Return of NTR, with a bang

Like grandfather, like grandson.

Thirteen years after NTR died, another NTR was back on Saturday, campaigning for his uncle’s political future.

NTR Junior, a Telugu film actor with two blockbusters under his belt, turned the clock back by 15 years as young men and women jostled for a glimpse of the late Andhra icon’s grandson in Tekkali, about 610km north-east of Hyderabad.

The young actor took the coastal town, where NTR had won in 1994, by storm as he campaigned for the alliance of the Telugu Desam, led by uncle Chandrababu Naidu, Telengana Rashtra Samiti, the CPI and the CPM for the coming polls.

Few could distinguish between NTR and his grandson, who had the same looks, way of speaking and close-to-heart approach with people. Asked by some elders how he learnt to speak like NTR, the young actor quipped: “My Tata (grandfather) taught me.”

Even veterans like former NDA minister K. Yerran Naidu were dumbstruck by the adoration NTR Junior enjoyed and his public oratory. “He is a chip of the old lion,” said the leader of the Desam parliamentary party.

NTR Junior is the son of N.T. Rama Rao’s third son, Harikrishna. He made his debut in Telugu films with Ramoji Rao’s Student Number One and has starred in more than 20 films.