapati Lokeswari and Kan Kantamaneni Uma Maheswari.
NTR, with his first wife, Basavatarakam Nandamuri
NTR and his children
NTR and his sons
NTR’s daughter Nara Bhuvaneshwari and her husband Chandrababu Naidu
In 1985, NTR’s wife Basavatarakam Nandamuri died of cancer. In 1986, NTR established Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital in Hyderabad in memory of his late wife.
Basavatarakam Indo-American Hospital
Statue of NTR and his wife at Indo-American Cancer Hospital, Basavatarakam
In 1993, he remarried Telugu writer Lakshmi Parvathi, who was more than 30 years his junior.
NTR and second wife
Profession
As an actor, NTR has appeared in more than 300 films. Despite having no formal training in screenwriting, NTR wrote various screenplays. Films he directed include “Thodu Dongalu” (1954), “Seetharama Kalyanam” (1960), “Varakatnam” (1970), etc. He is famous for playing the roles of Lord Krishna and Lord Rama. Often, he likes to play characters who fight against exploitation and discrimination in our society. His films include “Devudu Chesina Manushulu”, “Justice Chowdhary”, “Driver Ramudu”, “Bobbili Puli”, “Kondaveeti Simham”, “Sardar Papa Rayudu”, “Adavi Ramudu” and “Vetagadu”.
Justice Chaudhry in the movie NTR
In 1942, NTR established the Telugu Desam Party, which brought a major setback to the Indian National Congress. He became the first non-Congressman to be elected as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He served as the tenth Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and was re-elected three times between 1983 and 1994.
Telugu Desam Party Logo
As chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, NTR stopped corrupt and inappropriate Congress rule in the state. He was the first person to use Rath Yatra during election campaign. During the election campaign, he came up with a slogan: “Telugu Vari Atma Gauravam” (Self-respect of Telugu people). He also implemented various socialist views in his policies. He was a supporter of women’s rights in inheritance law and advocated equal rights for women in ancestral property.
NTR campaign
NTR during election campaign
In 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated and her son Rajiv Gandhi took over as the Prime Minister of India. Subsequently, in the 1984 elections, the Congress achieved huge victories across the country, except in Andhra Pradesh, where the TDP emerged victorious. NTR Party became the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha. As a result, NTR was re-elected as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. However, he was moved out of the office because he was hospitalized for coronary artery bypass surgery. Governor Ram Lal appointed Nadendla Bhaskara Rao as chief minister. After his discharge, NTR relaunched his campaign with other non-Congress parties such as the Janata Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party to retain him in power. In September 1984, he successfully came to power and obtained an official position.
NTR Caitanya Yatra
In 1989, NTR lost the election as he was unable to contest due to a mild stroke. However, he returned to power in 1994 but was later overthrown by an internal revolution overtaken by his son-in-law Nara Chandrababu Naidu. Later, Naidu became the chairman of TDP and the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.
NTR with his son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu
assets/property
NTR owns two houses in Madras, two houses and 2.62 acres of land in Hyderabad and 20 acres of farmland in Rangareddy district. He was in possession of 1,836 grams of jewelery and silver worth Rs 1 lakh. He also has some stocks, national savings certificates and compulsory deposits.
sign
Signature of NTR
Awards/Honors
- Merit Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu: National Arts Theater Producer Thodu Dongalu – 1954
- Merit Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu: Producer – National Arts Theatre’s Seetharama Kalyanam – 1960
- National Film Award for Best Feature Film by a Telugu Director – National Arts Theatre, Warakatnam – 1968
- Government of India – Padma Shri – 1968
- Rashtrapati Award – Best Performance by Raju Peda – 1954
- President’s Award – Best Performance by Lava Kusa – 1963
- Nandi Awards – Best Actor Kodalu Diddina Kapuram – 1970
- Filmfare Awards (South) – Best Actor – Telugu (Badi Panthulu) – 1972
- Honorary Doctorate from Andhra University – 1978
dispute
- In 1995, NTR was expelled from his party TDP over his decision to make his second wife Lakshmi Parvathi the party leader. According to sources, Parvati seized power, appointed her own loyalists to top posts and plotted to succeed him as chief minister. This became the reason for a sudden coup by two sons of Chandrababu Naidu and NTR. Almost all MLAs opposed NTR and he eventually lost the support of his party and the public.
NTR and Chandrababu Naidu
NTR during elections
die
NTR died of cardiac arrest in Hyderabad on January 18, 1996. According to reports, his second wife Lakshmi Parvathi buried NTR’s ashes only after Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s defeat in the state assembly elections in 2004, eight years after his death.
fact
- As a Deputy Registrar, NTR’s salary is Rs 190 per month.
- NTR married Basavatarakam Nandamuri when he was 20 years old.
NTR and his first wife
- NTR’s salary for his first film was Rs 1,000.
- He ranked seventh out of 1,100 candidates who appeared for the Madras Service Commission examination.
- At the age of 40, he learned dance from the Kuchipudi dancer “Vempati Chinna Satyam” for his role in the 1963 film “Narthanasala”.
- NTR established Ramakrishna Studios in 1962 in memory of his son, the late Nandamuri Ramakrishna Sr.
- He is famous for playing the role of Lord Krishna in about 17 films.
- His first mythological film was 1957’s Maya Bazaar, in which he played Lord Krishna.
NTR plays Lord Krishna
- He also played Lord Rama in the films “Lava Kusha” and “Shri Ramanjaneya Yuddham”.
NTR plays Lord Rama
- He played the role of Ravana in the movies “Bhookailas” and “Seetharama Kalyanam”.
NTR plays Ravana.
- He played the role of Lord Shiva in the movie “Dakshayagnam”.
NTR plays Lord Shiva
- His second wife Lakshmi wrote two biographies of him, namely “Eduruleni Manishi” and “Telugu Tejam”.
NTR’s second wife Lakshmi Parvati
- Between 1941 and 1942, one of his paintings won a prize in a national competition.
- When Subhash Chandra Bose happened to visit Vijayawada, NTR presented him with a portrait.
- His production companies include National Arts Theater Private Limited, Madras and Ramakrishna Studios, Hyderabad.
- In 1984, NTR campaigned for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) state elections in Tamil Nadu as his friend MG Ramachandran (MGR), then chief minister of Tamil Nadu, was unwell.
NT Rama Rao (circled) and MGR
- In interviews, NTR claimed the 1995 coup was a planned betrayal and said his son and Naidu were power-hungry and untrustworthy.
- In 2019, the Tollywood biopic NTR Kathanayakudu was released. The role of NTR is played by his sixth son Nandamuri Balakrishna and the role of NTR’s first wife is played by Bollywood actress Vidya Balan.
NTR Katanayakudu movies
- On August 29, 2023, President Droupadi Murmu of India issued a rupee coin. 100 to commemorate the birth centenary of NT Rama Rao at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center in New Delhi.
Droupadi Murmu (third from left) at the NT Rama Rao commemorative coin launch event
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education