Chiranjeevi is all set to release his 150th film Khaidi No.150, on January 11. The actor agreed to do this film, a remake of the Tamil film, Katthi, only after sieving through several scripts. “Yes, I heard many subjects, but I want to do a message-oriented one. We changed a few scenes for the Telugu version, focusing more on the farmers’ issues,” explains Chiranjeevi.
His last film, Shankardada Zindabad, was way back in 2007. Did he regret not doing films all these years? “No, not at all,” quips the veteran actor. “I had joined politics. Now that the Congress is in vacuum in AP, I want to focus on films,” he explains, adding that there were two or three film directors already lined up.
“Surender Reddy is coming up with a different subject and Boyapati Srinivas wants to direct my 152nd. Uyyala Narasimha Reddy is almost ready. I am also doing TV show Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu,” elaborates the actor.
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“The gap has actually given me more strength and enthusiasm,” he says.
Steering towards the controversies, when his brother Naga Babu criticised Ram Gopal Varma and writer Yandamuri Veerendranath, Chiranjeevi refrains from commenting on it. “Nagababu was hurt and he spoke about it. I do not want to comment on that issue,” he says, confirming that RGV is a good friend of his.
For his role in the film, he got back into shape with a strict regime. “Actually, Ram Charan took care of my diet as he would always give me proteins, shakes and other necessary things, which helped me get my body in shape,” says Chiranjeevi.
Referring to the first day records and boxoffice collections, Chiranjeevi says he never bothers. “Whether you believe it or not, once the film is complete, I just come out of it. I never discuss collections,” he says, emphasising that he only focusses on performance.
Why is it that while Hindi actors are choosing to play roles closer to their age, the Telugu industry is seeing something totally different? “We are also changing and I am ready to portray different kind of characters if someone comes up with a good subject,” he admits.
Steering away to maintaining healthy competition with contemporaries, the actor reflects, “I am always friendly with all the actors. I went to the muhurat of Balakrishna’s 100th film and wished him luck. I am happy that my son Charan, too, is maintaining the same as he celebrated the New Year with Mahesh Babu in Switzerland,” concludes the megastar.
