Sai Dharam Tej underwent a lean patch for three years after Supreme, especially as none of his films did well at the box-office. “Yeah, I was shaken up,” admits the actor, adding that he was trying different scripts and roles to understand what suited him the best.
“I realised that it was only a temporary phase which gave me the opportunity to look at scripts and the cinematic world from a different perspective,” he explains, adding that his recent film, Chitralahari gave him some much-needed respite.
Interestingly, the actor has become the talk-of-the-town for his ripped physique, but the self-proclaimed foodie admits it was very challenging.
Also, clarifying that he had already sported a ripped body a couple of times earlier, Sai Dharam Tej states that an action sequence in his forthcoming film, Prathi Roju Pandage required him to sport a toned body.
“Also, it’s good to lose some weight,” he jokes and shares, “For my last film Chitralahari, I had put on lots of weight and so, I felt the need to shed the kilos and look different. I’m glad that my new body is being appreciated.” Apparently, it was cousin Ram Charan who referred the actor to trainer Rakesh Udiyar (Salman Khan’s trainer).
“But after Charan saw my body, he said, ‘idi chaaladura...inka cheyyali (this is not enough...you should do more),” he chuckles and adds that he is a fitness enthusiast. Tej’s upcoming film, Prathi Roju Pandage, is a complete family drama, directed by Maruthi.
“The best part of the film is its narrative,” he explains, adding, “The film makes everyone introspect whether they’re doing enough for their parents or not.”
