NTR Story

Kathanayakudu traces the life of legendary actor and politician N. T. Rama Rao (NTR).

The story opens in 1984, with Nandamuri Basava Ramatarakam asking her son Harikrishna for a photo album of her husband’s younger days. The film then travels back to 1947, when NTR worked as a sub-registrar at Guntur but soon resigned to pursue his passion for cinema. With steadfast support from his wife and his brother N. Trivikrama Rao, he moved to Madras. Director L. V. Prasad introduced him to B. A. Subba Rao, who cast him in Palletoori Pilla. Though initial projects faltered, his cameo in Mana Desam and eventual casting in Pathala Bhairavi under K. V. Reddy propelled him to stardom, establishing him as Telugu cinema’s first “superstar.”

As NTR’s career blossomed, he collaborated with stalwarts like Akkineni Nageswara Rao and producers B. Nagi Reddy and Aluri Chakrapani. Despite disputes, they reunited to create classics such as Mayabazar, where NTR’s portrayal of Lord Krishna became iconic. He later starred in Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam, after which devotees revered him as a divine figure. Meanwhile, he balanced family life with Basava Ramatarakam, raising twelve children. His passion for filmmaking drove him to direct Seeta Rama Kalyanam (1960), playing Ravana with immense dedication, even amidst personal tragedies such as the loss of his eldest son, Rama Krishna.

NTR’s career spanned devotional, mythological, and social dramas, earning him national recognition with the Padma Shri. When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi allegedly dismissed Telugu stars as “Madrasis,” NTR asserted the pride of Andhra Pradesh. While ANR shifted the industry to Hyderabad, NTR focused on cementing Telugu identity. In the 1970s, he built Ramakrishna Studios and directed the magnum opus Daana Veera Soora Karna, playing three lead roles and completing it in just 38 days—a monumental success. He followed this with blockbusters like Adavi Ramudu, Yamagola, and Vetagaadu.

The Diviseema cyclone of 1977 brought devastation, during which NTR and ANR led massive relief efforts. Inspired by the people’s suffering and disillusioned with political instability in Andhra Pradesh, NTR resolved to serve the public. Despite initial opposition from his family, especially his wife, his son Harikrishna stood firmly by him. Encouraged even by Congress leaders such as Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, NTR founded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982, at the age of 60.

The film ends with NTR announcing the name of his party, marking his transition from a revered movie star to a political icon.