Every Role Must Make Me Happy
Nagarjuna at 66 is as much a star as he is a family man. With candour and charm, he reflects on love, legacy, and the hunger that keeps him going
At 66, Nagarjuna Akkineni shows no signs of slowing down. With both his sons carving their own paths in Tollywood, the actor is determined to keep his career fresh, challenging, and deeply satisfying. In this candid conversation, the actor opens up about ageing gracefully, mentoring his sons, his enduring love story with Amala, and the hunger that still drives him.
“I am lucky to still be working as a leading man at a time when my two sons are actors in the same industry. I wouldn’t say I’m at the fag end of my career. But in this second half, I want every move and every movie to make me happy as an artiste. At the same time, I seek my audiences’ approval for what I do,” says the actor, who was last seen in Coolie.
No more conventional romantic parts
“I leave that to my sons. Both Chaitanya and Akhil are leading men now, working with the same heroines I once worked with,” he says.
A guiding hand
“I guide them, but I don’t thrust my opinion on them. They’re free to do what they like. I never wanted them to be like me. I only hope they imbibe the good things from my life and ignore the rest.”
33 years with Amala
“We are as much in love now as we were thirty-three years ago. Maybe it’s the Hyderabad climate that keeps us romantic.”
Staying relevant with changing times
“Reinvention is the key. Run-of-the-mill films don’t work anymore. A new phase has begun in Telugu cinema and it’s an exciting time to be an actor. I keep trying new scripts and roles that challenge me. If I’m not challenged, I can’t be happy — and happiness comes only from growth.”
‘Yeh dil maange more’
“I still hunger for great roles. I wish Rajamouli had offered me something in Baahubali. I’ve always wanted to do a lavish costume drama or period film — stories about lost kingdoms, kings in exile, and ethereal princesses. I love Hollywood spectacles like Troy and 300.”