As NTR’s Dragon first glimpse dropped on his birthday last night, it quickly became one of the hottest discussion points across social media. Trade circles are already expecting it to be one of the biggest box office events of 2027.
Entering cinema as the grandson of legendary actor and former Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao, he carried one of Telugu cinema’s biggest legacies along with enormous expectations and pressure.
NTR debuted as a child artist with Ramayanam and showed acting promise early. However, his transition as a lead hero was difficult. He was ridiculed in his first film as hero, Ninnu Choodalani, for his chubby appearance and not being hero material.
But luck favored him and his rise happened quickly. Student No. 1 and Aadi turned him into a huge young sensation, while Simhadri became a blockbuster that pushed him into the top league at a remarkably young age, with some even positioning him as a rival to Chiranjeevi.
However, the journey after Simhadri was far from smooth. Career slumps, backlash over poor script choices, physical transformation discussions, and multiple flops repeatedly pulled him down.
After a series of flops, NTR started a new innings in 2015 with Temper, and since then his journey has seen more ups than downs. NTR started adapting to changing audience tastes. Films like Nannaku Prematho, Janatha Garage, Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava, and RRR strengthened both his stardom and acting reputation.
Today, NTR stands among Telugu cinema’s biggest stars with a massive fan base across markets. His portrayal of Komaram Bheem in RRR brought nationwide recognition and global visibility.
However, his recent films have not fully satisfied fans and critics. Devara, despite commercial success, did not become a memorable film in his career. His pan-India plan with War 2 by joining the YRF Spy Universe also backfired big time and became troll material on a national level.
As Dragon gears up for release on June 11, 2027, here is a look at the hits and flops in Man of Masses NTR’s filmography.
1) Brahmarshi Vishwamitra (1991)
This film marks the debut of Jr. NTR as a child artist in a small role when he was just around 8 years old. Despite its solid cast, Brahmarshi Vishwamitra was a big flop at the box office.
Verdict: Disaster
2) Ramayanam (1996) – Child Artist
Jr. NTR entered cinema as a child actor with Ramayanam under the direction of Gunasekhar. Playing Lord Rama at a very young age, he impressed audiences with his screen presence and dialogue delivery. The film went on to earn appreciation and remains an important starting point in his acting journey.
Verdict: Hit
3) Ninnu Choodalani (2001) – Debut as Lead Hero
Jr. NTR debuted as a lead actor through Ninnu Choodalani under director V. R. Prathap. Expectations naturally existed because of his family background, but the film flopped badly. Tarak also faced harsh backlash regarding his appearance and screen presence, with many questioning whether he could become a successful commercial hero. The film ended up becoming a difficult beginning to his career.
Verdict: Flop
4) Student No.1 (2001)
Following a disappointing debut, Jr. NTR joined hands with SS Rajamouli for Student No.1. The film completely changed his career trajectory. His energetic screen presence, subdued and touching emotional performance, dances, and strong dialogue delivery connected strongly with audiences. The college drama also marked Rajamouli’s directorial debut and became a big turning point for both their careers.
Verdict: Super Hit
5) Subbu (2001)
Coming immediately after Student No.1, expectations increased heavily. However, the film failed to maintain momentum and disappointed commercially.
Verdict: Flop
6) Aadi (2002)
Directed by debutant VV Vinayak, Aadi transformed Tarak into one of Telugu cinema’s biggest young stars. His powerful dialogue delivery, dances, and mass image reached another level through this film. The faction backdrop and action blocks connected strongly with audiences, and the film became a sensation among youth and mass centres.
Verdict: Blockbuster
7) Allari Ramudu (2002)
Following Aadi’s huge success, Allari Ramudu arrived with huge expectations but managed only moderate commercial success.
Verdict: Average Success
8) Naaga (2003)
Naaga was another much-hyped film produced by AM Ratnam but failed due to poor screenplay and amateurish direction, becoming another setback.
Verdict: Flop
9) Simhadri (2003)
Jr. NTR reunited with SS Rajamouli for Simhadri after Student No.1. The film became a massive sensation and elevated him into superstar territory at an extremely young age. Tarak’s intensity, emotional scenes, and powerful mass moments received tremendous response. The film shattered several box office records and established him among Telugu cinema’s top stars.
Verdict: Mass Blockbuster
10) Andhrawala (2004)
Coming after Simhadri, expectations reached historic levels. The film generated unprecedented hype and huge openings. However, weak screenplay and execution disappointed audiences badly. The result shocked trade circles, and the film became one of the biggest setbacks of Tarak’s early career.
Verdict: Disaster
11) Samba (2004)
NTR and VV Vinayak had earlier delivered blockbuster Aadi together, but in Samba, Vinayak relied heavily on NTR’s star power, which turned out to be the film’s biggest weakness. By then, faction dramas had also started feeling repetitive. Audiences who had already watched films like Narasimha Naidu, Aadi, Simhadri, and Indra found little new in Samba. Except for Venu Madhav and Krishna Bhagavan’s comedy, the film offered little entertainment. Mani Sharma’s music was also bad. Still, Samba satisfied a section of fans and emerged as an average success.
