The idea for Devadas , releasing on September 27, came from scriptwriter Sridhar Raghavan long before director Sriram Aditya came into the picture. Sridhar Raghavan, known primarily for his work in Hindi cinema, had pitched this idea that would necessitate a veteran, older actor and a present-day actor. At that time, both Nani and Nagarjuna liked the idea but felt it would require some tweaking for local sensibilities. “A number of names came up when we were discussing it with Vyjayanthi Films. When they suggested Sriram Aditya, I felt we could give it a try since I like the way he executes an idea,” Nani tells us, settling down for an interview.
Working with Nag
Sriram Aditya developed Sridhar Raghavan’s idea and Devadas got rolling. “It feels surreal to think that I was standing next to Nag and even acting with him,” says Nani. He remembers growing up watching Nagarjuna’s movies. One of his fondest memories is going to Devi 70mm to watch the first evening show of Ninne Pelladata (1996). “My dad took me and a bunch of other kids since someone had promised him tickets. On reaching there we found there weren’t any tickets. By then we had already heard that the film will be a blockbuster and threw a tantrum. Finally dad managed front row tickets,” laughs the actor.
On sets, Nani recalls how his approach to work was different from that of Nagarjuna. “I would get stressed and ask for another take while Nag sir would be chilled out. But within no time, we were in sync and enjoyed working with each other,” says Nani.
For Nani, this portrayal of the bespectacled doctor called Das is a detour from what he’s done of late. Though he had a string of hits until Krishnarjuna Yuddham , he needed to shake off the guy-next-door image. “It all depends on the characters I’m offered. Only a few films like Yevade Subramaniam, Gentleman and now Devadas are very different from the real me. Since I still think of myself as a middle class guy, people get to see that side of me in films like Middle Class Abbayi .” Das, he says, is a bit of a nerd, slightly timid and loves his profession. As an actor, I try to do my best for my film. As a host, I have to do what’s required for the show’s format. I can’t please everyone.
Moving away from the film, the conversation shifts to the social media trolling he’s been subjected to as the host of Bigg Boss 2 . Nani says that for the first time in his career, he’s been dealing with a stream of hate messages. “I usually surface on social media only when there’s a film. And the comments would mostly be warm and encouraging. So it took me a while to understand what’s happening and where these negative comments are coming from,” he says.
‘Bigg Boss’ tirade
Supporters of Bigg Boss 2 inmate Kaushal, calling themselves Kaushal Army, have been at the forefront of this tirade. Nani observes, “As an actor, I try to do my best for my film. As a host, I have to do what’s required for the show’s format. I can’t please everyone. In the last few seasons of the show, even Salman Khan has been getting adverse comments (about being a biased host).”
He admits that Bigg Boss 2 took up more of his time than he originally thought it would. And, he hadn’t watched the show before he began hosting it. “I was aware of the show’s popularity since a lot of people around me would discuss it and praise NTR as the host. So when it was offered to me, I took it up as another opportunity to reach out to people.”
His view of the world, he says, has changed owing to the show. “I was happy in my own little world, as a dreamer, contemplating on characters and stories. I had an idea of a happy world out there.” Now he feels it takes all kinds of people to make the world, including a few judgemental ones. “The frustration that pours out through some of the tweets has made me learn that things work differently on social media. In reality, I’ve come across several people, young and old, who enjoy the show.”
Dwelling on the experience, he says. “All these years when someone praised my work, I would feel lucky. Now I feel proud that I am able to take a stance for what I feel is right. I never thought I could handle such situations.”
After Devadas , Nani will begin shooting for Jersey . Before that, a long-pending holiday is in the offing. “In the last four months, I haven’t even taken half a day off,” he smiles.
