When Akkineni Nageswara Rao was offered Valmiki's role, he had a zillion doubts; he called Bapu and Ramana home and asked them why he is being chosen for that role in Sri Ramarajyam , if he is fit for it, if people would recognise him in that huge beard, if they did, would they think he did a good job of it and what if he wouldn't do it, who would take up the role etc etc.
He wasn't looking for the length of the scenes, rave reviews, appreciation or some extra addition of glory to his already impressive career spanning 70 years. He says, he wanted to preserve the reputation, sanctity of his work, craft and memorabilia and didn't want people to say that he indulged in trivia for money.
The doubts now cleared, he first told his ailing wife about his inclination to take up the role. She was unwilling at first but he explained to her that he being an artiste he needed a good film at least once a year and the shoot would take only 24 days. Sri Ramarajyam is his next project after two years of Sri Ramadasu 's release in 2006, in which he played Kabirdas.
What interested him in this mythological drama? First, amongst the few good offers he'd received, this was slightly better and it was the first time he would be playing the sage. In 1944 his first film as a hero in Sri Rama Jananam , he was Rama and now he is playing the creator of that character in 2011, and it sounded good.
Also for an artiste there is no limit to learning; he says “I didn't know the meaning of astra shastraalu all these years, I found it during this shoot. You all had university education, I'm still encompassing universal education. I'm 88. I learnt psychology from the characters I played, gained knowledge from the stories; my schooling, college, university is all from films. Have you come across any artiste who worked continuously for 70 years?”
ANR understands that if he gets too choosy they wouldn't be anything left and he cannot always get a Seetaramaiyyagari Manavaralu . He cannot romance a heroine at this age, so he romanced his character, “ na paatra ni nenu preminchaanu. ” He adds Valmiki is the third most important role after Rama and Sita in the film.
There have been umpteen films on Rama, so does he think the film will work? ANR couldn't have put it better, the pain in his eyes is palpable when he remarks, “When an alcoholic drinks to his last stage of deterioration, he turns back and looks at himself for succour. Sri Ramarajyam I feel could bring that relief to the ailing industry. The story of Rama has a certain magic and will be seen and accepted by people any number of times if narrated in a proper way. Bapu and Ramana (late) are decent writers and technicians, I'm confident about them upholding the dignity of the epic.”
ANR passes over the album of Sri Ramarajyam and excuses himself to answer a call from Savitri's daughter Chamundeshwari who enquires about his well being.
