Naga Chaitanya on teaming with Sai Pallavi and mastering Srikakulam slang. Naga Chaitanya is starring in Thandel along with Sai Pallavi and the film is slated for a grand release on 7 February 2025. Naga Chaitanya is promoting the film ahead of its release and he spoke about mastering Srikakulam accent and also teaming with Sai Pallavi.
He said I was very excited about this project from the moment I heard the story Chaitanya recalls adding I knew it was going to be a challenging role but I was drawn to the complexity and depth of Raju character.
He added I wanted to get into the skin of Raju to understand his thoughts feelings and emotions Chaitanya explains. I spent a lot of time with the real life fishermen listening to their stories and learning about their struggles and triumphs.
About Chandoo Mondeti he said Thandel marks our third collaboration with Chandoo. He is not only a talented director but also a well wisher who genuinely wants the best for me. I enjoy travelling with him and he often offers valuable advice on my career choices. When I first narrated the script to him Chandoo provided insightful inputs that helped shape the film commercial appeal. He invested tremendous effort into translating the story into a commercially viable language which convinced me that we had a winning formula. That why I told Vasu that I was on board with the project only if Chandoo was at the helm.
Speaking about Sai Pallavi he said When you have a co star like her your performance would improve too he says. The music in the movie especially the song Namo Namah Shivaya has been greatly appreciated. Chaitanya recalls the experience of shooting the song as one of the film highlights. Dancing alongside Sai Pallavi was a challenge but it was also a lot of fun. The song is a beautiful tribute to the love story of Shiva and Parvati he says.