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?
Denne historien er fra October 2024-utgaven av Filmfare.
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Denne historien er fra October 2024-utgaven av Filmfare.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Breaking free
NIKKHIL ADVANI'S MAKING WAVES WITH HIS OTT DEBUT, FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT. HE TALKS ABOUT ITS GENESIS, HIS ASSOCIATION WITH KARAN JOHAR, AND WHAT'S REAL STARDOM WITH SRIJITA SEN
DECK THE HALLS
Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson join Tanzim Pardiwalla over a video call about their forthcoming Christmas film, Red One, possible Bollywood crossovers and their love for India
Class Act
NEHA DHUPIA SHARES THE SECRET OF JUGGLING MOTHERHOOD AND CAREER WHILE STAYING RELEVANT WITH FARHANA FAROOK
Deep end of the Ocean
Cancer survivor Mahima Chaudhary tells Farhana Farook that playing a similar person in The Signature proved cathartic for her
DESTINY'S WILD CHILD
ALAYA F CAUGHT IN A CONVERSATION WITH JITESH PILLAAI
SEOUL CONNECTION
Director Hwang Dong Hyuk and lead actors Lee Jung Jae and Wi Ha Joon of Squid Game fame talk about the global phenomenon with Tanzim Pardiwalla
"Smita was a victim.not a villain"
Manya Patil-Seth tells Farhana Farook why her late sister Smita Patil was a tragic contradiction – a pioneer of an actor but a prey of emotions
Best of Shatrughan Sinha's Rapid fire
With democracy facing a near-death situation in most of India's neighbouring countries, what, according to you, is the reason why Indian democracy is still standing strong in the current times? Gaurav Pant, New Delhi
THE RISE AND RISE OF PUSHPA 2
When Allu Arjun went to Patna around a month ago to showcase the trailer of Pushpa 2, naysayers mocked the move, stating that he's making a mistake about taking a Telugu film there. Guess what, the actor had the last laugh.
girl, uninterrupted
Fatima Sana Shaikh is so candid and forthright you don't believe she's a star.
