My Real Strength a Common Man Attempting Something Big: Teja Sajja

From mythological inspirations to martial arts training, Teja Sajja speaks about the ambition behind Mirai, the universality of its story, and why he sees himself as just a common man attempting something big.

Cinematographer Karthik Ghattamneni’s upcoming action adventure ‘Mirai’ has already sparked curiosity across the country, with its promise of scale, fantasy, and rooted Indian storytelling. At the heart of it is Teja Sajja, the young actor who has emerged as a fresh face of big-screen spectacle after the resounding success of HanuMan.

Ask him about the idea of a ‘pan-India’ film and he’s quick to brush away the label. “Honestly, I don’t understand this term pan-India,” he says. “We are making a film in our mother tongue, Telugu. If the subject is relevant across the nation, then of course we want to release it everywhere. The lines are already blurred—there’s no difference between Telugu or Hindi anymore. With this collaboration, ‘Mirai’ is as good as a straight Hindi film. We have put in effort to make it look and feel authentic, right down to dubbing and promotions.”

The ambition behind ‘Mirai’ is unmistakable. Teja remembers his first reaction when he heard the story. “It was very ambitious. At first, we didn’t know how to even make it within the constraints we had. But we worked smart, avoided green mats, and shot in real locations. There are no body doubles, no shortcuts. Everything you see, I’ve done myself. We wanted it to look massive, and we have worked harder than ever to achieve that.”

The story, he explains, draws from Ashoka’s legendary ‘Unknown Nine.’ “It’s about nine Yodhas who have been safeguarding ancient knowledge for generations. In today’s age, when a force tries to seize that knowledge, how is the hero connected to that world? What answers from history come to light? We are not preaching. It’s an action-adventure with fantasy, thrills, and a moral that’s already embedded in our heritage.”

Mythology and history clearly fascinate him. “I am definitely drawn to Itihasas. There’s a high when we glorify our gods or bring morals from our epics. But these are commercial films at heart. ‘HanuMan’ was a superhero film with love, sentiment, comedy, and the god element. ‘Mirai’ also has all the ingredients—it’s just that we weave in the history and let audiences feel that goosebumps high.”

Success, however, hasn’t gone to his head. When ‘HanuMan’ crossed 400 crores and won a National Award, Teja calls it “validation,” but nothing more. “The effort is always the same. Every film, we have to start from zero. People ask if my price has gone up, but honestly, I stretch every film beyond my capacity, so I usually end up sacrificing my own remuneration.”

The physical demands of ‘Mirai’ were high. “We wanted fast, realistic action, not slow-motion spectacle. I trained in martial arts so that audiences really feel the thrill. No shortcuts, no compromises.” He laughs when asked about mental pressure. “It’s always there. I am still learning how to handle it. But with each film, I have grown calmer. My debut release ‘Zombie Reddy’ had me paranoid. By ‘HanuMan’, I had a bit more composure. Now I carry that calmness, at least on the outside.”

What drew him most to ‘Mirai’ was its universality. “It’s very rare to find a film relevant to all age groups. Kids will love the fantasy, young adults the action, and older audiences the history and emotion. Plus, I want to keep making clean films, so parents feel comfortable bringing children to the theatres.”

He credits collaboration and teamwork for his journey so far. “HanuMan’s success wasn’t mine alone. It was the whole crew. With ‘Mirai’ too, it’s not in our hands—it’s all God’s grace.”

And while audiences may wonder if Bollywood is next, Teja is clear-eyed. “There are no language barriers anymore. I can make films in Hyderabad or Bombay—it doesn’t matter. What matters is the story. Collaborations across languages are already happening, and that’s the future.”

As ‘Mirai’ readies for release, Teja’s words reflect not just an actor’s ambition, but also a steady conviction in heritage, hard work, and humility. “At the end of the day, I am just a common man attempting something big. That’s my real strength.”