Nandamuri Balakrishna: A deep dive into the ‘Akhanda’ actor’s family and political ties

Nandamuri Balakrishna, fondly addressed by fans and peers as Balayya, is one of the biggest stars in Telugu cinema. Balayya, who began his journey in cinema as a child artist, now commands screens as the mass hero. Born into one of India's most influential film and political families, Balayya’s life off-screen is as luminous as his on-screen persona.Nandamuri Balakrishna was born on June 10, 1960, in Chennai to iconic actor and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister NT Rama Rao (Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao) and his wife, Basavatarakam. He has 11 siblings: four sisters and seven brothers. NTR, the founder of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for over four terms, totaling seven years. He was also one of India's most iconic actors. Balakrishna was raised amid cinema and politics, so it was natural that he grew fond of both. Late actor-politician Nandamuri Harikrishna is Balakrishna’s brother. Yes, that makes him Jr. NTR’s uncle. Politician Daggubati Purandeswari is one of Balayya’s sisters. Balayya is also related to the current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu. The CM is married to Nara Bhuvaneswari, Balakrishna's sister! This makes Balayya the CM's brother-in-law. Nandamuri Balakrishna is married to Vasundhara Devi. They reportedly met in a family setting and tied the knot in 1982. A report by Bollywoodshaadis suggests that Balayya first met his wife at a relative's wedding and was instantly smitten. The couple tied the knot when he was just 22. Balayya’s wife sometimes accompanies him to film launches and has been his biggest cheerleader. The couple, however, maintains a relatively private family life.The couple has three children: Nandamuri Mokshagna Teja, Nandamuri Tejaswini, and Brahmani Nandamuri. In 2024, Nandamuri Mokshagna Teja’s debut was announced. He was set to star in ‘Simba’, however, a report by ‘Gulte’ suggests the film is stalled. If the report is to be believed, the film’s launch is ‘not just postponed’, but the film itself has been ‘cancelled’. The Starkid is reportedly not yet ready to venture into movies. Nandamuri Balakrishna’s elder daughter, Nara Brahmani, is an entrepreneur. She is married to Nara Lokesh, the son of Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu.On the professional front, Nandamuri Balakrishna was last seen in ‘Akhanda 2: Thaandavam’. Directed by Boyapati Sreenu, the film features Balakrishna Nandamuri, Samyukta Menon, Kabir Duhan Singh, and Aadhi Pinisetty in the lead roles. The film is set against the looming threat of bio warfare in India, and follows Akhanda as he rises to save the nation and restore people’s faith in God. The sequel, released in December 2025, received mixed reviews from the audience. TOI ranked the film 2 out of 5, and the review reads, “Akhanda 2 delivers scale, noise, and a handful of impactful moments but struggles to recreate the gripping emotional core and narrative tightness that made Akhanda click for many viewers. It lands as a grand yet uneven sequel: ambitious in spirit, loud in execution, and inconsistent in engagement. Watch it only if you're a Balakrishna loyalist who enjoys grand, mass action and can overlook the uneven storytelling and repetitive formula.”Balayya will be next seen in a film tentatively titled 'NBK 111', a historical epic helmed by Gopichand Malineni.