The article details the significant impact of Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR), a prominent actor in Telugu cinema, particularly through his repeated portrayals of Lord Rama. Beginning in the 1960s, NTR became widely recognized for embodying Hindu deities on screen. His performance as Lord Rama in the 1963 film Lava Kusa was exceptionally successful, selling 1.98 crore tickets and earning the National Film Award for Best Telugu Feature Film.
NTR's depictions fostered a deep connection with audiences, leading to widespread public reverence where his film images were often utilized in religious contexts. He reprised the role of Lord Rama in several other productions, including Sri Krishna Sahitya (1971) and Shri Ramanjaneya Yuddham (1974).
This cinematic legacy continued within his family, with his son, Nandamuri Balakrishna, portraying Lord Rama in the 2011 remake Sri Rama Rajyam, and his grandson, Jr. NTR, playing the role as a child artist in the 1997 film Ramayanam.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/how-actor-n-t-rama-rao-brought-lord-rama-to-life-in-telugu-cinema-10617236/
