Sridevi Was 15 When She Starred Opposite 55-Year-Old NTR in Vetagadu

Sridevi, one of Indian cinema's most celebrated actors, began her career as a child artist before becoming a leading star across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi films. One of the most discussed chapters of her early career was her pairing with Telugu cinema legend Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) in the 1979 film Vetagadu. At the time of the film's release, Sridevi was around 15 years old, while NTR was about 55. The nearly 40-year age gap between the lead pair drew attention and became a subject of discussion among audiences. Vetagadu became a box office success Released in 1979, Vetagadu featured Sridevi and NTR in the lead roles. Despite the debate surrounding the casting, the film emerged as a major commercial success at the box office. Its soundtrack also became widely popular, contributing to the film's success. Rain song gained lasting popularity One of the film's best-known songs, Aaku Chatu Pinde Thadise, became a major hit after its release. The rain sequence, choreography and performances by the lead actors helped the song gain lasting popularity among Telugu cinema audiences. The song remains one of the memorable tracks from the film. Sridevi had earlier played NTR's granddaughter Before Vetagadu, Sridevi had appeared with NTR in the 1972 film Badi Panthulu as his granddaughter. A few years later, the two were cast as a romantic pair in Vetagadu. The shift in their on-screen relationship attracted significant public attention at the time. Sridevi went on to become a pan-India superstar Following her success in South Indian cinema, Sridevi entered Hindi films and established herself as one of the industry's biggest stars. She later delivered several successful films, including Himmatwala, Mr. India, Chandni, ChaalBaaz and Lamhe, cementing her place as one of the most successful actresses in Indian cinema.