Ram Pothineni recalls moving from luxury to struggle

Though Ram Pothineni comes from a highly influential and affluent family in Vijayawada, his upbringing was far more modest than many would assume.

Ram’s extended family wields considerable wealth and prominence with relatives who are doctors, entrepreneurs, chartered accountants, and even film producers. In fact, during the 1980s, his parents were considered among the richest in Vijayawada.However, Ram revealed on actor Jagapathi Babu’s chat show that a major incident forced his family to abandon their lavish lifestyle.

“We were one of the wealthiest families in Vijayawada. But due to caste conflicts and the violence that followed, my family lost everything. So, my father moved us from Vijayawada to Chennai,” he recalled.
The shift was drastic.

“In Vijayawada, our house was so big that I had a separate room just for my toys. But in Chennai, we stayed in a house that was smaller than that toy room. That’s where I grew up — in a very simple home in Madras.”

Despite the humble circumstances of his childhood, Ram worked his way up and made his acting debut with “Devadas” in 2006. Today, he stands as one of Telugu cinema’s most bankable stars, and his family has once again regained its position among the wealthiest. He is currently acting in Andhra King Taluka, which is set for release next month.