Chiranjeevi on chosing the commercial entertainers.Chiranjeevi, the Megastar of Telugu Cinema, is a testament to the fact that staying at the top of your game for nearly 45 years is no easy feat. Especially in the ever-evolving world of cinema, where fresh talent emerges every week, it's a feat only achieved by those who not only survive but thrive and evolve. Chiranjeevi, a master of his craft, has transcended mere superstardom to become a global ambassador for Telugu cinema.
While his star power has never been in question, Chiranjeevi is also an exceptional actor, a nuance that resonates deeply with the Indian film audience. In a Fireside Chat with Rajeev Masand at Aha's South Indian Film Festival, Chiranjeevi delved into the internal conflict he faced early in his career: should he prioritize commercially successful films that cemented his megastardom or pursue more artistically driven projects that offered him challenging roles?
"I was fortunate to be cast in a film even before completing my acting course at FTII," Chiranjeevi recalled. "Then, legends like K Balachander sir, Bapu garu, and K Vishwanath garu cast me in their films. It was a dream start to my career. At the same time, I was honing my skills in entertaining the audience through dance, action, and more. They loved me."
However, this early success brought with it a difficult decision. "My fans, the masses, wanted to see me in action, electrifying dance, and more. But my heart yearned to work with legends like KB sir, Bharathiraja, KV garu, and Bapu garu. I was torn."
Chiranjeevi further elaborated: "Take 1983, for example. 'Khaidi', which made me a star, had an intense character and fantastic dance sequences. The following week, I had 'Mantri Gari Viyyankudu', directed by Bapu garu, where I played a mischievous character. Both films were huge successes."
The turning point, Chiranjeevi believes, came with K Balachander's 'Rudraveena'. "With time, I realized that job satisfaction wasn't as important as producers getting their money back. 'Rudraveena', for instance, won the Nargis Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, Best Music Direction for Ilaiyaraaja sir, Best Male Playback Singer for Balu (SP Balasubrahmanyam), and several State Awards. I received critical acclaim as an actor. But, as a producer, it was a big zero. I didn't want to put my producers at risk. I have a responsibility to them. So, I slowly shifted my focus towards commercial films."
Chiranjeevi recounted that his "brother, SPB," often encouraged him to diversify his repertoire beyond action films and take on projects like 'Dangal'. "I told him I wanted to do performance-oriented subjects, but producers weren't happy," he said. "When I do films with an artistic bent, people might watch them once and like them, but they wouldn't revisit them. However, people enjoy watching my commercial films again and again, and that's what kept me going."