Actor Naga Chaitanya opens up on what it means to work with Aamir Khan in his first Hindi film ‘Lal Singh Chaddha’ and how he handles the debacle of ‘Thank You’.
Actor Naga Chaitanya opens up on what it means to work with Aamir Khan in his first Hindi film ‘Lal Singh Chaddha’ and how he handles the debacle of ‘Thank You’.
“You are not planning to act in an Aamir Khan film; It has to happen,” actor Naga Chaitanya told this writer during an interview on the sidelines of his 2021 Telugu film love story, as his first Hindi film Lal Singh ChaddhaDirected by Aamir Khan and directed by Advait Chandan, slated for a theatrical release on August 11, Chaitanya reiterates that some of his best films were not pre-meditated, be it his debut. Ye Maya ChesaveThe Premam telugu remake or majlik: “When I get recognized and get a chance to work with filmmakers whose work I grew up watching or whose work inspires me, it fills me with a lot of confidence. In the case of Lal Singh ChaddhaI was skeptical about entering Hindi cinema. My language is not perfect and there is a lot of talent out there already; I kept wondering how I would be accepted. I am playing the role of a South Indian boy in a North Indian setting. It gave me the confidence to take that leap of faith. ,
in bubba’s shoes
Lal Singh Chaddha is optimized Forrest Gump; Actor-screenwriter Atul Kulkarni wrote the screenplay 14 years ago. During his recent visit to Hyderabad, Aamir Khan revealed that it took the team eight to 10 years to get the adaptation rights. Naga steps into the shoes of Chaitanya Bubba or Benjamin Buford Blue (played by Mykelty Williamson in the English film), who befriends Gump in the military and dreams of starting a shrimp business back home: “I joined Lal Singh Chaddha team when about 75% of the film was in place. When he called me, Dost’s character was defined as South Indian. Depending on whether a Tamil or Telugu actor enacts it, they planned to work on details like his roots. ,
Naga Chaitanya as Balaraju in ‘Lal Singh Chaddha’ photo credit: special arrangement
Chaitanya’s character named Balaraju Bodi hails from Bodipalayam in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh and meets Lal Singh during the Kargil War: “I found it beautiful that my character has some South Indian flavor in a North Indian setting. Unlike someone who grew up in the North, some South Indians may speak Hindi in a slightly different way. The character has an accent and sometimes slips into Telugu. ,
the actor saw Forrest Gump as a child and remembers his mother often listening to the soundtrack. “The cover of the album was the iconic image of Tom Hanks sitting on the bench, looking sideways,” says Chaitanya. He revisited the film after getting a call from Aamir’s office: “He wasn’t sure if I would agree to play a brief role. After watching the film again, I said yes. Balaraju even though it was 20 to 30 minutes. To be on screen but emotionally he influences a large part of Lal’s journey.”
blank canvas
Naga Chaitanya on the sets of ‘Lal Singh Chaddha’
Debuting on a blank canvas in Hindi cinema, 12 years after his debut in Telugu, is something Chaitanya was game for: “When I look at my work, I get embarrassed at times; This is how I have grown as an actor. I have had successes and failures and they have taught me a lot. This film will give me tremendous exposure and I am happy to present myself to a large audience at this stage of my career.”
However, there was initial panic. He received a copy of the script six months before filming. The pre-production workshops and interactions with Advait, Aamir and others helped him to let go of hesitation and get clear about his character: “On the sets, I didn’t have to worry about getting my lines right. It flowed easily. We discussed everything from the costumes to the locations, including specific scene breakdowns. ,
Every day, they would take stock of the footage from that day, which Chaitanya says is rare in most film units. “Normally the director does not show us the footage till the film is over. But watching the footage from that day helped me see where I needed to improve and the next day would be better.” When given a chance, he would love to work with such precision and planning for his future films.
Naga Chaitanya with Aamir Khan
As for his Hindi debut, he is happy that Aamir Khan is handling heavy lifting under box office pressure: “I am fortunate that Aamir is taking on this responsibility. I am sure there is immense pressure on him, but who could be better than Aamir to take it on?”
Talking about the box office reception, discuss the topic of your new Telugu film Thank you Which recently opened to a cold reception and Chaitanya unarmedly admitted, “To be honest it has been shocking and scary. I don’t have much time to process it but as far as I can see, there were some flaws in the writing, the way we packed the film and my character. We have to admit that audiences feel comfortable watching certain types of movies on OTT. People wouldn’t come to theaters unless there was a phenomenal talk of morning shows on the first day. We learn and move on.”
Theatrical and digital formats
recent telugu movie Thank you Her second collaboration with director Vikram Kumar was Manami, both have also worked together Dhoot, a web series for Amazon Prime Video: “I liked the longer form of storytelling that had room to showcase the different layers of a character. I’ve always wanted to play a role with shades of gray and was able to do so. As an actor, I want maximum exposure and I am looking forward to explore both theatrical and digital formats.”
Ask Chaitanya how he would call someone who grew up watching him? Forrest Gump To watch Lal Singh Chaddha And he says, “Just look at it. The framework is the same but the adaptation events are true to the Indian culture. you can walk into the theater, know about Forrest Gump But you won’t leave the hall thinking only of the original. I am confident that India will engage with Lal Singh in the same way that America is associated with Gump. I don’t want to argue anymore, I have to watch it to understand it.”