To lend authenticity to the NTR biopic, Vidya Balan shoots key portions in legend's Hyderabad house, meets former CM's family again
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; August 29, 2018)

In a bid to make NTR - the biopic on the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister NT Rama Rao - as authentic as possible, lead actor Nandamuri Balakrishna and Vidya Balan, who plays his wife Basavatarakam, filmed key sequences in the superstar's former house in Abids, Hyderabad, last week.

A source from the production reveals, "The shoot was conducted under complete secrecy. The crew was barred from carrying their mobile phones inside the house." A part of the Krish-directed venture chronicles NTR's rise in politics during the '80s. Since the Abids apartment served as his residence during the period, Nandamuri thought shooting in the original house would add to the film. Vishnu Induri, one of the producers, says, "When NTR shifted to Hyderabad to get into politics, he lived at this address. He resided here for 12 years before moving to Banjara Hills in the '90s. The house was subsequently sold off."

The bilingual marks Balan's foray into Telugu cinema. As part of her prep, she had met NTR's family in July to gain insights into her muse. Induri reveals that the family visited the location last week to meet Balan again. "NTR's daughters and grandchildren dropped in on the sets. They also gave her gifts, including a particular kind of South Indian saree, which Basavatarakam loved."