NTR at crossroads!

While NTR’s personal life is filled with happiness after embracing fatherhood recently, things are not going as smooth for the actor on the professional front. His latest release, ‘Rabhasa’, has failed to meet the expectations and if the box-office is any pointer, collections are way below the mark that you generally associate with the actor. This is the actor’s second dud in a row. His last release, ‘Ramayya Vastavayya’ also failed to prove his clout at the ticket window. Another flop would mean that the actor, who once gave Chiranjeevi a stiff competition, will be overtaken by the likes of Ram Charan and Allu Arjun, both of whom who began their careers long after NTR. So, where is the actor going wrong? Hans Talkies analyses …

Selection of scripts

First and foremost, we feel his choice of scripts is affecting him big time. Normally you expect an actor to do something different from his earlier film, but with NTR, it is the routine stuff. Our view is echoed by an industry veteran, who under condition of anonymity, shares, “The plot, entertainment and the action seem to be in sync with his earlier films.”

He adds, “Yes, the stakes are too high, but even in a commercial film, a big star should ensure that he brings something fresh to be the table, be it through his looks or mannerisms or through the way he renders a dialogue. A star of NTR’s stature should abstain from repetitiveness.”

‘No’ to commercial directors

He might have reached the pinnacle because of his collaborations with SS Rajamouli and VV Vinayak who are hardcore commercial potboiler specialists, but it’s better for the actor to avoid working with such directors for the time being. Maybe sensible directors like Trivikram, Sukumar, or Vikram Kumar would help him to re-invent and revive his career. Mind you, there were reports that the actor would team up with Sukumar as soon as he completes ‘Rabhasa’, but it looks like the project has been put on hold for now. Joining forces with these new age directors would give the actor a new urban fan base, right? Moreover, the multi-starrer with Nagarjuna is a compulsory, now that ‘Rabhasa’ is a poor show. He should look forward to it!

Bury the hatchet

It’s no secret that the actor is not on talking terms with his Superstar babai Nandamuri Balakrishna, who is now an MLA. Though the actor recently took to twitter to wish him a speedy recovery after the latter met with an accident, the cold vibes between both the Nandamuri actors is attributed largely to politics. One wonders whether this hasn’t lead to a friction among fans. Well, hope someone from either parties helps the duo bury the hatchet.

The right PR machinery

It’s high time the actor, who is not a media darling, gets the right PR machinery. His contemporaries like Allu Arjun, Ram Charan and Prabhas are a big rage on Facebook. With social media playing a major role in promoting a film and elevating the brand image of a star these days, it’s better late than never for NTR, who has started tweeting once again very recently, to hire a right team, to help him to connect to his fans on a regular basis. A daily post or tweet about his film’s status always helps.

“It’s been sometime since I’ve read NTR’s interview in the newspaper. It’s time he interacts with media often,” adds the industry veteran.