Junior NTR marrying a minor?

HYDERABAD - The proposed marriage of popular Telugu film actor Junior NTR with a relative of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu has created a row with claims that the girl is minor.

Shanti Prasad, a lawyer, Friday approached Machilipatnam Legal Services Authority claiming that Narne Lakshmi Pranati was a minor and thus her marriage would be illegal.

The authority issued notices to Junior NTR, Naidu and the girl’s father Narne Srinivas Rao, who owns Telugu news channel Studio N. The hearing was adjourned to Feb 24.

Pranati is the daughter of Naidu’s niece Narne Mallika. Sources close to the family of the bride-to-be, however, clarified that she would turn 18 on March 26 and marriage would take place only after that.

The minimum legal age for a girl in India is 18 years.

The sources also clarified that the clippings of Pranati being shown on television channels were recorded a couple of years ago.

Former chief minister Naidu Thursday confirmed that the young actor would soon tie the knot.

Junior NTR, 27, is the grandson of thespian, TDP founder and former chief minister N.T. Rama Rao, who was popularly known as NTR. Naidu is the son-in-law of NTR.

Junior NTR, son of N. Harikrishna, is one of the leading actors of Telugu cinema and has churned several hit movies since he made his debut in 2001.