I will not act in biopic on grandfather: NTR

I’ve never had any political dreams as such

The actor on ‘Janatha Garage,’ equation with TDP, son Abhay and why he is afraid of starring in a biopic on his grandfather

You would expect NTR, who is in the showbiz for the past 16 years and having seen it all, to be relaxed before a film of his opens but he isn’t, at least with ‘Janatha Garage’. “I’m not at all relaxed and I’m not able to describe the feeling that I’m going through. I’m tensed, sad and at the same time I feel responsible,” he muses, pointing out that since an actor invests six-to-seven months on a film, it’s a very common feeling one goes through.

‘Janatha Garage’ happens to be one of the fastest films that NTR has shot for of late and he credits director Koratala Siva for it. “We managed to complete the film on time because of the clarity Siva had over his craft. I believe a director drives a film more than the technicians and stars as he is the one who interacts with everyone on sets. Over here, Siva was working on a huge setup and with people who he hasn’t teamed up with earlier– Mohanlal, Samantha, Nithya Menen and Thiru (cameraman). But still he excelled,” NTR raves.

The actor was supposed to team up with Siva for ‘Janatha Garage’ two years ago but insists that the film was destined to happen with him after ‘Temper’ and ‘Nannaku Prematho.’ “Siva narrated the script to me before he took ‘Srimanthudu’ on to floors and it was in my mind ever since. Guess to feature in a script like ‘Janatha Garage,’ I had to reinvent myself and that might be the reason why I did films like ‘Temper’ and ‘Nannaku Prematho’ which showed me in complete new way,” he shrugs.

In the film, NTR plays a nature lover Anand while Mohanlal plays the head of a motor garage who loves people. How the two characters come together and save the people and environment is what the actioner all about. Admittedly, the actor is bowled over by the Malayalam superstar. “There’s no denying that he is a complete actor but I consider him as a complete human being. He is the happiest soul I ever met in my life.

There has never been a wall to interact with him; he comes close to you, sits next you and hears you out. And that was very important for our chemistry in the film,” he rhapsodises. Widely regarded as the best from Tollywood, NTR avers that there’s no specific approach he follows when it comes to acting. “I can’t describe the process of my acting. I wish I did…. I truly believe that acting is something which cannot be taught. It’s something you feel within yourself and reproduce on screen,” he maintains.

True to his character in the film, NTR points out that protecting environment is a responsibility that one should develop right from his childhood. “Nature is something which you should respect. It is everyone’s social and moral responsibility.” For a large part of his career, NTR has chanted the commercial mantra, featuring in formula-ridden films and playing to the gallery but he is keen on moving out of that zone to a realistic space. “As an actor I should be in a space to accept all kinds of films.

I don’t want to be remembered as a star and I don’t believe in the term called star heroes. I feel we are actors,” he declares, adding that his past two films ‘Temper’ and ‘Nannaku Prematho’ were a step in the realistic space direction.”I will continue to work to a point where I will not have any fear of doing anything.”

The actor has campaigned for TDP extensively late last decade but of late has distanced himself from the party’s activities and hasn’t shared dais with its members at any party events. Ask him where does he stand with TDP presently and he retorts, “I’m bored of answering this question. I’m happy being an actor. And my relationship with TDP, what has happened to it? I see it as all good, what has gone wrong? I’ve never had any political dreams as such.

I think if I had, I’m open enough to have shared it with someone but I didn’t. And I don’t think my relationship with TDP has strained. And why should I share dais with the party members. That period has long gone.” But he is keeping a track of what’s happening in the two States? Turns out, he isn’t. “I’m busy with films, scripts and my son Abhay. I’m an actor and I will continue to be one.”

Talking about Abhay, what’s he up to? “He loves mud and loves playing in it. I, as a child, was very naughty and destructive. I am yet to see the destructive side of Abhay. As of now, he is naughty and mischievous. He beats his mom and me regularly. And he’s a strong kid,” he says with a loud laughter.

Moving forward, as much as he wants to star in a biopic on his grandfather NTR, he feels he can’t replicate the persona of the former Chief Minister of AP. “He is an inspiring story but it’s impossible to play him. If at all I want to do a biopic it would be on him but I would never do it because I’m afraid. His aura and persona can’t be replicated.”

Will he say the same thing after a decade? “Trust me I won’t do it,” asserts the actor, who will be on a break before starting his next. “I haven’t taken a break after ‘Nannaku Prematho’ and its time I take one. I’m in discussions with Vakkantham Vamsi for a project but nothing has been finalised as of now.”