Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (born 20 May 1983), known as Jr NTR, is an Indian actor who works mainly in Telugu films. He is the grandson of the legendary actor and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao. A trained Kuchipudi dancer, he became a star in his teens with Student No. 1 and Simhadri and is known for his dancing, dialogue delivery and energy. His role as Komaram Bheem in S. S. Rajamouli’s RRR (2022) made him famous around the world.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao |
| Born | 20 May 1983, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana), India |
| Age | 43 |
| Parents | Nandamuri Harikrishna, Shalini |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Spouse | Lakshmi Pranathi (m. 2011) |
| Children | 2 (Abhay Ram and Bhargava Ram) |
| Known for | Simhadri, Yamadonga, Temper, Janatha Garage, RRR, Devara |
Early Life
NTR was born in Hyderabad to the actor and politician Nandamuri Harikrishna and his second wife, Shalini. His grandfather, N. T. Rama Rao, was one of the biggest stars in Telugu cinema history and founded the Telugu Desam Party. As a boy he trained in Kuchipudi for several years and performed on stage. He appeared as a child in Brahmarshi Viswamitra (1991), directed by his grandfather, and played Rama in the children’s film Bala Ramayanam (1996), which won a National Film Award.
Career
NTR’s first lead role was in Ninnu Choodalani (2001). The same year he starred in Student No. 1, the first film directed by S. S. Rajamouli, which was a hit. The action films Aadi (2002) and Rajamouli’s Simhadri (2003) made him one of Telugu cinema’s top stars before he was 21. A string of flops followed.
He returned to form with Rajamouli’s fantasy comedy Yamadonga (2007), for which he lost a lot of weight. Later hits included Adhurs (2010), Brindavanam (2010), Temper (2015), Nannaku Prematho (2016), Janatha Garage (2016), Jai Lava Kusa (2017), in which he played three roles, and Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava (2018). In 2017 he hosted the first season of Bigg Boss Telugu.
In RRR (2022) NTR played the tribal leader Komaram Bheem alongside Ram Charan and Alia Bhatt. The film became a global success, and its song “Naatu Naatu”, which he danced to with Ram Charan, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2023. He followed it with Devara: Part 1 (2024) and made his Hindi film debut opposite Hrithik Roshan in War 2 (2025).
Personal Life
NTR married Lakshmi Pranathi in May 2011. They have two sons, Abhay Ram and Bhargava Ram. He campaigned for the Telugu Desam Party in the 2009 elections and survived a serious road accident during the campaign. His father, Harikrishna, died in a road accident in 2018.
Awards and Honours
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Jr NTR born?
Jr NTR was born on 20 May 1983 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana), India and is 43 years old.
What is Jr NTR known for?
Known for: Simhadri, Yamadonga, Temper, Janatha Garage, RRR, Devara.
Featured image: Jr NTR at a press meet for RRR in Chennai, December 2021. Photo by Dani Charles, Silverscreen Media, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
