N. T. Rama Rao (28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996), commonly known by his initials NTR, was an Indian actor, screenwriter, director and producer who worked primarily in Telugu cinema. Through his over four-decade long career of almost 300 films, he was considered one of the most pivotal figures of the Telugu industry. After his debut in Mana Desam (1949) and his first lead role in Palletoori Pilla (1950), Rama Rao's performance in the fantasy film Pathala Bhairavi (1951) made him famous. His other films with Vijaya Vauhini Studios, Malliswari (1951) and Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952), were also successful, causing him to become the industry's "top star" according to Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen in the book Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. He also took his first steps into film production by