N T Rama Rao Jr. | |
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 NTR Jr. in 2021 | |
| Born | Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr. (1983-05-20)20 May 1983 (age 42) Hyderabad,Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2001–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Father | Nandamuri Harikrishna |
| Family | Nandamuri family |
| Awards | Full list |
Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr. (born 20 May 1983), popularly known asNTR Jr, is an Indian actor, producer, and television presenter who primarily works inTelugu cinema.[1] He is one of the highest-paid actors inIndian cinema and has been featured inForbes India'sCelebrity 100 list since 2012.[2][3] Referred to in the media as the "Man of Masses", he has starred in 30 films.[4] He is a recipient ofseveral accolades including, threeFilmfare Awards South, threeCineMAA Awards, aSIIMA Award, aIIFA Award and twoNandi Awards.
The grandson of Indianmatinee idol and formerChief Minister of Andhra Pradesh,N. T. Rama Rao.[5] NTR Jr. appeared as a child actor inBrahmarshi Viswamitra (1991) and theNational Film Award-winningRamayanam (1997). He made his debut as a lead actor withNinnu Choodalani (2001) and achieved hisbreakthrough with the coming-of-age filmStudent No: 1 (2001) and the action dramaAadi (2002). This was followed by a string of commercially successful films includingSimhadri (2003),Rakhi (2006),Yamadonga (2007),Adhurs (2010),Brindavanam (2010), andBaadshah (2013).
After a brief period of box-office setbacks, he made a strong comeback with the action dramaTemper (2015) and continued his success streak withNannaku Prematho (2016),Janatha Garage (2016),Jai Lava Kusa (2017), andAravinda Sametha Veera Raghava (2018). He then starred in themagnum opusRRR (2022), which became a global phenomenon, earning himPan-India fame and international recognition, including a nomination for Best Actor in an Action Movie at theCritics' Choice Super Awards.[6] The film emerged as one of thehighest-grossing Indian films of all time. He followed it up with action dramaDevara: Part 1 (2024), which continued his streak of box office successes.
NTR Jr. also hosted thefirst season of the Telugu-language reality TV showBigg Boss (2017) and the fifth season ofEvaru Meelo Koteeswarulu (2021). A trainedKuchipudi dancer, he is widely regarded as one of the finest dancers in Indian cinema. He is also one of the fewpolyglots of Indian cinema.
Born as Nandamuri Tarak Ram, he was renamed as Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao at the suggestion of his grandfatherN. T. Rama Rao. Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr was born on 20 May 1983 to film actor and politician,Nandamuri Harikrishna and Shalini Bhaskar Rao. His father is ofTelugu descent and was born and raised atNimmakuru, inKrishna district ofAndhra Pradesh.[7] His mother is aKannadati, who hails fromKundapur,Karnataka.[8] He is the grandson of Telugu actor and formerChief Minister of Andhra Pradesh,N. T. Rama Rao.[9][10]
Tarak did his schooling atVidyaranya High School, Hyderabad, and completed his intermediate education atSt. Mary's College, Hyderabad.[11] He also studied in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh for some time.[7]
Tarak is a trainedKuchipudi dancer.[12] He is the half-brother of actor and producer,Nandamuri Kalyan Ram,[13] the nephew of actor and politicianNandamuri Balakrishna and current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh,N. Chandrababu Naidu, and the cousin of actorTaraka Ratna and politicianNara Lokesh.[14]
N. T. Rama Rao Jr.'s acting journey began early with a cameo in the 1991 filmBrahmarshi Viswamitra, appearing alongside his grandfather, the Indian matinee idolN. T. Rama Rao.[15] In 1997, he made his debut as a child artist in the title role ofRama in the mythological filmRamayanam, directed byGunasekhar. The film won theNational Film Award for Best Children's Film, and his performance received critical acclaim.[16] DirectorK. Raghavendra Rao, impressed by his performance inRamayanam and later auditions, recommended him toS. S. Rajamouli for his directorial debutStudent No: 1 (2001). Around the same time, producerRamoji Rao signed him for the romantic dramaNinnu Choodalani (2001), which marked his debut as a lead actor at just 17 years of age.Student No: 1, which released later that year, became a commercial success, establishing him as a promising young talent, whileSubbu (2001) that followed had an average performance at the box office.[17]
His major breakthrough came withV. V. Vinayak’sAadi (2002), in which he portrayed a young man seeking revenge against a powerful landlord for his parents’ deaths. The film became one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of the year and solidified his mass appeal.[18] He subsequently appeared inAllari Ramudu (2002) directed byB. Gopal, and the political political dramaNaaga (2003) produced byA. M. Rathnam. Both films underperformed at the box office, althoughNaaga received critical acclaim for its political themes and Rama Rao Jr.'s performance. In 2003, Rama Rao Jr. reunited with S. S. Rajamouli forSimhadri, made on a budget of ₹8.5 crore. The film became thehighest-grossing Telugu film of all time upon release, cementing his stardom and earning him his firstFilmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.[19] For the role, he adopted a more rugged and mature look, shedding his earlier youthful image. His intense performance and commanding screen presence at just 19 earned him the moniker “Young Tiger”, a title that has remained associated with him since.[20]
