Actor Nagarjuna unwinds in a chat about his upcoming film, new status as father-in-law and stardom.

Q. You have had a significant change on the family front. How are you adapting to this?
You mean my son Naga Chaitanya’s marriage to Sam? But that doesn’t change anything. I’ve known Sam for so long. She has been a part of our family long before the wedding. We’ve always been fond of her. The only difference is she called me Nag sir earlier and now she calls me Baba.

I am so glad to have Sam as part of our family. What’s more important is that they (his son and daughter-in-law) are happy. I want nothing more than to see my children happy.

Q. Both your sons are well-behaved boys and are doing well in their careers. What do you have to say about them?
I agree with you. They’re good boys, working hard to get out of my shadow.

Q. You think your presence is a problem for their careers?
Of course! I am very much around. So all three of us are competitors now (laughs). In fact, I start shooting my new film with Ram Gopal Varma in two weeks.

Q. What made you consider working with Ramu?
Well, going by his recent works I shouldn’t have (laughs). In fact, when he first came to me three months ago, I very clearly told him to go back and work on the script and come back later and not to do two other films while waiting for my consent. Rather he should put all his other projects and ideas away and just focus on my film. That was my condition for agreeing to do his film.

Naga Chaitanya and Samantha are all smiles at their wedding
Naga Chaitanya and Samantha are all smiles at their wedding

Q. Did he do that?
Yes. He set everything else aside and worked on the script and came back to me. That’s when I said yes. I feel Ramu has been doing too much work and a lot of it inconsequential and irrelevant. He has been way too scattered in recent years. But I feel this film will bring him back to his Shiva days.

There are lot of emotions, lot of feelings that moved me when I read the script.

Q. Does the film require a lot of physical preparation as well?
By God’s grace, I am quite fit physically. So preparing physically is not difficult. It is the emotional heft of the role that I am more concerned about.

Q. Is this going to be a single-schedule shoot?
No, we will shoot for 10 days and then take a break. My younger son Akhil’s film Hello is releasing. I need to look into the post-production and marketing. I am the film’s producer. I’ve never been more nervous about any of my films.

Q. You recently celebrated your 58th birthday. What did that feel like?
It was a very quiet family get-together. My brother and I reminisced about our parents. The older you get, the more you think about your roots. Having said that, I don’t feel the weight of the years at all.

Q. Are you happy with your life?
Oh yes. I couldn’t have asked for more. My children are doing well for themselves. I am still around in spite of having worked for more than 30 years. Of course, there are areas of dissatisfaction. Life would get very boring without those.

From Nag sir to baba

I’ve known Sam for so long. She has been a part of our family long before the wedding. The only difference is she called me Nag sir earlier and now she calls me Baba
I need to look into the post-production and marketing of Akhil’s film Hello as I am the producer. I’ve never been more nervous about any of my films
My 58th b’day was a very quiet family get-together. My brother and I reminisced about our parents. The older you get, the more you think about your roots
I feel Ramu has been doing too much work — inconsequential and irrelevant. He has been way too scattered in recent years. But I feel this film will bring him back to his Shiva days