'Adhinyakudu' Balakrishna has formally announced that he will contest in the coming general elections to the Legislative Assembly. He made this statement after he paid respectful homage to the statue of his parents here in Hyderabad and vowed to bring back the Telugu Desam Parthy, which was founded by his late father, to power. He reiterated the commitment of the Nandamuri family to strengthen the party.

He recalled that it was the social sector programmes and many political reforms initiated by NT Rama Rao that have earned him a place in the collective memory of the people.

The star’s imminent political arangretam is sure to translate into his absence in films. The 52-year old actor, it is widely anticipated, may from now on show preference for non-commercial entertainers.

Unlike Chiranjeevi, who suddenly bid adieu to films after forming a political party in 2008, Balakrishna is making no such announcement regarding his exit from films. On the contrary, there have been many indications from some quarters that the actor will straddle both films and politics.