Birthday Special: 16 Facts You Should Know About Tollywood ‘Legend’ Nandamuri Balakrishna

This man is a three-time Nandi Award Winner. His family has been a backbone to the Tollywood film industry since its inception. He takes the legacy forward year after year. He makes people hoot and shout, laugh and cry like it’s no big deal. He is hailed as the ‘Legend’ himself. He is Nandamuri Balakrishna, fondly called as Mana Balayya. Today, the actor turns 60 and is all set to venture on a brand new journey full of hits and highs.

Watch him in Sri Rama Rajyam here:

As the actor begins showering his fans with surprise after surprises, here are a few facts that we think you should know about him. And for all the Balayya fans, we wonder how many of these you knew already.

• The actor was born on June 10th, 1960, in Madras to the legendary actor-politician NTR and his wife Basavatarakam.
• He moved to Hyderabad during his adolescence and that’s where he was introduced to the larger than life world of cinema.
• He completed his bachelor’s degree in commerce from Nizam College in Hyderabad.
• In 1982, he married Vasundhara Devi at the age of 22. The couple has three children, Brahmani, Mokshanga, Tejaswini.
• Balayya is the Chairman of Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research, named after his mother.
• After campaigning for his father and elder brother, he also became an elected member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly of Hindupur, in Anatapuram district.
• NTR’s directorial, Tatamma Kala, marked the debut of Balayya as an actor on the big screen, in 1974. However, he was launched as a hero in 1984 with Sahasame Jeevitham, directed by Santhana Bharathi and P. Vasu.
• During his initial decade, the actor managed to work with big names like Bhanumathi, Suhasini, K. Viswanath garu and Akkineni Nageswara Rao.
• During the same time, he also acted in several biographies, hagiographies and period films. These include Vemulawada Bheemakavi, Daana Veera Soora Karna, Akbar Salim Anarkali, Sri Tirupati Venkateswara Kalyanam, etc, along with his latest release where he played his father.
• In 1975, Balakrishna played on-screen brother to his real-life father in Annadammula Anubandham, which was a remake of Hindi film Yaadon Ki Baaraat. And in 1977, he played on-screen son to his real-life elder brother, Nandamuri Harikrishna, in the film Dana Veera Sura Karna.
• In the year 1987, the actor performed a dual role in K. Raghavendra Rao’s Apoorva Sahodarulu. And in 2012, he was seen in a triple role in the action entertainer, Adhinayakudu. He portrayed the role of a grandfather, father and a grandson.
• The actor was first to shoulder a science-fiction in 1991. It was titled Aditya 369 and was directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao.
• In 2003, Balakrishna decided to take things ahead and announced his directorial film, Nartanasala. A launch event in Hyderabad was called to announce its producer, Pusapati Lakshmipati Raju, and the ensemble cast, featuring Soundarya, Srihari, Saikumar, Uday Kiran and Asin. Sadly, three of the five actors are no more with us. Recently, rumour mills are abuzz that the actor plans to restart the project.
• Balayya’s 100th film was directed by Krish, titled Gautamiputra Satakarni. It was dubbed in Hindi and Tamil, and was also screened at Edinburgh Festival of Indian Films and Documentaries.
• While presenting his speech at the closing ceremony of 43rd edition of the IFFI, Balakrishna made an important point. He addressed how Telugu cinema wasn’t given a place in the film festivals, despite the fact that 80 % of the films produced are regional languages. And, 50 % are from South India.

On that note, we wish the actor more prosperity on his 60th birthday. How many of these facts did you know?

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