NTR Jr is a bit of a loner in the industry as he has some troubled relationship with his family. But he seems to have got the full backing of the Nandamuri clan that hitherto had not accepted him fully.

The thumbs up of approval was evident at the muhurat of NTR's new film Ashok yesterday.

In the gala launch of the film was present, among others,NTR's father Harikrishna, his uncle Balakrishna, Kalyan Ram and former Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu (also in the Nandamuri clan through marriage). Also seen were Venkatesh and Srikanth, director K Raghavendra Rao

It was a happy occasion for the young NTR and he needed this show of support from his family. It has come at a time when he looked out of sorts with his recent films all having bitten the dust.

Anyway, amidst all the talk about the presence of the biggies, the talk also centered on who didn't turn up. And that was heroine Sameera Reddy, who is figuring in the gossip columns with NTR.

Ashok, directed by the hot-shot Surender and produced by Valluripalli Ramesh, features NTR and Sameera in the lead.