Rama Rao Jr. next appeared inPuri Jagannadh's action dramaAndhrawala (2004).The film's pre-release hype was historic, marked by a record-breaking public gathering of over 10 lakh (1 million) fans, reportedly the largest such turnout for any actor in India.[21][22] Despite this unprecedented anticipation, the film ultimately proved to be a box office failure.[17] He then starred in action film,Samba (2004) in his second collaboration with V. V. Vinayak. He went on to star in the family dramaNaa Alludu (2005), in which he played a dual role, as well asNarasimhudu (2005), both films proved unsuccessful at the box office.[23] In 2006, he then appeared inSurender Reddy'sAshok, which was an average grosser. A critical and commercial bright spot during this period, however, was his powerful performance inKrishna Vamsi'sRakhi (2006). The film emerged as asleeper hit and the role is widely considered one of the finest performances by an actor in Telugu cinema.[24]
His career regained its momentum with his third collaboration with S. S. Rajamouli in the socio-fantasy filmYamadonga (2007). In a remarkable physical transformation, he shed over 20 kg for the role, dropping from 94 kg to portray Raja, a cunning thief who confronts the god of death,Yama. It also featured him delivering one of the longest monologues that too in Grandhika Telugu for any actor of his generation, showcasing his exceptional command of the language and vocal delivery. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning him his secondFilmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. He next starred in the action filmKantri (2008) before taking a year-longhiatus in 2009 to actively campaign for theTelugu Desam Party (TDP) in the general elections.[25][26]
Returning to cinema, he headlined the action-comedyAdhurs (2010), playing dual roles for the third time in his career. The film was a major commercial success, largely driven by his performance as Chari, a timid priest. The role is widely regarded as one of the finest comic performances in Telugu cinema and has since become an iconic pop culture reference.[27] He then shifted gears to star in the romantic comedyBrindavanam (2011), marking his return to the genre after several years. The film went on to become another critical and commercial success and was later remade in six other languages.[28]
In 2011, Rama Rao Jr. collaborated with directorMeher Ramesh for the fantasy action filmShakthi, which underperformed at the box office, attributed to its high production cost. This was followed by the action thrillerOosaravelli (2011), his second venture with director Surender Reddy, which was a box office success.[29] He next starred in the action dramaDammu (2012), which became an average grosser.[30][31] In 2013, he underwent a complete physical transformation forSrinu Vaitla's action comedyBaadshah, straightening his curly hair and growing a beard to suit his role as amafia don. The film was a commercial success and was later premiered at theOsaka Asian Film Festival in 2014. However, his next two releases,Ramayya Vasthavayya (2013) andRabhasa (2014), were box office failures, marking a low phase in his career.
A significant turning point came withPuri Jagannadh'sTemper (2015). The film was a major critical and commercial success, with Rama Rao Jr's performance as a corrupt police officerDaya receiving widespread acclaim.[32][33] This film is widely seen as the project where he successfully reinvented himself moving beyond a purely commercial action hero image. Building on this momentum, he starred inSukumar's dramaNannaku Prematho (2016), for which he sported a new look and won his thirdFilmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.[34][35] The film became the highest-grossing film of his career at that time.[36] Later that year, he featured inKoratala Siva'sJanatha Garage (2016), it registered the highest opening day collection for a Telugu film with over ₹41 crore in 2016 becoming the second-highest Telugu opening of all-time behindBaahubali: The Beginning,[37] at the time and became thehighest-grossing Telugu film of 2016, grossing approximately ₹150 crore worldwide.[38]
In 2017, he essayed a triple role inJai Lava Kusa, directed byK. S. Ravindra and produced byNandamuri Kalyan Ram, under theN.T.R. Arts banner.[39] The film was a commercial success, collecting over ₹150–175crore worldwide, and his performance in the triple roles received critical acclaim.[40] It was later screened inBucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in Category of "Best of Asia" inSouth Korea.[41] In 2018, he starred inTrivikram Srinivas's action dramaAravinda Sametha Veera Raghava. The film opened to widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise directed at Rama Rao Jr's performance and his seamless command of theRayalaseema dialect. It opened with a worldwide gross of ₹60 crore on its first day and went on to become one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of the year, grossing over ₹190 crore globally.[42][43] Director Trivikram Srinivas credited Rama Rao Jr for the film's success, stating:
"A highly capable actor like NTR is very rare to find in any generation. When it comes to acting, he is like a torchbearer. Staying in the moment is a very great quality... NTR has the capability to match his grandfather. He is disciplined, honest, straight-forward, doesn't get involved in unnecessary issues and goes to any extent to achieve what is necessary. We needn't have to stop such a personality, just need to offer claps during his journey."
