N. T. Rama Rao: Difference between revisions

{{About|the 20th-century actor and politician|his grandson and the currently active actor with the same name|N. T. Rama Rao Jr.}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2021}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name                = N. T. Rama Rao

| office              = 10th [[Andhra Pradesh (1956–2014)#List of Chief ministers of United Andhra Pradesh|Chief Minister of United Andhra Pradesh]]

| term_start1        = 9 January 1983

| predecessor3        = [[Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy]]

| successor3          = [[N. Chandrababu Naidu]]

| birth_date          = {{Birth date|df=yes|1923|5|28}}

| birth_place        = [[Nimmakuru]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br/>(now in [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[India]])

| death_date          = {{Death date and age|1996|1|18|1923|3|29|df=y}}

| death_cause        = Cardiac arrest

| party              = {{Colorsample|Yellow}} [[Telugu Desam Party]]<br /> <small>(1982–1996)</small>

   | {{marriage|[[Lakshmi Parvathi]]<br>|1993<!--|18 January 1996-->}}

   }}

| alma_mater          = SRR & CVR College, [[Andhra Christian College]]

| blank1              = Awards

| data1              = [[Padma Shri]] (1968)<br />[[National Film Awards]]

| occupation          = {{Hlist|Actor|producer|director|film editor|politician}}

}}

Rao was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] by the [[Government of India]] in 1968, recognizing his contribution to Indian cinema. After his career in films, Rao entered politics. He founded the [[Telugu Desam Party]] (TDP) in 1982 and served three tumultuous terms as [[Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh]] between 1983 and 1995. He was known as an advocate of Andhra Pradesh's distinct cultural identity, distinguishing it from the erstwhile [[Madras State]] with which it was often associated. At the national level, he was instrumental in the formation of the [[National Front (India)|National Front]], a coalition of non-[[Indian National Congress|Congress]] parties which governed India from 1989 until 1990.<ref name="ntr national front">{{cite web|access-date=2022-08-02|title=Regionalism and sub-regionalism|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/article30222171.ece|date=22 April 2004|website=frontline.thehindu.com}}</ref>

Smt. Basava Tarakam died of [[cancer]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://induscancer.com/about-us/|title=About Us|website=Induscancer|language=en-US|access-date=21 March 2019}}</ref> in 1985. In her memory, Rao established the Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital in Hyderabad in 1986.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.andhraheadlines.com/state/i-need-people%E2%80%99s-blessings-balayya-4-94939.html |title=I need people's blessings: Balayya |publisher=Andhraheadlines.com |access-date=4 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118144016/http://www.andhraheadlines.com/state/i-need-people%E2%80%99s-blessings-balayya-4-94939.html |archive-date=18 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1993, NTR married [[Lakshmi Parvathi]], a Telugu writer.<ref>{{cite news|author=Ch |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-07-21/hyderabad/27198251_1_lakshmi-parvathi-film-ntr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520215835/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-07-21/hyderabad/27198251_1_lakshmi-parvathi-film-ntr |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 May 2013 |title=Lakshmi Parvathi to don greasepaint|date=21 July 2003 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=4 August 2013}}</ref> The marriage was childless and lasted until NTR's death less than three years later. Lakshmi Parvati was the author of NTR's two-volume biography published in 2004. The first volume, ''Eduruleni Manishi'' ({{Translation|Unstoppable person}}), covers his childhood and his entry into films. The second volume, ''Telugu Tejam'' ({{Translation|The radiance of Telugu}}), deals with his political career.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2004/02/25/stories/2004022504200400.htm |title=NTR biography release tomorrow |date=25 February 2004 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=4 August 2013}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/02/stories/2004020204390600.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040224201833/http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/02/stories/2004020204390600.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 February 2004 |title=NTR biography ready |date=2 February 2004 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=4 August 2013}}</ref>

