N.T.Rama Rao

Yes, it is my day for reminiscing the movie stars that I have seen in ‘real’ life.

And no, I am not talking about junior NTR of today. I am talking about the REAL NTR, possibly the most handsome man since Sri Krishna, to play the role of Sri Krishna in that best of all movies Mayabazaar (1957) to Perfection.

No telugu kid of the 60′s could possibly grow up without watching his movies. It was not done. To me he was not just handsome, he defined what handsome should be. When I was in my early teens (the second half of the 70′s), I had decided that any guy as good looking as NTR would do for me. Chalega!

Then one day, we were going in a train from somewhere to somewhere else (can’t remember), and there flew a rumour that in the first class compartment of this connected train, there was NTR.

I was dying to take a walk down the train, and couldn’t think of any excuses that my dad could not see through. Finally, I accompanied my mom on a visit to the ‘snack’ compartment and she took my pitiful kid-self past NTR’s compartment. He was as handsome in real life as he was in Malleswari and if my parents had given me half a chance, I might have married him on the spot. He gave me that same wonderful smile that made him the star of stars of the telugu movie world. And I considered myself blessed. I would have loved to stay and chat, but my mom didn’t see any need to indulge my whims any further and we walked away with the memory of his smile etched in my heart, to this day.

What a guy!What awesome luck!