NTR centenary celebrations: Ram Charan remembers the only time he met the legend in his childhood

Ram Charan is having an eventful year. While he extravagantly promoted RRR in the US and Japan in the first quarter, he has been filming for director Shankar’s ambitious political drama Game Changer and shook a leg with Salman Khan for his Eid release Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan as well. He and his better half Upasana are also expecting their first child in the coming months.

Earlier this week, the RRR star was one of the many guests from the tinsel town who attended the NTR centenary celebrations organised in Hyderabad amidst the presence of huge crowds, family members of the Nandamuri clan, politicians. The gesture is quite significant to show how the industry is still united despite reports of several fan wars on a grass root level.

“Telugu cinema is now being appreciated across many countries worldwide and many have kind words to share about South Indian cinema. Several decades ago, it was NTR (garu) who paved a way for all of us and conquered many frontiers. We can never forget his feats and it’s necessary for us to remember his achievements,” Ram Charan shared.

The Chirutha star felt NTR is beyond all benchmarks and said he’s an integral part of every Telugu-speaking person across the globe. It’s important to draw inspiration from their lifestyle and it gives me immense pleasure to be walking in his footsteps, Ram Charan said. “Every artist including me who goes to the film set every day remembers his name,” he added.

He believed NTR brought reverence to Telugu film industry among others and said it was a privilege for him to work in the same fraternity as him. In the event, he also remembered the only occasion when he met NTR. “I and Purandeswari garu's son Ritesh went to skating classes together in the morning and got done with them by 6 am. One day, Ritesh asked me to accompany him to NTR's house. He was the state CM then.”

“While I just wanted to meet NTR once and leave, he was ready by the time we reached home and asked me to join them for breakfast. He was eating a big chicken piece and I felt I was lucky to be in his presence. I still cherish those moments and will be thankful to Purandeswari garu for the opportunity. I’m happy to have attended this event, met Nandamuri fans.”