Taraka Rama Rao Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Nandamuri

Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, popularly known as N. T. Rama Rao or by his initials NTR, was an Indian film actor, writer, director, producer, and politician who also served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for three terms. NTR made his debut as an actor in a Telugu social film Mana Desam in 1949. He gained popularity in the 1950s when he became well known for his portrayals of Hindu deities, especially Krishna and Rama, roles which have made him a "messiah of the masses". He later became known for portraying antagonistic characters and Robin Hood-esque hero characters in films. In total he starred in 274 Telugu films, 15 Tamil films and three Hindi films, and has become one of the most prominent figures in the history of Telugu cinema. Widely recognised for his portrayal of mythological characters, NTR was one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema,He was referred to in the media as Viswa Vikhyatha Nata Sarvabhouma. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1968, recognizing his contribution to Indian cinema. After his career in films, NTR 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.