He’s been in the public eye for so long that it’s easy to forget just how early he started. Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr. — or NTR, Tarak, the “Young Tiger” — was only 17 when he made his debut in Telugu cinema, carrying the weight of a name that already meant a great deal in both film and politics. In the years since, he’s worked steadily to separate the person from the perception. And today, he stands not as an extension of a legacy, but as a singular presence — one that belongs entirely to him.
What makes NTR compelling, especially at this moment in his career, isn’t just the longevity or the box-office clout. It’s how carefully he’s calibrated his choices over time. He’s done the big, muscular films — the crowd-pleasers, the mass entertainers, the loud commercial spectacles — and he’s done them well. But interspersed in that trajectory are roles that reveal something else: control, nuance, and a growing interest in complexity.
It’s that version of him the world saw in RRR — not just an action hero but a physical performer with emotional range and cinematic restraint. That film catapulted him into global visibility, but it didn’t change his temperament. If anything, it underscored it: NTR is not in a hurry. He builds moments carefully.
And there’s something to be said about where he finds himself now. With Devara set to release soon, War 2 just out in the theatres, and an ever-expanding audience watching closely, NTR could lean into spectacle. But his instinct seems to lean the other way — toward balance.
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Here are all the images from the NTR shoot!
Credits:
Chairperson: Avarna Jain
COO: Jamal Shaikh
Editor: Rahul Gangwani
Styling and Creative Direction: Vijendra Bhardwaj
Photographer: Ben Cope from MMG Artists
Editorial Mentor: Saira Menezes
Managing Editor: Sonal Nerurkar
Deputy Editor: Mayukh Majumdar
Words: Nitin Sreedhar
Hair: Aalim Hakim,
Hair Team: Nitesh Parariya
Grooming: Ravi Naramruta
Bookings Editor: Varun Shah
Chief Assistant Stylist: Mehak Khanna
Fashion Team: Komal Shetty
Destination Partner: Visit Dubai
Hospitality Partner: Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab
Location: The View Palm Jumeirah
Artist Reputation Management : Spice PR
Artist Management: Collective Artists Network
Esquire India Editorial: Saurav Bhanot, Prannay Pathak, Abhya Adlakha, Rudra Mulmule, Riti Ghai, Kashish Mishra
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