Verdict: Above Average
12) Naa Alludu (2005)
NTR tried his hand at mass comedy with debut director Vara Mullapudi to compensate for Andhrawala’s losses, but this one turned out to be even worse. Audiences bashed entertainment without any sense of logic, packaged with crude jokes and double-meaning dialogues.
Verdict: Flop
13) Narasimhudu (2005)
The film is a remake of the Malashri’s Kannada film Durgi and is the only remake done by NTR. Produced by Chengala Venkat Rao with a huge budget of approximately Rs. 20 crores, Narasimhudu was released amidst considerable hype. However, upon its theatrical release, the film was met with negative reviews from critics and audiences, who largely slammed its predictable plot, outdated direction, and excessive action. Chengala Venkat Rao also tried to commit suicide by jumping into Hussain Sagar Lake after the film’s flop.
Verdict: Disaster
14) Ashok (2006)
Ashok was another decent action drama directed by Surender Reddy, which released with solid expectations but failed commercially.
Verdict: Flop
15) Rakhi (2006)
Directed by Krishna Vamsi, Rakhi showcased Tarak’s emotional performance abilities and gained appreciation from audiences. The film dealt with women’s safety issues and social themes, allowing Tarak to show a different side beyond commercial mass roles. The film started slowly at the box office but eventually turned into an average success. Over time, many fans consider Rakhi among his better performance-oriented films.
Verdict: Above Average
16) Yamadonga (2007)
Jr. NTR reunited with SS Rajamouli after Simhadri. The fantasy entertainer became a huge box office success and highlighted Tarak’s transformation physically and professionally. His comic timing, dance performances, and screen presence impressed audiences heavily. The film also marked an important comeback phase after multiple underperformers.
Verdict: Super Hit
17) Kantri (2008)
NTR tried to replicate something like Pokiri with Kantri, which was an action comedy written and directed by Meher Ramesh and produced by C. Ashwini Dutt. The film got superb openings but ended up as an average fare due to predictable twists.
Verdict: Average
18) Adhurs (2010)
Adhurs showcased Tarak’s comedy timing alongside his mass appeal and became a major success. His dual-role performance, especially Chari’s comedy scenes, became hugely popular among audiences. The film further strengthened his image as an entertainer capable of handling comedy, emotion, and action equally well. The memes from this film are popular to this day.
Verdict: Super Hit
19) Brindavanam (2010)
Brindavanam showed a softer side of Tarak with romance, comedy, and emotions. The film connected strongly with family audiences. His chemistry with Kajal and Samantha was also appreciated.
Verdict: Hit
20) Shakti (2011)
Mounted on a massive budget, Shakti arrived with huge expectations and was expected to beat Magadheera’s box office records because of its scale and fantasy backdrop. However, Meher Ramesh‘s weak storytelling and confused execution heavily affected audience reception. Despite strong openings driven by Tarak’s star power, the film collapsed quickly and emerged as one of the biggest disasters in Telugu cinema.
Verdict: Disaster
21) Oosaravelli (2011)
NTR teamed up with Surender Reddy once again for Oosaravelli, a different kind of action revenge drama, but it received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Despite the reception, the film set a record for the biggest opening day in Telugu cinema history at the time of its release. During its full theatrical run, the film turned out to be just an average success. Over the years, the film has gained some cult following among fans for the film’s unique premise, performances, and revenge angle.
Verdict: Average
22) Dammu (2012)
There were mass expectations from Dammu as it was the first collaboration of a mass director like Boyapati Sreenu and a Man of Masses star like NTR. But the film wasn’t cooked well. It mostly received mixed to negative reviews for its outdated screenwriting, unintentionally funny emotions, excessive violence, and double-meaning dialogues. The huge openings saved the film a bit at the box office.
Verdict: Average
23) Baadshah (2013)
The Srinu Vaitla entertainer delivered commercial success though it couldn’t match the director’s previous film Dookudu in terms of entertainment or collections. The film also has some relevance even today due to Brahmanandam memes in pop culture.
Verdict: Above Average
24) Ramayya Vasthavayya (2013)
Harish Shankar suddenly became a big director after Pawan Kalyan’s Gabbar Singh became a blockbuster success, but he couldn’t repeat the magic with NTR. Even fans bashed the outdated storyline, pacing, and predictability.
Verdict: Disaster
25) Rabhasa (2014)
Rabhasa released in theaters on the eve of Vinayaka Chathurthi to mixed reviews from critics, with most of them labeling it as a regular mass film. There were hopes that director Santosh Srinivas would make an entertaining film like Kandireega, but it turned out to be a borefest for audiences with routine template storytelling.
