N. Balakrishna, Telugu film actor and son of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR), Wednesday sprang a surprise when he called on his step-mother Lakshmi Parvathi.
For the first time after his father’s death 14 years ago, Balakrishna drove to her residence in Banjara Hills here and spent more than an hour with her.
Parvathi told reporters she was happy that her son came to her house.
“I am very happy. I can’t describe my feelings in words,” she said, describing the visit as a courtesy call.
“I came to see my mother and will continue to come,” said the popular actor, who was once seen as the successor of his legendary father.
“Balaiah (as the actor is popularly known) became emotional while recalling the last days of his father and told me that the ‘past is past. Let us do something good in his memory’. I assured him of my support,” Parvathi said.
Balakrishna’s visit has created a flutter in political circles here though Parvathi, who went into political oblivion after NTR’s death, claimed that politics was not discussed. It is believed that Balakrishna discussed with Parvathi a property dispute pending between the two in a court.
NTR, a popular Telugu actor, had launched Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982 and created history by coming to power in the state within nine months. A few months before returning to power with a landslide majority in 1994, NTR married Parvathi, a college lecturer who came close to him while writing his biography.
However, the second marriage annoyed his family which alleged that Parvathi had an overriding influence in party and government affairs.
NTR’s son-in-law N. Chandrababu Naidu led a revolt against him to become chief minister in August 1995. In January, 1996, NTR died a broken man.
Interestingly, Balakrishna’s daughter married Naidu’s only son Lokesh two years ago. The actor also campaigned for TDP in last year’s elections.
