BORN COOL

NANI IMPRESSES TANZIM PARDIWALLA WITH HIS CONVICTION AND SINCERITY

The first thing you notice about Natural Star Nani, before your heart skips a beat from merely being in his presence, is his warmth. Meeting the Telugu superstar for a late-night tête-à-tête in Mumbai days after our South Awards in Hyderabad, where we had interacted a bit, brings a certain comfort and familiarity. He has a way of putting you at ease. "If I was a superhero, I'd need all the superpowers so that I can save people," he muses as our conversation ranges from movies and superpowers. "Sounds like kindness is your superpower," I tell him to which he playfully replies with a wide smile, "Oh, I already have it then!" As he laughs and relaxes in his seat, you don't feel like you're talking to a pan-Indian star with a massive fan base. Away from the arc lights, he remains the same wide-eyed person very much in love with cinema, who joined the industry as an assistant director. Nani's stardom has grown exponentially over the past few years but so has his love for his chosen profession. As we chat about everything from the popularity of Hi Nanna to his latest film Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, which is his most massy film yet, he lays bare his process, his inspirations and more...

What does winning the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) - Telugu for Dasara mean to you?

Winning the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) for Dasara was special. But the real highlight for me was handing the Best Debut Director Awards to my two directors from last year. Despite doubts about my decision to work with newcomers, both directors delivered blockbuster hits and won the same award. It felt like a fairytale moment to not only win myself but also to be part of their success in such a meaningful way.

You’ve switched gears going from Dasara to Hi Nanna. Was that intentional?