1991–2003: Breakthrough and stardom N. T. Rama Rao Jr.'s acting journey began early with a cameo in the 1991 film
Brahmarshi Viswamitra, appearing alongside his grandfather, the Indian matinee idol
N. T. Rama Rao. In 1997, he made his debut as a child artist in the title role of
Rama in the mythological film
Ramayanam, directed by
Gunasekhar. The film won the
National Film Award for Best Children's Film, and his performance received critical acclaim. Director
K. Raghavendra Rao, impressed by his performance in
Ramayanam and later auditions, recommended him to
S. S. Rajamouli for his directorial debut
Student No: 1 (2001). Around the same time, producer
Ramoji Rao signed him for the romantic drama
Ninnu Choodalani (2001), which marked his debut as a lead actor at just 17 years of age.
Student No: 1, which released later that year, became a commercial success, establishing him as a promising young talent, while
Subbu (2001) that followed had an average performance at the box office. His major breakthrough came with
V. V. Vinayak’s
Aadi (2002), in which he portrayed a young man seeking revenge against a powerful landlord for his parents’ deaths. The film became one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of the year and solidified his mass appeal. He subsequently appeared in
Allari Ramudu (2002) directed by
B. Gopal, and the political political drama
Naaga (2003) produced by
A. M. Rathnam. Both films underperformed at the box office, although
Naaga received critical acclaim for its political themes and Rama Rao Jr.'s performance. In 2003, Rama Rao Jr. reunited with S. S. Rajamouli for
Simhadri, made on a budget of ₹8.5 crore. The film became the
highest-grossing Telugu film of all time upon release, cementing his stardom and earning him his first
Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. For the role, he adopted a more rugged and mature look, shedding his earlier youthful image. His intense performance and commanding screen presence at just 19 earned him the moniker “Young Tiger”, a title that has remained associated with him since.
2004–2010: Career fluctuations and comeback Rama Rao Jr. next appeared in
Puri Jagannadh's action drama
Andhrawala (2004).The film's pre-release hype was historic, marked by a record-breaking public gathering of over 10 lakh (1 million) fans, reportedly the largest such turnout for any actor in India. Despite this unprecedented anticipation, the film ultimately proved to be a box office failure. In 2006, he then appeared in
Surender Reddy's
Ashok, which was an average grosser. A critical and commercial bright spot during this period, however, was his powerful performance in
Krishna Vamsi's
Rakhi (2006). The film emerged as a
sleeper hit and the role is widely considered one of the finest performances by an actor in Telugu cinema. His career regained its momentum with his third collaboration with S. S. Rajamouli in the socio-fantasy film
Yamadonga (2007). In a remarkable physical transformation, he shed over 20 kg for the role, dropping from 94 kg to portray Raja, a cunning thief who confronts the god of death,
Yama. It also featured him delivering one of the longest monologues that too in Grandhika Telugu for any actor of his generation, showcasing his exceptional command of the language and vocal delivery. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning him his second
Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. He next starred in the action film
Kantri (2008) before taking a year-long
hiatus in 2009 to actively campaign for the
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the general elections. Returning to cinema, he headlined the action-comedy
Adhurs (2010), playing dual roles for the third time in his career. The film was a major commercial success, largely driven by his performance as Chari, a timid priest. The role is widely regarded as one of the finest comic performances in Telugu cinema and has since become an iconic pop culture reference. He then shifted gears to star in the romantic comedy
Brindavanam (2011), marking his return to the genre after several years. The film went on to become another critical and commercial success and was later remade in six other languages.
