Samantha used to call me sir' during Manam; now, she is calling me mama': Nagarjuna

With Baahubali collecting Rs 1,500 crore, actor Nagarjuna says that it is high time that everyone in the industry stops talking about the Rs 50 and Rs 100 crore club.

Nag also says that being a producer does not only mean signing on cheques or giving out cash alone. “The producer should create a positive environment and put everything on track. He should know what is happening on the sets and if somebody is doing something wrong, the producer has to direct them,” he says, adding that he has taken care of everything from editing to re-recording, dubbing and camerawork for his films. When asked why he can’t do the same for his sons’ films, he says. “If I am producing a film, I can do it, but when others are producing the film, I can’t. Although I know the story, I don’t know how it is shaping up. People might take it in a different way,” he says.

The actor also admits that he cannot produce his sons’ films all the time. “I can produce one film each with my sons in a year, as there is a lot of pressure,” he says, adding that he learnt to get involved in all departments of filmmaking since his film Bhai. “At that time, I was a bit busy with my other business ventures and was not concentrating on the film. It ended up being a huge flop, and from then onwards, I decided to get completely involved,” says Nag.

Talking about his to-be daughter-in-law Samantha, Nagarjuna shares, “She used to call me ‘sir’ during Manam. Now, she is calling me ‘mama’,” while confirming that Naga Chaitanya and Sam are getting married in October.

Nag offered role of Karna
Nagarjuna has got a very interesting update on his end. The actor has been approached for a key role in the high-budget film Mahabharata, which is set to go on floors soon, under the direction of Sukumaran and will star Mohanlal as Bheema. “I worked with Sukumaran for an advertisement, so I know him. Vasudevan Nair is one of the best screenplay writers in the country and I read the book based on which this film is being made. They have approached me for the role of Karna, but I don’t know how long it will take for things to shape up. But one thing is for sure — whether it is a small or big role, it is important for the film,” says Nagarjuna.