Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr., popularly known as Jr. NTR or Tarak, is an Indian actor who works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He is one of the highest-paid and most influential stars in the Telugu film industry, and a grandson of the actor and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao. He gained pan-Indian and international recognition for his performance as Komaram Bheem in S. S. Rajamouli's RRR (2022).
| Full name | Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr. |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 May 1983, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Other names | Jr. NTR, Tarak, Young Tiger |
| Occupation | Film actor |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Family | Son of Nandamuri Harikrishna; grandson of N. T. Rama Rao |
| Spouse | Lakshmi Pranathi (m. 2011) |
| Children | Two sons |
| Notable films | Student No. 1, Aadi, Simhadri, Yamadonga, Temper, Janatha Garage, Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava, RRR, Devara: Part 1 |
| Awards | Multiple Filmfare Awards South, Nandi Awards, IIFA Award, SIIMA Awards |
Jr. NTR was born on 20 May 1983 in Hyderabad to Nandamuri Harikrishna, an actor and politician, and Shalini. He belongs to the Nandamuri family, one of the most prominent film and political dynasties in Andhra Pradesh. His grandfather, N. T. Rama Rao, was a legendary Telugu film actor and the founder of the Telugu Desam Party, who served as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh. Actor Kalyan Ram is his elder half-brother, and Telugu actor and politician Nandamuri Balakrishna is his uncle.
He was educated at Vidyaranya High School in Hyderabad and later attended St. Mary's College.
He first appeared on screen as a child artiste in Brahmarshi Viswamitra (1991), directed by his grandfather. He made his debut as a lead actor in Ninnu Choodalani (2001).
His breakthrough came with Student No. 1 (2001), directed by S. S. Rajamouli, followed by Aadi (2002), directed by V. V. Vinayak, which became a major commercial success and established him as a leading star. He further consolidated his position with Simhadri (2003), again directed by Rajamouli, which set box-office records in Telugu cinema at the time.
Subsequent notable releases included Andhrawala (2004), Naa Alludu (2005), Narasimhudu (2005), and Rakhi (2006). Yamadonga (2007), directed by Rajamouli, was another commercial success. Adhurs (2010) and Brindavanam (2010) were among his prominent films at the start of the decade. Oosaravelli (2011) and Baadshah (2013) also performed well.
Temper (2015), directed by Puri Jagannadh, marked a critical and commercial resurgence. He followed it with Nannaku Prematho (2016), Janatha Garage (2016) directed by Koratala Siva, Jai Lava Kusa (2017) in which he played a triple role, and Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava (2018) directed by Trivikram Srinivas.
In 2022, he starred opposite Ram Charan in S. S. Rajamouli's RRR, a fictionalised period epic featuring the freedom fighters Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju. The film became one of the highest-grossing Indian films and received international acclaim. Its song "Naatu Naatu", composed by M. M. Keeravani, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, making Jr. NTR a globally recognised face of Indian cinema.
He next appeared in Devara: Part 1 (2024), directed by Koratala Siva. He is also slated to appear in a film with director Prashanth Neel and to make his Hindi film debut in War 2 as part of the YRF Spy Universe.
He hosted the Telugu version of the reality show Bigg Boss in its first season in 2017, broadcast on Star Maa.
Jr. NTR campaigned for the Telugu Desam Party during the 2009 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections in support of his uncle N. Chandrababu Naidu. He sustained injuries in a road accident during the campaign tour. He has since largely refrained from active political engagement, focusing on his film career.
He married Lakshmi Pranathi on 5 May 2011 in Hyderabad. The couple have two sons, Nandamuri Abhay Ram and Nandamuri Bhargav Ram.
Jr. NTR is regarded as one of the central figures of contemporary Telugu cinema, known for his dance ability, dialogue delivery, and intense screen presence. The success of RRR placed him among the leading actors associated with the rise of Telugu cinema as a pan-Indian and globally marketed film industry in the 2020s. As a member of the Nandamuri family, he also occupies a unique cultural position bridging cinema and the political legacy of his grandfather.