2011–2021: Setback and reinvention In 2011, Rama Rao Jr. collaborated with director
Meher Ramesh for the fantasy action film
Shakthi, which underperformed at the box office, attributed to its high production cost. This was followed by the action thriller
Oosaravelli (2011), his second venture with director Surender Reddy, which was a box office success. He next starred in the action drama
Dammu (2012), which became an average grosser. In 2013, he underwent a complete physical transformation for
Srinu Vaitla's action comedy
Baadshah, straightening his curly hair and growing a beard to suit his role as a
mafia don. The film was a commercial success and was later premiered at the
Osaka Asian Film Festival in 2014. However, his next two releases,
Ramayya Vasthavayya (2013) and
Rabhasa (2014), were box office failures, marking a low phase in his career. '' with
Mohanlal A significant turning point came with
Puri Jagannadh's
Temper (2015). The film was a major critical and commercial success, with Rama Rao Jr's performance as a corrupt police officer
Daya receiving widespread acclaim. This film is widely seen as the project where he successfully reinvented himself moving beyond a purely commercial action hero image. Building on this momentum, he starred in
Sukumar's drama
Nannaku Prematho (2016), for which he sported a new look and won his third
Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. The film became the highest-grossing film of his career at that time. Later that year, he featured in
Koratala Siva's
Janatha Garage (2016), it registered the highest opening day collection for a Telugu film with over ₹41 crore in 2016 becoming the second-highest Telugu opening of all-time behind
Baahubali: The Beginning, at the time and became the
highest-grossing Telugu film of 2016, grossing approximately ₹150 crore worldwide. In 2017, he essayed a triple role in
Jai Lava Kusa, directed by
K. S. Ravindra and produced by
Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, under the
N.T.R. Arts banner. The film was a commercial success, collecting over ₹150–175
crore worldwide, and his performance in the triple roles received critical acclaim. It was later screened in
Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in Category of "Best of Asia" in
South Korea. In 2018, he starred in
Trivikram Srinivas's action drama
Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava. The film opened to widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise directed at Rama Rao Jr's performance and his seamless command of the
Rayalaseema dialect. It opened with a worldwide gross of ₹60 crore on its first day and went on to become one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of the year, grossing over ₹190 crore globally. Director Trivikram Srinivas credited Rama Rao Jr for the film's success, stating:"A highly capable actor like NTR is very rare to find in any generation. When it comes to acting, he is like a torchbearer. Staying in the moment is a very great quality... NTR has the capability to match his grandfather. He is disciplined, honest, straight-forward, doesn't get involved in unnecessary issues and goes to any extent to achieve what is necessary. We needn't have to stop such a personality, just need to offer claps during his journey."
2022–present: RRR and global recognition In 2022, Rama Rao Jr. starred in
S. S. Rajamouli’s magnum opus,
RRR, portraying the 20th-century Indian revolutionary
Komaram Bheem. At the time of its release, the film was the
most expensive Indian production ever made. It marked his fourth collaboration with Rajamouli and served as Rao’s return to the screen after three years, primarily due to production setbacks caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic. The film became a global phenomenon and one of the
highest-grossing Indian films in history. It registered the biggest opening day for an Indian film at the time, earning ₹223 crore worldwide.
RRR earned several national and international accolades, including the first
Academy Award for an Indian film, a
Golden Globe, and a
Critics' Choice Award. Rao’s performance earned him
pan-India fame and international recognition, including a nomination for Best Actor in an Action Movie at the
Critics' Choice Super Awards. That same year, the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences included Rama Rao Jr. in its new member class of actors, inviting him to join the prestigious body that oversees the Oscars. He later reunited with director Koratala Siva for a two-part period action series. The first instalment,
Devara: Part 1, was released in 2024. While the film opened to mixed reviews, critics widely praised Rao's performance in the titular role. It was a major commercial success, grossing over ₹150 crore on its opening day and eventually surpassing ₹500 crore worldwide. In 2025, he made his
Bollywood debut in
YRF Spy Universe's
War 2, directed by
Ayan Mukerji and co-starring
Hrithik Roshan. Although his performance was well received, the film earned mixed to negative reviews from both critics and audiences and underperformed at the box office.
Upcoming projects Rama Rao Jr. will work with director
Prashanth Neel in their maiden collaboration. He will also collaborate with director
Nelson for an untitled project produced by
Sithara Entertainments. Rao will also reunite with
Koratala Siva for the sequel, to
Devara: Part 1 titled
Devara: Part 2.
Television N. T. Rama Rao Jr. hosted the reality show,
Bigg Boss 1 that was broadcast on the
Star Maa. Rao's television debut was a huge success and had a record breaking ratings for Star Maa, making it the number one channel among all the shows. Hindustan Times (22 April 2016). Retrieved 10 December 2018.The show began airing from 15 July 2017. He has also been as a guest in Telugu reality game show
Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu and Telugu reality dance shows
Dhee 2 and
Dhee 10. In February 2021, he was confirmed to be the host of
Evaru Meelo Koteeswarulu. Later, on 10 July 2021, he joined the production of the show. == Personal life ==