Why he matters: The grandson of Southern cinematic doyen, NT Rama Rao, he grew up with the public’s expectations of the next big superstar, ones he has met with aplomb. Sashidhar Adivi decodes the phenomenon that is Jr NTR post the stellar success of RRR, and why he is a favourite of fans and filmmakers alike.
RRR became a rage at the global box office last year. And Jr NTR’s stellar performance as Komaram Bheem earned him accolades not just from India; even the Hollywood fraternity sat up and took notice of him! And the Oscar for the song ‘Naatu Naatu’ was the icing on the cake, transcending his fame worldwide.
The flavour of the moment, Jr NTR, belongs to a rare breed of actors who have both super stardom and talent. One of the reasons he is as expressive as he is and became versatile is because of his training as a Kuchipudi dancer.
Having hailed from a filmi family (Nandamuri) and being the grandson of the legendary Sr NTR, the actor was always under pressure to deliver and constantly compared to other performers from his family. Jr NTR is one of those cineasts who stood the test of time to emerge a superstar. A little zoom into his filmography tells you what it takes to be him! He had several phases of struggle before he made it to the movies.
Today, he may be a global star, but life in showbiz hasn’t been a cakewalk for him. He went through several challenging phases, was under constant criticism for his choice of films, and was even written off by trade pundits. But he took criticism in his stride.
Jr NTR had the last laugh. His ability to produce films like Student No: 1, Simhadri, Yamadonga, Adhurs, Temper, Janatha Garage and RRR all came when he was under pressure to perform and is proof of his uncanny knack of bouncing back when the going gets tough.
Yet, the best aspect of him is that he always believes in keeping it simple and easy off the big screen. He is arguably the best actor in terms of diverse filmography—ranging from intense dramas to action- packed ones.
As an actor of his calibre, Jr NTR may be a superstar for his fans,but he always remains a super cool dad and a loving husband to his family. Two decades in the industry, and he continues to enjoy the trust of his loyal fans and directors...
To see who else is on the list, grab the copy of HELLO! India’s August 2023 issue right here!
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