At about 170 minutes, 'NTR: Kathanayakudu' is going to entertain the audience from January 9.  The film got its Censor process done yesterday and the rating is a clean 'U' (with no cuts made).

As per the post-Censor buzz, Krish Jagarlamudi has a clear winner in his hands.  He has made the biopic as a mix of straightforward narration and sublime messaging.

Nandamuri Balakrishna as NT Rama Rao has nailed it.  The many get-ups, the child-like enthusiasm, the portrayal of his legendary father's body language... All these are going to endear him to the audience.

Least expected but nothing surprising: Vidya Balan is a show-stealer!  As Basavatharakamma (NTR's wife), the versatile actress not only gets meaty lines (thanks to Sai Madhav Burra) but also much screen-time to make her presence felt opposite Balayya.  The script was written to tell the rise and rise of NTR from his wife's perspective.  Vidya being Vidya, she pulls off the role with aplomb, the Censor talk goes.

The ensemble cast, including Sumanth (as ANR), Prakash Raj (as B Nagi Reddy) and Kalyan Ram (as Harikrishna), are going to get their due accolades.

The benchmark surely is 'Mahanati'.  Will the stardom of Balayya, lure of Vidya and the attraction that NTR still holds make 'Kathanayakudu' a bigger hit than the Savitri biopic?  We have to wait for the release