Actor Jr NTR, a third generation star from the popular Nandamuri clan, says he is proud to carry forward his family legacy as he believes it keeps him grounded and guides him in his career.
Having made his acting debut at the age of 17 with Telugu romantic drama Ninnu Choodalani, he also believes there's no escape from what he calls the family "baggage".
Jr NTR is named after his grandfather, the late Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao - universally known as NTR. An acclaimed and hugely popular Telugu actor-filmmaker, he broke into politics and went on to become the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
"If there's no load on you, no anchor point, we are free souls and we will be roaming around. We end up doing whatever we feel like. The baggage made me realise who I am and it has kept me grounded," Jr NTR said.
With that comes a certain image. Does it mean he can do only certain kinds of films?
"I thought it restricted me to certain kinds of films. But I realised later that it didn't, and that I was responsible for my choices. My son's entry into my life changed the way I saw my career - and my general outlook towards life," he added.
The birth of his son, Abhay Ram, three years ago taught him to be "genuine" in what he does.
This has been visible in Jr NTR's last few outings such as Naanaku Prematho and Janatha Garage.
He sees Puri Jagannadh's 2015 film Temper, released a year after his son was born, as the big turning point in his career.
Temper gave his career a much-needed high, he said. "I needed to have a journey of my own to tell my son tomorrow. To even discuss my journey with my family, I have to set an example. Life needs to be like a roller-coaster ride with ups and downs. Otherwise, it's not exciting," he added.
Jr NTR's new Telugu film, Jai Lava Kusa, is slated for release on Thursday. He plays a triple role in the movie.
Talking about the film, he said:
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