NTR's widow to move court if biopic shows Naidu as hero

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao's second wife Lakshmi Parvathi has threatened to move court if N. Chandrababu Naidu is portrayed as hero in a proposed film on the life of the late leader.

She said on Tuesday that she will not keep quiet if historical facts were twisted in the biopic which Rama Rao's son and leading Telugu actor N. Balakrishna plans to produce.

Lakshmi Parvathi said if injustice was meted out to the TDP founder, she would wage a legal battle.

She alleged that Chief Minister Naidu "backstabbed" his father-in-law NTR to usurp power.

Balakrishna on Monday announced that he would produce a film on the life of his father NTR, the legendary Telugu actor and three-time Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The actor said he would play the role of his father.

He also said the film would tell the entire story of his father, right from his humble beginning as a farmer's son, his journey to become a superstar and one of the most popular political leaders.

However, a day after his announcement, Lakshmi Parvathi voiced her doubts on how the film would portray the turbulent events of 1995 when Naidu ousted his father-in-law from power.

Bonda Uma, a leader of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), said Lakshmi Parvathi would be the villain in the film.

"She is a villain in real life and she will be villain in the film too. She distanced NTR from people and everybody knows this," he said.

In another development, Balakrishna met Chief Minister and TDP President Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada. Naidu, who claims to be inheritor of NTR's political legacy, discussed with the actor his plans for the biopic.

Balakrishna is also a TDP leader and represents Hindupur constituency in the state assembly. His daughter is married to Naidu's son Lokesh.

NTR had married Parvathi, his biographer, just before the 1994 elections, which saw TDP returning to power in the state.

However, her growing interference in party affairs and administration led to Naidu staging a revolt in August 1995. He became Chief Minister with the support of NTR's sons.

NTR had launched a campaign against Naidu for 'backstabbing'. He died in January 1996 at the age of 72.

Following his death, Lakshmi Parvathi went into political oblivion.

A popular actor, NTR floated the TDP in 1982 on the slogan of "Telugu self-respect".

Creating a record of sorts, he came to power within nine months of the formation of the party, ending the monopoly of the Congress in the state politics.

With pro-poor schemes like the Rs 2/kg rice and total prohibition, he went on to become the most popular politician in the state's history.

--IANS

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