Trust Ram Gopal Varma to set the cat among pigeons with his proposed movie on legendary Telugu movie star and Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao, he has tentatively titled Lakshmi’s NTR.
“I am in the midst of research and lot of work needs to be done. I cannot disclose more than what I have posted. Yes. The movie is likely to be released by the end of next year,” said the director when asked about the status of the project.
Last week, RGV as he is known in cinema circles, posted a set of three Instagram posts beginning with: “After finishing my research on NTR, I judiciously realised that instead of a biopic on NTR, the same biopic on NTR from the understanding of Lakshmi Parvathi is what will actually provide much more “pneumatic insights” into the vagaries of those tumultuous times. I am so excited to embark on this project...”. The reaction was not adversarial from the word go, but when RGV dropped hints about the movie saying: “The film Lakshmi’s NTR will expose all the truths behind the true lies of those who punched in his stomach and stabbed him in the back... Lakshmi’s NTR will throw light on what really happened in NTR’s life especially towards the end ”. The announcement was loaded with his usual hyperbole and netizens exploded in a frenzy of cuss words, abuse and even physical threats.
RGV is no stranger to controversies having made loaded biopics on Paritala Ravi (Rakta Charitra), Veerappan (Veerappan) and the last being Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga (Vangaveeti). But the tone and tenor of announcement, especially the bit ‘stabbed his back’ got the goat of Telugu Desam leaders who suspect a motive in the making of the movie. About two months ago, RGV released a six-minute video on his love for NTR and what propelled him to make the movie. “I have walked 10 km as I didn’t have money and watched Adavi Ramudu 23 times. I was one among the lakhs of people who congregated for NTR’s first Mahanadu meeting. I am going to bring out the slice of life behind what’s NTR and what he means for Telugu people,” says RGV. “This is a free country. Anyone can make a movie on anyone. Why should anybody object unless it is insulting,”said Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, a close associate of NTR. NT Rama Rao is not just a legend because of the films. He strode political world like a colossus becoming a chief minister with one of the strongest mandate, riding a wave of Telugu pride and honour. TDP leaders were not available for comment.It remains to be seen how the movie pans out come end of 2018.