NTR biopic: From Ram Gopal Varma's retelling to Balakrishna's version, all you need to know

It’s raining biopics in Bollywood. Over the last few months, at least four biopics were announced and these include films on Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Kapil Dev and Mithali Raj. But the biggest biopic announcement, undoubtedly, has come from the south and it’s going to be a film on the legendary actor and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, popularly known as NTR.

For the uninitiated, NTR was one of the greatest actors of Telugu industry and there was not a role to which he could not do justice. In his illustrious career, NTR had played a variety of roles and these ranged from mythological characters - popular for playing lord Krishna 17 times among others such as Rama, Bheeshma and Raavana in films like Mayabazaar, Narthanasala and Seetharama Kalyanam, and memorable commercial characters in movies such as Gundamma Katha, Driver Ramudu, Kodalu Diddina Kapuram and Badi Panthulu. In 1982, NTR bid adieu to acting and took the political plunge and the rest, as they say, is history.

In July, maverick filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma announced he will be making a biopic on NTR. In an emotional voice note, he said he is proud to have been given the opportunity to helm the prestigious project. In the note, he said, “NTR is a name to reckon with every Telugu-speaking individual. He was not just a great actor but a leader with unprecedented following. I’m very proud to direct a film on his life.”

He also confirmed that NTR’s son Balakrishna, a popular actor, will play his father on screen. However, when Balakrishna was contacted to verify the authenticity of Varma’s words, he clarified that he won’t be a part of Varma’s biopic. He went on to confirm that he has plans to make a biopic on his father and is currently busy putting together a team of writers who could help in the script department. “It is our responsibility to tell audiences his story. The biopic I’m planning on him will reveal unknown facts about his life. I will play my father on screen,” Balakrishna had told reporters in July.

Varma had said that he is proud to direct the NTR biopic because, “My personal relationship with him goes back to the year when his blockbuster film Adavi Ramudu had released. I didn’t have money to take the bus to the movie hall. I walked 10 kilometers each time and watched the film 23 times. I was also one among the lakhs of people who had gathered during his first political meeting soon after he launched the Telugu Desam Party. From being a faceless guy in that large gathering to getting to direct his life story means something," he said, adding his story on the iconic star will shine the spotlight on his enemies, on those who betrayed him and so much more that people don’t know about the actor yet.

Meanwhile, NTR’s widow Lakshmi Parvathi feels justice wouldn’t be done if Balakrishna plays his father in the film. In an interview to the Times of India , she said, “I am not against the biopic. In fact, I welcome the idea. But, the movie should reflect the entire truth about his life — especially the isolation and pain he suffered during his last days after he was ‘dethroned’ from power by his own family. This cannot be possible if Balakrishna plays the lead role. He supported Chandrababu Naidu, who back-stabbed NTR and usurped power in the ‘Viceroy Hotel’ episode," said Lakshmi, who also pointed out that Varma himself portrayed NTR in poor light in his film Raktha Charitra, a biopic on gangster-turned-politician Paritala Ravi.

Following Lakshmi’s stiff opposition, Varma decided to make NTR’s biopic from her point of view and subsequently titled his film Lakshmi’s NTR. Earlier this week, he even released the first look poster of the biopic and he has confirmed the film will hit the screens by next year end.

Meanwhile, there are rumours that three directors – Teja, Puri Jagannadh and Deva Katta – are under consideration for the biopic which Balakrishna plans to make. When Firstpost caught up with actor Jr NTR, he said anyone is free to make a biopic on his grandfather. In an exclusive chat, he said, “You can’t stop anyone from making a film on NTR. He belonged to the people of Andhra Pradesh and they deserve to know his story. People have been asking me if I would like to play him on screen. Honestly, I don’t have the courage.”