He ran a milk business for days, then a grocery store, and then a printing press. He is not a borrower despite financial difficulties. Rama Rao graduated in 1947. Subsequently he appeared for the Madras Service Commission Examination.
He was one of the seven selected from 1100 candidates. Then he got a job as a sub-registrar in Mangalagiri. But he could not stay in that job for more than three weeks due to his ambition to join films.

Famous producer BA Subbarao saw NTR’s photo with LV Prasad and immediately called him to Madras and selected him as the protagonist in the film ‘Palleturi Pilla’. For this, Rama Rao was given a reward of one thousand and one hundred thousand. Soon he resigned from his post as sub-registrar. But the production of the film did not start immediately. In the meantime, he acted in a movie called Manadesam when he got an opportunity. So Manadesam was his first film in front of the camera. He played the role of a police inspector in the 1949 film. Village Boy was released in 1950. LV Prasad’s Shaukaru was also released in the same year. Thus Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao’s film career began. After two films, NTR shifted his residence to Madras. He used to rent a small room in the Thousand Lights area. Yoganand (who later became a producer) was also present in that room with him.

KV Reddy’s Pathalbhairavi in 1951, followed by BN Reddy’s Malleeswari in the same year, LV Prasad’s Pelli Chesi Chudu in 1952 and Kamalakara Kameswara Rao’s Chandraharam which followed brought him great fame as an actor. All these movies are successful. A salary of 500 rupees per month and a bonus of 5000 rupees were given for each film. Patalbhairavi played for 100 days in 10 centers.

7500 rupees is considered the highest salary he took for Mayabazar released in 1956. In 1959, Rama Rao played the role of RavanaBrahma in the film Bhukailas produced and released by AVM Productions. Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam released in 1960 was a huge success. He played five roles in Srimadvirata Parvam. Thus NTR became a very popular actor in the 1950s. He used to act in 10 films per year. Lavakusa, released in 1963, was a huge hit. Till 22 years when NTR entered films, his salary was in 4 or 5 figures. Since 1972, his remuneration has reached lakhs.

The first film directed by NTR was Sitarama Kalyanam released in 1961. The film was released under the banner of “National Artu Productions’ ‘ owned by his brother Trivikrama Rao. In the 1977 release Dana Veera Soora Karna, he acted in three roles and directed himself. He also directed the movie Sri Rama Pattabhishekam which was released in 1978. NTR’s social films Adivaramudu and Yamago were huge box office successes. Brahmarshi Vishwamitra, which he acted and directed for the 1991 election campaign, was released in 1990. NTR was very strict in discipline. He used to practice every day on the Madras Marina beach to maintain his majestic voice. He learned Kuchipudi from Vempati Chinasatyam for the film Nartanasala. Such is his commitment to the profession. It is said that there is no record of NTR faltering in front of the camera as he used to memorize the dialogues in advance. In his 44 years of film life, NTR has done 13 historical films, 55 folk films, 186 social films and 44 mythological films. 1968 Received Padma Shri Award from Government of India. Received Honorary Doctorate ‘Kala Prapoorna’ from Andhra University in 1978.

After being sworn in as the first non-Congress Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, he undertook many initiatives. In 1984, he implemented the “slab policy” in the film industry. He dissolved the Legislative Council as useless except as a cost to the government (the Council was officially dissolved on 1 June 1985). He erected statues of famous Telugu people on Hussainsagar Embankment (Tankuband Nandu) in Hyderabad. He went for a by-election in March 1985 seeking a plebiscite with the intention of regaining his reduced lead in the Legislative Assembly due to the Nadendla Conspiracy. He returned to power after winning 202 seats in that election.

NTR became very unpopular due to his monopolistic rule between 1985-89. He led everything in the party and in the government. This was the main reason for the feeling of protest among the people. A few months before the elections in 1989, he unilaterally dissolved the entire cabinet and appointed new ministers. Some of the caste conflicts that took place during this period also damaged the image of the government. In the 1989 elections, it had a profound effect. Congress came back to power after defeating Telugudesa in a landslide. Although he lost the election, NTR succeeded in forming a coalition called the National Front as an alternative to the Congress by bringing together all the regional parties in India and the Communists. In 1991, when the then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao stood as a candidate on behalf of the Congress in the Nandyal Lok Sabha by-election, NTR did not field anyone as a mark of respect for a Telugu man who was the Prime Minister.

The period between 1989-94 is the lowest point in NTR’s political history. As the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, he was insulted by the ruling Congress Party. The extent of the conflict between the ruling and opposition parties in the Legislative Assembly is that during this period, members of the opposition Telugu Desam Party were expelled from the House 9 times. He also acted in four films during this period. He married Lakshmi Parvati in September 1993, who is writing his biography. This was a crucial turning point in Rama Rao’s personal life. His personal life and his relationships with family members seemed to be overshadowed by this marriage.

In 1994, he came back to power with promises like two rupees per kilo of rice, complete prohibition of alcohol, and won more seats than any party had ever won before. NTR has implemented his promises no matter how much it burdened the government exchequer. However, his second wife, Lakshmi Parvati, was heavily involved in party and government matters, leading to a feeling of insecurity among the celebrities. As the MLAs of the Telugu country elected Chandrababu as Chief Minister, he was removed from the post of Chief Minister. With that, NTR’s political career seems to have ended. Later, NTR died of a heart attack on 18 January 1996 at the age of 73. NTR, who shone as a leader in thirty-three years of screen life and thirteen years of political life, is memorable. Sridhar’s [2] post in Enadu magazine when he died reflects the love for NTR in people’s hearts.

NTR National Award

In 1996, the Government of Andhra Pradesh instituted the NTR National Award in the name of NTR in recognition of his lifetime service to cinema celebrities. The award, which was given till 2002, was later stopped by the government. The government decided to revive this award on January 18, 2006 on the occasion of NTR’s death anniversary.