Amaravati, June 10 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday greeted Tollywood actor and TDP MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna on his birthday.

Politicians cutting across party lines and film personalities also greeted Balayya, as Balakrishna is popularly known.

Chandrababu Naidu took to ‘X’ to convey his greetings to the actor, who is also his brother-in-law and his son and state minister Nara Lokesh’s father-in-law.

“Happy birthday to Telugu film actor, Hindupur MLA, Telugu Desam Party Polit Bureau member, and Basava Tarakam Cancer Hospital Chairman Nandamuri Balakrishna,” posted the Chief Minister.

Stating that Balayya won millions of fans as a silver screen hero, he wished him a long life, good health, and happiness.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who himself is a leading Tollywood actor, greeted Balakrishna. The Jana Sena Party leader wished him good health and happiness. He noted that Balayya, who acted in over 100 films, won admiration by playing historic, folk, and mythical characters.

Pawan Kalyan also mentioned that in public life, Balayya is working for the development of the Hindupur region.

Minister for Human Resources Development, Nara Lokesh, also greeted his maternal uncle and father-in-law, Balakrishna. “He is a legend on the silver screen. He is unstoppable on the political screen. He is Balayya in the hearts of the people. Heartfelt birthday greetings to my beloved maternal uncle, Padma Bhushan Nandamuri Balakrishna garu.”

Balakrishna’s nephews and popular actors Jr NTR, Kalyanram, Chandrababu Naidu’s nephew and actor Nara Rohith, and other film personalities greeted Balakrishna.

Balakrishna was honoured with the Padma Bhushan this year for his contributions to the field of art.

Son of legendary actor, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder and former chief minister, N.T. Rama Rao (NTR), Balakrishna began his acting career as child artist at the age of 14 and, in a career spanning four decades, acted in more than 100 films.

Born on June 10, 1960, in Madras (now Chennai), Balakrishna made his cinematic debut at the age of 14 with the 1974 Telugu movie ‘Tatamma Kala’.

Balakrishna took a plunge into electoral politics in 2014 and was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly from Hindupur, a constituency once represented by his legendary father. He retained the seat in 2019 and scored a hat-trick in the 2024 elections.

–IANS

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