Vidya on playing NT Rama Rao's wife: Approaching role with imagination

Given that little is known about her muse, NT Rama Rao's wife, Vidya Balan says she's enjoying creative freedom while playing the part, even as she continues to learn about her

Even though she's set to be part of a biopic, Vidya Balan enjoys sufficient creative leeway when enacting the character of NT Rama Rao's wife in a film based on him. Basavatarakam Nandamuri, she argues, enjoyed a life away from the public domain, leaving little material for her to binge on to ape her, for Krish's directorial venture.

"She was an extremely private person. So, initially, I only had the script for reference. Yet, I wanted to get an idea of the person I was set to portray," Balan tells mid-day, adding that she decided to interact with those who knew her muse.

NT Rama Rao and Basavatarakam Nandamuri

While Balan had her co-star - the film's leading man, also NTR's son - Nandamuri Balakrishna to turn to, she also interacted with the actor-politician's other children. "I met his daughter, Lokeshwari, who narrated many stories [of Basavatarakam]. I also spoke to her brother who currently resides in Chennai. It was via these conversations that I got a sense of who she was. I used the inputs that I got from them, but I am approaching the character with little information and more imagination."

                         Balakrishna

Balan, who wrapped the first schedule of the Telugu-Hindi film last month, says that grabbing an opportunity to work in another industry was intriguing. "I shot for five days, but it was a nice experience. The team is professional. We would commence the day at 9 am, and finish at 6 pm sharp. That's a unique experience. It amazes me that, within India itself, there are so many independent film industries. I have never done a full-fledged role in another language, so I was excited for this one. The Telugu film industry needs no one. Their films are blockbusters, and they have a loyal audience."

While the promising script instantly gripped her attention, Balan was also persuaded by the idea of working on a film based on NTR, a person, she knows, has been revered. "He is someone who has been loved and respected."

Also Read: It's official! Rakul Preet Singh roped in to play Sridevi in NT Rama Rao biopic

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