Having no industry background is a blessing

Nani on ‘Nenu Local,’ missing it to watch with the local audience and earning the tag of a minimum guarantee hero

Ahead of the release of his forthcoming film ‘Nenu Local’, directed by Trinadh Rao, Nani is a picture of calm. Maybe it stems from the fact that he considers the film as a sure-shot. “I was fascinated with the script and it is an attitude-driven role, a first of its kind for me.

The film is a pure love story and not a mass entertainer. I play a guy who is very straightforward and doesn’t have any inhibitions when it comes to expressing his feelings. Being a localite, I wear a certain sense of attitude and arrogance. Since I had a middle-class upbringing, playing the part was relatively easy,” describes Nani about his role in the Friday release.

While he played a lecturer in one of the episodes in his earlier film ‘Majnu’, he will be seen as a student in some sequences in ‘Nenu Local’. “I got nostalgic while shooting for the campus scenes. The experience was so enriching, as I got to relieve my college days,” he flashbacks fondly.

He mentions the excitement and the build up towards his film’s release gives him an ultimate high. “I don’t call it pre-release jitters, but I feel like saying that I can’t wait for the audience to see the film. So the buzz and the release date approaching gives me the ultimate thrill. I relish those moments. The result of the film is secondary,” he exults.

Nani makes it a point to watch his films along with the audience on the first day (first show) at Prasads, but this time around; he will be in the US, filming for his next with debutant director Siva. “I actually planned to watch ‘Nenu Local’ in a single screen theater, but unfortunately I’ll be in the US, so I am a little bit disappointed. But I’d be catching the film with the Telugu audience in the US.”

His last five films have performed exceptionally well at the box-office and the actor feels contended on being tipped as a ‘minimum guarantee’ hero. “Nothing gives you more pleasure than seeing your stakeholders making money. But at the same time, I also want to try different roles within the commercial parameter.”

With no godfather to support him, Nani had achieved everything on his own in the industry. On it, he says, “I did not have any background, and I feel that’s a blessing and an asset too. If anyone comes to me and says he’s my fan, I believe he’s indeed my fan because I don’t any have other hero in the family.”

Explaining that he is also open to doing Tamil films, the ‘Gentleman’ star reveals, “I keep getting Tamil scripts, but I am comfortable uttering lines in Telugu. I need to have greater command over Tamil, which I lack right now. But if there’s a script that I wanted to do desperately, I am open for it.”

On the personal front, Nani is expecting his first child with wife Anjana and the actor says the thought of becoming a father is yet to settle in. “I am thrilled and enjoying the joy surrounding becoming a father. But I am yet to get over the fact that I am going to turn a daddy soon,” he quips, signing off.