==Film career==

Rama Rao started his film career with a walk-on role as a policeman in ''[[Mana Desam]]'' (1949).<ref name="I96" /> Following this, he appeared in ''[[Palletoori Pilla]]'' (1950), directed by [[B. A. Subba Rao]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiancinemas.com/News-21/History+of+Telugu+Cinema.html?newsid=149&linkid=21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713025001/http://www.indiancinemas.com/News-21/History+of+Telugu+Cinema.html?newsid=149&linkid=21|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 July 2011|title=History of Telugu Cinema|publisher=Indian cinemas|access-date=31 May 2010}}</ref> His first [[Hindu mythology|mythological film]] was in 1957, where he portrayed the [[Hindu deities|Hindu god]] [[Krishna]] in the blockbuster film ''[[Maya Bazaar]]''.<ref name="ntr krishna">{{cite web|url=http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/bio-data/bio-ntr.html |title=Telugu cinema megastar&nbsp;– Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao's Bio-data |publisher=Idlebrain.com |access-date=4 August 2013}}</ref> He played Krishna in 17 films,<ref name="ntr krishna"/> including some landmark films such as ''[[Sri Krishnarjuna Yudham]]'' (1962), the Tamil film ''[[Karnan (1964 film)|Karnan]]'' (1964) and ''[[Daana Veera Soora Karna]]'' (1977). He was also known for his portrayal of the god [[Rama]], essaying that role in films such as ''[[Lava Kusa]]'' (1963) and ''[[Sri Ramanjaneya Yuddham]]'' (1974) to name a few. He has also portrayed other characters from the [[Ramayana]], such as [[Ravana]] in ''[[Bhookailas (1958 Telugu film)|Bhookailas]]'' (1958) and ''[[Seeta Rama Kalyanam (1960 film)|Seetharama Kalyanam]]'' (1961) among others. He portrayed the god [[Vishnu]] in films such as ''[[Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam]]'' (1960) among others and the god [[Shiva]] in ''[[Dakshayagnam (1962 film)|Dakshayagnam]]'' (1962). He has also enacted the roles of [[Mahabharata]] characters, such as [[Bheeshma]], [[Arjuna]], [[Karna]] and [[Duryodhana]].  

[[File:NTR in Pathala Bhairavi.jpg|right|thumb|Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao in ''[[Pathala Bhairavi]]'' (1951) ]]  

Later in his career, he stopped playing a prince in his commercial films and began to play roles of a poor yet heroic young man fighting against the existing system. These films appealed to the sentiments of the common man. Some of these films are ''[[Devudu Chesina Manushulu (1973 film)|Devudu Chesina Manushulu]]'' (1973), ''[[Adavi Ramudu (1977 film)|Adavi Ramudu]]'' (1977), ''[[Driver Ramudu]]'' (1979), ''[[Vetagadu]]'' (1979), ''[[Sardar Papa Rayudu]]'' (1980), ''[[Kondaveeti Simham]]'' (1981), ''[[Justice Chowdary]]'' (1982) and ''[[Bobbili Puli]]'' (1982). He also portrayed [[fantasy film|fantasy]] roles, his notable film in that genre being ''[[Yamagola]]'' (1977).{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} His film ''[[Lava Kusa]]'', in which he starred as Rama, collected {{Indian Rupee}}1 [[crore]] in 1963. He directed and acted in the [[hagiography|hagiographical film]] ''[[Srimadvirat Veerabrahmendra Swami Charitra]]'' (1984). He also acted in films such as ''[[Brahmarshi Viswamitra|Brahmashi Viswamitra]]'' (1991) and ''[[Major Chandrakanth (1993 film)|Major Chandrakanth]]'' (1993). His last film was ''[[Srinatha Kavi Sarvabhowmudu]]'', a [[biopic]] on the [[Telugu literature|Telugu poet]] [[Srinatha]], which released in 1993.

