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N.T. Rama Rao
ఎన్.టి. రామారావు
NTR — the mythological hero of the screen who ruled Andhra
Years
1923 – 1996
Known as
N.T. Rama Rao — the actor and Chief Minister
Birthplace
Nimmakuru, Andhra Pradesh
Field
Artists & Performers
“Play the god on the screen and you owe the people a god's devotion in life.”
— The spirit of N.T. Rama Rao
The Story
Born in 1923 in Nimmakuru, NTR entered the cinema in 1949 and rose to become the greatest star of the Telugu screen. His roles as Krishna, Rama, and the heroes of the epics — especially his Krishna in the classic films — made him a living god to millions, and his films were among the most beloved of the South.
In 1982, at the height of his fame, he founded the Telugu Desam Party — a party built in a single week on his name — and in 1983 he became the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, the first film star to rule a state as the head of his own party. He served as Chief Minister twice, loved by the masses.
He died in 1996, and his passing was mourned by millions. He is remembered as the mythological hero of the screen who ruled Andhra — an actor whose god-like roles made him the idol and then the leader of a whole people.
Core Ideas
The Krishna
His god-like roles made him an idol of millions.
The Telugu Desam Party
The party he founded in a single week.
The Chief Minister
He ruled Andhra Pradesh twice.
The Star
The greatest actor of the Telugu screen.
The Mass Leader
Loved by the people as few have been.
Why it matters today
N.T. Rama Rao is honoured as the greatest star of Telugu cinema and the leader who founded the Telugu Desam Party — the mythological hero of the screen who ruled Andhra. His name remains a legend of the cinema and politics of the South, and his films are still loved by millions.