Verdict: Disaster
26) Temper (2015)
Temper became a major turning point. Directed by Puri Jagannadh, the film reinvented Tarak and completely changed his career direction. His transformation as a corrupt police officer who undergoes emotional change impressed audiences heavily. The film also marked the beginning of a stronger script selection phase in Tarak’s career.
Verdict: Hit
27) Nannaku Prematho (2016)
The Sukumar directorial showcased a stylish and emotionally mature version of Tarak. Moving away from regular commercial formulas, the film focused more on emotional conflict and intelligence-driven storytelling. Tarak’s restrained performance and stylish look received appreciation and expanded his image beyond mass entertainers.
Verdict: Hit
28) Janatha Garage (2016)
NTR joined hands with successful director Koratala Siva for the first time. The strong cast of Mohanlal, Samantha, and Nithya Menen added to the hype. Despite mixed early reviews, the film emerged as one of Tarak’s biggest successes.
Verdict: Blockbuster
29) Jai Lava Kusa (2017)
The film received mixed responses from critics and audiences, but NTR’s performance in the triple role received a lot of praise, especially for Jai’s character. However, Bobby‘s direction and writing couldn’t do justice to NTR’s performance.
Verdict: Above Average
30) Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava (2018)
The Trivikram directorial showcased emotional maturity and a more restrained performance from Tarak. Unlike regular faction dramas, the film focused heavily on the consequences of violence and emotional conflict. Many fans consider it among the strongest performances of his career. The film did fairly well at the box office.
Verdict: Hit
31) RRR (2022)
Playing Komaram Bheem, Tarak delivered one of the strongest performances of his career. The film gave him pan-India popularity theatrically and he received global recognition after its OTT release. The film went on to win an Oscar for the song Naatu Naatu.
Fans still fight over who was the actual hero and who was the side hero in RRR. But what remains true is that NTR shined as Komaram Bheem and gave it his all.
Verdict: Industry Hit
32) Devara (2024)
Following RRR, expectations skyrocketed for Devara. The film generated huge hype because it marked Tarak’s solo release after RRR. While the visuals, action sequences, and Tarak’s screen presence received appreciation, backlash emerged regarding screenplay and narrative consistency.
Koratala Siva completely failed to use NTR’s immense potential as an actor. Despite mixed reactions, strong openings and fan support helped the film emerge commercially successful not only in Telugu, but it also did fair numbers in Hindi. However, the film didn’t turn out to be a memorable one in Tarak’s filmography.
Verdict: Hit
33) War 2 (2025)
Following RRR, NTR made his full-fledged Bollywood entry with War 2 as part of the YRF Spy Universe alongside Hrithik Roshan. The film carried massive expectations at a pan-India level, as fans expected it to become NTR’s big breakthrough in the Hindi market.
However, trouble started much before the release itself. The promotional material, songs, and overall campaign received heavy trolling on social media for ridiculous stunts, cringe dialogues, and poor VFX.
NTR’s look, styling choices, and portions of his character presentation received severe backlash. Many fans themselves openly expressed disappointment.
After release, the film failed to generate the expected box office storm and flopped badly despite the franchise factor. Poor word of mouth, extremely bad VFX, backlash over illogical writing, and dull execution killed the film at the box office.
Instead of strengthening NTR’s pan-India market immediately after RRR, War 2 became one of the most heavily trolled films in his recent career and added even more pressure on Dragon to deliver a strong comeback.
Verdict: Epic Disaster
34) Dragon (2027)
After the setbacks of Devara and War 2, Dragon arrives with significant expectations riding on it. The film could play a crucial role in shaping Tarak’s next phase of pan-India market growth.
The first glimpse, released on NTR’s birthday, has largely received positive reactions, though some viewers feel it carries shades of Salaar and KGF.
NTR’s rugged screen presence and powerful voice leave a strong impression throughout the teaser.
Visually and tonally, the glimpse strongly reflects the action-heavy style associated with Salaar and KGF. While it looks grand and stylish made on a huge scale and span, it does not reveal much novelty from a storytelling perspective.
At first glance, it feels more like an extension of Prashanth Neel’s cinematic template.
The film is slated to hit theatres on June 11, 2027.
Verdict: Yet To Be Decided
Final Report Card
Over the years, Jr. NTR’s career witnessed multiple highs and lows. One of Tarak’s biggest strengths has been his ability to evolve continuously. From mass entertainers to emotionally demanding performances, he repeatedly proved his versatility.
From carrying enormous legacy pressure to becoming one of Indian cinema’s biggest stars, Jr. NTR’s journey remains one of Telugu cinema’s strongest comeback stories.
Now, all eyes are on Dragon releasing on June 11, 2027, as the film carries the responsibility of pushing Tarak’s pan-India market to an entirely new level without SS Rajamouli’s support.