In the later half of his career, Rao became a [[screenwriter]]. Despite having no formal training in scriptwriting, he authored several screenplays for his own movies as well as for other producers. He also produced many of his films as well as other actor's films through his film production house National Art Theater Private Limited, Madras and later [[Ramakrishna Studios]], Hyderabad. He actively campaigned for the construction of a large number of cinemas through this production house.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm8thNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=46NFA.pdf |title=Directorate of Film Festival |publisher=Iffi.nic.in |access-date=3 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928071859/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm8thNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=46NFA.pdf |archive-date=28 September 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> He was influential in designing and implementing a financial system that funded the production and distribution of movies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/artist/nt-rama-rao-237184|title=N.T. Rama Rao – Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos – AllMovie|website=AllMovie}}</ref> He was so dedicated to his profession that he would often learn new things in order to portray a particular character on-screen perfectly and realistically. At the age of 40, he learnt dance from the renowned [[Kuchipudi]] dancer [[Vempati Chinna Satyam]] for his role in the film ''[[Nartanasala (1963 film)|Nartanasala]]'' (1963).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chaitanya.bhaavana.net/ghantasala/0196.html |title=The ghantasa list-archive: Part-II: Remembering NTR, Actor, Director, Producer |publisher=Chaitanya.bhaavana.net |date=20 January 1997 |access-date=4 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304115423/http://chaitanya.bhaavana.net/ghantasala/0196.html |archive-date=4 March 2016  }}</ref>

===First term as Chief Minister, 1983===

{{main|Chief Ministership of N. T. Rama Rao}}

In the elections, the TDP allied with the Sanjaya Vichara Manch party and decided to field educated candidates who had a good name in the society{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} and were not indulging in corruption, which was an innovative political concept at the time. Rao himself decided to contest from two assembly constituencies, Gudivada and [[Tirupati (city)|Tirupati]]. He used many innovative ways of campaigning, such as being the first politician in India to use rath yatras for campaigning. However, it was [[M. G. Ramachandran|MGR]] who had started the open top van campaigning for elections, as it was felt that he can address the roadshows as an alternative to the mammoth meetings, which involves large amount of money as well as manpower.<ref name="ntr campaigns">{{cite web |url=http://www.andhraheadlines.com/special/ntr-the-legend-13-98352.html |title=NTR&nbsp;... the legend |publisher=Andhraheadlines.com |access-date=4 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331161632/http://www.andhraheadlines.com/special/ntr-the-legend-13-98352.html |archive-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> For this, he used a modified [[Chevrolet]] van which was given the name of ''Chaitanya Ratham''. In this, Rao travelled across the state of Andhra Pradesh, crisscrossing all the districts. With his son [[Nandamuri Harikrishna]], also a film actor, driving the van, Rao notched up over 75,000 kilometres during his campaign, a distinctive sight with the van's yellow party flags and banners and Rao sitting on top of the vehicle hailing the crowds.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/17/stories/2009041755071300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421195117/http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/17/stories/2009041755071300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 April 2009|title=The original ratham |newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=17 April 2009|access-date=31 May 2010|location=Chennai, India}}</ref> He campaigned for restoring the dignity of the Telugu people and advocated forming a closer bond between the government and the common people, going into the elections with the slogan, ''Telugu Vari Atma Gauravam'' (lit. ''Telugu people's self-respect'').<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/02/stories/2009040259030300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090406005629/http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/02/stories/2009040259030300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 April 2009|title=Pavan Kalyan does a star turn |newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=2 April 2009|access-date=31 May 2010|location=Chennai, India}}</ref>

===Return to power, 1984===

===Campaigning in Tamil Nadu, 1984===

===Third term as Chief Minister, 1994===

==Awards and honors==

==Legislative career==

===As Assembly member===

{| class="wikitable sortable"

* [[Politics of Andhra Pradesh]]

* ''[[Maverick Messiah]]'', a 2021 book about Rao

==References==

==External links==

* {{IMDb name|0004417}}

* [https://www.bbc.com/telugu/india-44277727 Article on NTR in BBC Telugu]