Tollywood actor Taraka Ratna loses battle for life after 23 days

Hyderabad, Feb 18 (IANS) Tollywood actor Nandamuri Taraka Ratna on Saturday night breathed his last at Bengaluru's Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences, where he was admitted on January 27 after he collapsed during a padyatra of TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh in Kuppam town of Andhra Pradesh. He was 39.

Taraka Ratna is survived by his wife Alekhya Reddy and a daughter.

Taraka Ratna was the grandson of TDP founder, legendary actor and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao. He was the cousin of Junior NTR, Kalyan Ram and Lokesh.

The body is likely to be brought to Hyderabad on Saturday night.

The young actor collapsed after he suffered a massive heart attack during Lokesh's padyatra in Kuppam in Chittoor district. He was immediately rushed to a hospital in Kuppam where he was given PCR. His heart had reportedly stopped functioning.

A few hours later, he was shifted to Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences in Bengaluru, where his condition remained critical. The management of the hospital had brought few cardiology specialists from the US.

He was reportedly treated with Balloon Angioplasty, Intra Balloon Pump and vasoactive support. His condition turned very critical on Friday and he finally succumbed on Saturday.

Taraka Ratna made his film debut in 2002 with 'Okato Number Kurraadu' under the direction of K. Raghavendra Rao. He acted in about a dozen movies and web series.

He was reportedly keen to contest next year's Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh on TDP ticket and had joined Lokesh on the first day of padyatra.

Taraka Ratna's father Nandamuri Mohan Krishna is a cinematographer in Tollywood and son of N. T. Rama Rao.