20 years of N.T. Rama Rao Jr. in Telugu cinema

Before RRR, SS Rajamouli had directed Jr NTR (above) in Student No. 1, Simhadri, and Yamadonga.

Hundreds of Telugu moviegoers in the United States were anxiously waiting to see if the Oscars would knock on the doors of Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr. (Jr NTR or Tarak) as well, but it gave him a slip this year.

There’s usually a mysterious air around celebrities who don’t like to talk about themselves much. They tend to keep their emotions in check and bring just about a portion of their lives to the table. It’s not wrong. Celebrities shouldn’t be made to feel as if they owe their souls to the prying eyes of the camera. I often think of the quip that Sidharth Malhotra shared on Koffee With Karan last year, “I am private, not shy.” If that’s how he wants to be, we should let him be. It’s as simple as that.

But there are many others who are equally comfortable with the idea of chatting about everything under the sun. They may still not allow you to roam around the corners of their minds; even so, it’s always great to hear them spill the beans about their interests and pet peeves. The Indian movie industry has produced several wonderful conversationalists; Kamal Haasan and Shah Rukh Khan stand on top right now. When it comes to the younger lot, however, the latest favourite seems to be N. T. Rama Rao Jr., aka Tarak.

Tarak, like his contemporaries Allu Arjun and Ram Charan, has grown tremendously as an actor since his debut as a child actor in 1996. Viewers generally agree that he’s good at singing, dancing, and acting – in layman’s terms, it means he can deliver the lines without making them feel silly.

Breakout role

Telugu cinema still largely depends on action-oriented scripts that give the male leads a platform that’s attached to a microphone. No fight in a typical Telugu movie ever starts without a villain’s henchman warning the hero about how he’s been eagerly waiting to break his bones. But what happens later is a tale that’s as old as the monkey’s tail. The hero breaks the henchman’s bones. This reversal of fate happens only after the hero sarcastically threatens him in return. But this principle cannot be applied to Balakrishna (NTR Jr's uncle and a megastar of Telugu cinema) because he doesn’t use subtlety as a weapon. He furiously shouts and beats up the extras one after another until they are flattened like cardboard.

Tarak, in his early films, also used to shout a lot, especially in places where he was required to throw challenges. He gained immense popularity through Aadi (2002) more than 20 years ago. Despite Student No. 1 (2001), S. S. Rajamouli’s debut feature, becoming a blockbuster, it was really the role of Aadi Keshava Reddy in Aadi that made him a household name.

A dialogue from the film, “Ammathodu, addanga narikestha,” is kept fresh via memes today. Its English translation won’t be able to win you over, but I’ll try to do it anyway: “I swear on my mother, I’ll cut you into pieces.” Thanks to an old rivalry, Aadi utters this dialogue while revealing the details of his lineage to his girlfriend’s father.

Aadi, without bending over backwards, made the act of blowing up cars look shocking and enjoyable at the same time. It also has a scene where Tarak slaps his own thigh to show he’s the alpha. Although these ridiculous signs of egotism are no longer in vogue, they were once a form of currency that was valued highly.

Of course, I wasn’t aware of the readiness of such action dramas to cater to the tastes of the upper castes. Now that Veera Simha Reddy is playing in theatres, I can’t help but wonder about the narratives that centre on saviours who don’t shy away from making grand statements about the breadth of wealth and knowledge they have received from their upper-caste ancestors.***

Successes started piling up for Tarak soon after, with Simhadri (2003) and Rakhi (2006). But, in that decade, he also had to face some terrible times due to some movies not hitting the mark and an accident that left him bloody and many disheartened. He bounced back, however, without losing his sense of humour. And irrespective of the ups and downs, his dialogues and dance moves were welcomed with open arms.

When actors play to their strengths, it can connect deeply with their fans. If Venkatesh is great at portraying vulnerability, then Nagarjuna is great at communicating his romantic impulses. Similarly, Tarak is great at pronouncing polysyllabic words. I do not know about the sort of homework they do, but they come out with all guns blazing on screen.

Rajamouli, in fact, put Tarak and Mohan Babu on the same stage for Yamadonga (2007) in which he gave them both some space to engage in a verbal war. Since the latter is also known for his pitch-perfect delivery, it was music to the ears to hear the actors from two different generations arguing about matters related to gods and humans.

Yamadonga is also the first film that Tarak starred in after his physical transformation. Well, his association with the director of RRR (2022), so to speak, has always been fruitful.

The 2010s were a mixed bag for Tarak. While the action comedies Adhurs (2010) and Baadshah (2013) were somewhat entertaining, Sakthi (2011), Ramayya Vasthavayya (2013), and Rabhasa (2014) bit the dust. Sakthi is still spoken about in sneering terms because its badly conceptualized world of fantasy fell way short of the vision the makers had touted during its promotional tour. At this point, I have to mention that Tarak himself has made fun of the movie without any hint of bitterness in subsequent interviews.

Finally, Temper (2015) came as a breath of fresh air and washed away the dry patch that had begun to haunt his career. From then on, he’s been hitting boundaries left and right. With each of his later films, he has managed to keep the actor in him alive – it’s easier to keep the flame that illuminates a star alive as one has to just stick to a routine. With RRR, though, he has reached the pinnacle of his stardom. There’s no saying that there cannot be any downfall from here. Saaho (2019) and Radhe Shyam (2022), which were released on the heels of the widely appreciated Baahubali movies, did more harm than good for Prabhas.

RRR

Komaram Bheem, as the docile yet fierce warrior, has become a symbol of resistance in the West. And Rajamouli has surely united the forces of Bheem and Tarak in a way that makes it impossible for us to imagine anybody else in the role - not unlike Tom Cruise and the Mission: Impossible series. Charan, too, isn’t far behind; his suppressed emotions and style statement, in RRR, are a thing of beauty. “Naatu Naatu,” which has floored everybody, couldn’t have created magic without the charm of its lead actors.

M. M. Keeravani is a versatile composer who has been giving us fantastic albums since the 1990s. He has worked on playful and devotional movies alongside the regular fair that keeps the wheels of Telugu cinema turning. Isn’t that quite an achievement? “Naatu Naatu” has surely cemented his reputation beyond the borders and the Best Original Song nomination that he has received for it from the Academy Awards (alongside lyricist Chandrabose) is a princely feather in his cap.

The mood in India is currently as feverish as it was when A. R. Rahman was nominated for Slumdog Millionaire (2009). Will Keeravani bring home the golden statuette?

Also, will Tarak continue to feature in prestigious projects that’ll shower him with love and appreciation? His upcoming movie is being directed by Koratala Siva who is prone to giving social messages in his films. Nevertheless, his lineup looks brilliant. There’s a Prashanth Neel movie in the offing, too. So, the hope is that NTR Jr keeps pushing the envelope from here on out.