N.T. Rama Rao

Active - 1951 - 1951  |   Born - May 28, 1923   |   Died - Jan 18, 1996   |  

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Biography by AllMovie

Indian movie star N.T. Rama Rao was able to translate his screen popularity into an uneven political career. As an actor Rama Rao became popular in the late 1940s following India's war of independence. He was best known for playing Hindu gods, especially the powerful warrior god Krishna in films like Venkateshwara Mahatyam. He launched his political career in 1982 when he founded the Telugu Desham Party. In 1983, he was elected the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, a southern India state, but was thrown out of office before the year's end. He was more successful during the 1985 elections and remained in the Chief Minister's seat until his 1989 bid for re-election failed. The dogged Rama Rao ran yet again in 1994 and won by a landslide. In 1995, members of his own family had him booted out. Though by this time he was 76-years old, Rama Rao did not give up and was planning his comeback when he died of heart failure on January 18, 1996.