Jr. NTR Was A Trained Kuchipudi Dancer Before Becoming An Actor, Devoted 13 Years To The Art

Telugu film industry's most renowned producer and actor, N.T. Rama Rao Jr, also known as Jr. NTR, has been called the 'Star of the masses' by his fans. He has added his name to the list of most influential pan-Indian stars whose stardom has spread beyond regional cinema. Apart from his acting, the Tollywood superstar is also known for his amazing dance skills. Jr. NTR's dancing prowess also received global recognition after the song Naatu Naatu, featuring him and Ram Charan, won the Oscar 2023 for Best Orginal Song. But a YouTube video posted 8 years ago showed Jr. NTR in his teens gracefully dancing in the Kuchipudi art form. 

A video taken in the 1990s has resurfaced, showing Jr. NTR dancing gracefully in Kuchipudi dance form

A YouTube channel known as Desplaza TV USA posted a grainy video 8 years ago titled 'Jr. NTR Brilliant Classical Dance Performance in 1998 in Dallas, Texas.' The video, as suggested by the title, was taken in 1998 and showed a teenager dancing with the utmost elegance on a stage. That teenager is none other than India's most beloved pan-Indian star, Jr. NTR. He can be seen performing the Kuchipudi dance with expertise and confidence, mesmerising the audience who watched it back then and the viewers who watched the YouTube video recently. 

Jr. NTR's mother encouraged him to train in Kuchipudi, and he devoted 13 years to the art 

As per a News18 report, Jr. NTR's mother, Shalini Bhaskar Rao, recognised that he had a natural talent for dancing from a young age and encouraged him to train formally. He started learning Kuchipudi from a young age and was taught by the legendary dancer, Sudhakar Durgam. The actor spent nearly 13 years perfecting his art and gave performances in the USA and UK, apart from performing in India. In fact, the video posted on the YouTube channel was shot when Jr. NTR was performing in Texas, USA, in 1998. 

Jr. NTR looked as graceful as his grandfather, NTR, who was known for his mythological roles in movies

Jr. NTR hails from one of the most powerful families of Andhra Pradesh, the Nandamuri family. This family has created a legacy in both the Telugu film industry and the region's political landscape. This legacy was started by Jr. NTR's grandfather, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao. The legendary actor had established his name by acting mostly in religious films and playing mythological characters. Especially his portrayal of Lord Krishna in the 1957 blockbuster hit Maya Bazaar gave him a God-like status in the region. He also went on to serve as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. 

Jr. NTR was named after his grandfather, who was called NTR. Seeing the graceful movements of the actor, many people were reminded of the legend of Tollywood, his grandfather. For the unversed, Kuchipudi is a classical dance form originating in Andhra Pradesh. The dance form is primarily used to tell Hindu mythological stories. Hence, seeing Jr. NTR perform in traditional clothes reminded fans of Senior NTR's graceful and powerful portrayal of many different Hindu gods in his films. 

Jr. NTR had performed a dance called Koochipudi Kaina in one of his initial movies 

In one of his initial films called Student No. 1, Jr. NTR performed a dance number called 'Koochipudi Kaina'. It was a fusion of modern freestyle dance and Kuchipudi classical dance form. Even though the actor is a trained classical dancer, ironically, his character in the film is unversed in the dance style. This ensues a funny and catchy dance number mixing several dance forms with Kuchipudi. 

Jr. NTR and Ram Charan's dance number, Naatu Naatu, won an Oscar in 2023 

In the film RRR, both Jr. NTR and Ram Charan made the world spellbound with their power-packed and energetic dance in the song Naatu Naatu. People were shocked to see both the stars dancing with both energy and elegance. The prowess that Jr. NTR showed in the dance number makes sense now since he is a classical dancer, with training of thirteen years under his belt. People would also like to see the actor perform Kuchipudi once again on screen. 

Jr. NTR had called Hrithik Roshan a better dancer than him

As excitement is rife after the teaser of War 2 was recently released, an older interview of Jr. NTR resurfaced on Reddit where he was asked who the better dancer was between him and Hrithik Roshan. The RRR actor had earnestly replied that Hrithik was the better dancer any day. This would not be the first time the Bollywood actor's dance skills were praised. Hrithik Roshan has been called as one of the best dancers among all Bollywood actors by his co-stars many times. Jr. NTR stated in the interview: 

“Hrithik, any day. I’m nothing compared to Hrithik. Seriously, trust me."

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Jr. NTR and Hrithik Roshan to reportedly perform a dance number together in War 2 

As per a Bollywood Hungama report, even though Jr. NTR and Hrithik Roshan are rivals in the film, the filmmakers have found a way to bring both characters on the screen together for a dance number. The dance scene is granted to be the highlight of the film, as both stars are famous for their dance skills, and ensure a cinema hall resonating with sounds of whistle-blowing from fans. Music composer, Pritam has reportedly composed the song, and it will be a combination of Hrithik's popular song Jai Jai Shivshanakar from War and the Oscar-winning Naatu Naatu of Jr. NTR from RRR. 

What are your thoughts on Jr. NTR's Kuchipudi dance performance? Let us know. 

Also Read: Amid 'War 2' Teaser: Jr. NTR Had Once Revealed Difference Between South Indian And Hindi Films

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