S. S. Rajamouli's magnum opusRRR, where Rao playing 20th century freedom fighterKomaram Bheem, opened to massive success.[44][45] The film marked Rao's return after three years, mainly due to the production setbacks caused by theCOVID-19 Pandemic.[46]
Rao reunited with Koratala Siva afterJanatha Garage for a two-part period action series with the first film,Devara: Part 1, released in 2024.[47] The film opened to mixed reviews, while critics praised Rao's performance as the titular character. It was a commercial success, earning ₹500 crore worldwide.[48]
In 2025, Rao made his Hindi debut withAyan Mukerji'sWar 2 where he co-starred oppositeHrithik Roshan andKiara Advani. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and audiences alike. The film underperformed commercially and was abox-office bomb.[49]
Rao will work with directorPrashanth Neel in their maiden collaboration.[50] He will also collaborate with directorNelson for an untitled project produced bySithara Entertainments.[51] Rao will also reunite withKoratala Siva for the sequel, toDevara: Part 1 titledDevara: Part 2.[52]
Rao hosted the reality show,Bigg Boss 1 that was broadcast on theStar Maa. Rao's television debut was a huge success and had a record breaking ratings for Star Maa, making it the number one channel among all the shows.[53] Hindustan Times (22 April 2016). Retrieved 10 December 2018.The show began airing from 15 July 2017.[54] He has also been as a guest in Telugu reality game showMeelo Evaru Koteeswarudu[55] and Telugu reality dance showsDhee 2 andDhee 10.[56] In February 2021, he was confirmed to be the host ofEvaru Meelo Koteeswarulu.[57] Later, on 10 July 2021, he joined the production of the show.[58]
Rao married Lakshmi Pranathi, the daughter of realtor and businessman Narne Srinivasa Rao. Srinivasa Rao's wife is the niece ofN. Chandrababu Naidu, who mediated the marriage.[59] Their wedding took place on 5 May 2011 in Hyderabad atHitex Exhibition Center,Madhapur.[60] The couple have two sons.[61]
Apart fromTelugu, he also speaksKannada,Tamil,Hindi, andEnglish. He also knows a littleJapanese.[62] His brief red carpet interview during the95th Academy Awards won him praise from fans in India for his authentic English accent.[63]
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Rao is popularly referred to asYoung Tiger and also "Man of Masses" inTelugu cinema and media.[64] Due to his popularity, Rao became the sixth most searched South Indian actor onGoogle, in 2022.[65] He became the fourth most tweeted-about South Indian actor in 2020. In 2021, he became the fifth most tweeted-about actor on the same list.[66][67] Rao stood at the 14th place onForbes India's most influential stars on Instagram in South cinema for the year 2021.[68]
A research study conducted in 2023 by Indian Institute of Human Brands (IIHB) stated that Rao was the second"most respected" in Telugu cinema.[69] In theHyderabad Times Most Desirable Men list, he was placed 12th in 2013, 2nd in 2015, 5th in 2016,[70][71][72] 9th in 2017, 19th in 2019 and 3rd in 2020.[73][74][75]
Rao was one of the campaigners for theTelugu Desam Party, for the2009 Indian general election from April to May 2009 inAndhra Pradesh.[25][26][76][77][78][79] On 26 March 2009, after electioneering, en route toHyderabad, the SUV in which he was a passenger, was struck head-on with another vehicle, atSuryapet. He and his companions were thrown out of the SUV and suffered injuries. He was treated at Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, inSecunderabad, where he recuperated well.[80]
In 2009, NTR donated ₹20 lakhs to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to aid flood victims inAndhra Pradesh.[81] During the audio function ofBaadshah in 2013, a fan died due to a stampede and NTR extended his support by donating ₹5 Lakhs to the family of the deceased. Additionally, he pledged to take care of the family following the sudden loss.[82]
In 2014, NTR announced a donation of ₹20 lakhs to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to support those affected byCyclone Hudhud in Andhra Pradesh.[83]
| Year | Song | Album | Composer | Language | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Olammi Thikka Regindha" | Yamadonga | M. M. Keeravani | Telugu | ||
| 2008 | "1,2,3 Nenoka Kantri" | Kantri | Mani Sharma | |||
| 2010 | "Chari" | Adhurs | Devi Sri Prasad | |||
| 2011 | "Sri Anjaneyam" | Oosaravelli | ||||
| 2014 | "Raakasi Raakasi" | Rabhasa | Thaman S | [84] | ||
| 2016 | "Follow Follow" | Nannaku Prematho | Devi Sri Prasad | Mirchi Music Awards – Star as a Singing Sensation (Telugu) Nominated –Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer – Telugu | [85][86] | |
| "Geleya Geleya" | Chakravyuha | Thaman S | Kannada | Kannada song Mirchi Music Awards – Star as a Singing Sensation (Kannada) | [87] |
"Janatha Garage" has collected over Rs 41 crore at the worldwide box office on the first day and has become the biggest opener for Junior NTR and Mohanlal.
Awards received by N. T. Rama Rao Jr | |||||||||||||||||
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| International | |
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