We lost our bicycle, NTR lost his chair. We got them back.



Sometimes I would notice him standing on the balcony of the building in Ramakrishna Cine Studios at Golconda Cross Roads in Hyderabad. This was before he launched the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on 29 March 1982. He probably was out there to get some fresh air. So his mind was not completely occupied with the agenda on hand.
We lived at Risalagadda, a few minutes' walk from Ramakrishna Cine Studios.
Sometimes, we would catch a glimpse of the famed actor and there were occasions when we also caught his attention. In those moments, he would reciprocate when I waved to him. This was during 1981 and 1982. I was a student of Class VIII or IX then. It was mostly when I was returning home from Wesley Boys High School near Paradise, where I studied, that I would notice him. The only film of NTR I had watched was "Adavi Ramudu", which was released in 1977. I was nine years old then.
We, however, got to hear some very interesting stories about NTR and his acting. His personal make-up man, who came from Madras, was our neighbour. His sons would spend a lot of time with us at our house. That was because my father, Chilkuri Samuel, could speak Tamil. He had picked up the language while working in APSRTC, which took him to some districts in Andhra Pradesh bordering Tamil Nadu.
When NTR launched the TDP, he addressed a public meeting at Dayara Market, which was close to my house. It was a considerably good gathering. The actor had become a politician, but the actor had not vanished from the politician. That actor in him was evident as he delivered a political speech.
I'd seen him before he launched his party. I heard him when he launched the party.
It was also time to show solidarity with him. That was in 1984 when he was dethroned by Nadendla Bhaskara Rao on 16 August 1984. I was now a student of Intermediate first year. I was 16 years old. Since I had followed the political developments, I understood the politics behind his unceremonious exit as Chief Minister. He was forced out of office.
The "Chaitanya Ratham", which I always noticed at Ramakrishna Cine Studios, was now out again. NTR decided to go to the masses against his government being dismissed. Huge crowds thronged him wherever he went. He was seeking justice from the people. The support he was getting was tremendous.
My brother Vasanth Rao and I came to know that NTR was coming to Ramakrishna Cine Studios. There were huge crowds on the road between RTC Cross Roads and Golconda Cross Roads.
Golconda Cross Roads was so called because of the Golconda Cigarette Factory being located there. It is a minute's walk from Ramakrishna Cine Studios.
My brother and I took out our bicycle. That was because it was our means of transport — it had nothing to do with the TDP's symbol. NTR arrived sitting on his Chaitanya Ratham, thronged by huge crowds. It took a long time as the crowds made it difficult for the vehicle to proceed. NTR stood on his Chaitanya Ratham and acknowledged the crowds and the support he was getting. His vehicle finally entered Ramakrishna Cine Studios.
My brother and I came back home. What we had seen was unprecedented. What we saw was still playing on our minds.
And suddenly, we realised something. We had lost our bicycle! And we did not even realise it! A while after we walked back home, it struck us. Where was our bicycle? What was certain was that our bicycle was not at home. We knew we had taken it. But we walked home without even realising that it was not with us!
We tried to recollect what had happened. It then struck us that we had been cautious. Because of the surging crowds, holding on to our bicycle made movement difficult for us. So we went to a place near Hebron and parked our bicycle at a house there. It was only when we realised this that we went back and got our bicycle.
NTR also got back his Chief Minister's chair. He was sworn in again as Chief Minister on 16 September 1984.
(A recollection on the occasion of the 103rd birth anniversary of N T Rama Rao on 28 May 2026. The photo used is for representational purposes.)

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