HYDERABAD: Even as Sony and MGM release the new trailer of the new James Bond film Spectre, which is set to hit screens on November 6, Tollywood is gearing up for its very own James Bond. Starring funny man Allari Naresh, the film tells the story of a young man who yearns to marry a don wife. However, once he realises his dream, he understands the flipside of marrying a don and a sequence of dramatic events unfold.
“I play a Nani, a software employee in the film. I’m a regular middle-class guy with simple dreams. It’s my wife who plays James Bond,” shares Naresh, who incidentally will be back on-screen for the first time after getting married.
While asserting that the film has no resemblance to the British creation James Bond, Naresh insisted that the film is not a spoof.
“You cannot make a spoof out of every film. While comedy is the main genre for this film, there are also a few serious scenes in the movie. Unlike my earlier films, James Bond is a family entertainer,” reveals the 33-year-old.
Naresh, whose real name is Edara, earned the title Allari Naresh after his debut film Allari in 2002 turned out to be a rip-roaring success and placed the actor on the industry’s map.
Known for his comic roles, Naresh admits it wasn’t easy for him to enact non-comic sequences.
“Comedy is something that comes very natural to me, so I was scared to do serious content. Even during some of the serious scenes, my first instinct was to somehow infuse comedy in it,” he laughs.
For someone who has made a career out of making others laugh, Naresh says that he had to tone down his instincts to ensure the script was the real winner.
“Comedy must not be forced and must not stretch a particular scene. That’s why in this film, we have only used witty one-liners. Obviously since I’ve done so many comedy films, the expectations are much higher. But comedy has always been an essential part of my life, so I embraced the challenge,” reveals Naresh, who was previously seen in con-entertainer Bandipotu, earlier this year. Son of veteran director and producer EVV Satyanarayana, Naresh also applauds Sakshi Chaudhary, who plays the female lead in the film.
“In my previous films, my combination with Brahmanandam was always much better than with the female lead. For James Bond, we needed a strong female character – someone who I can hide behind. Sakshi was chosen mainly for her height, but she worked very hard and performed well,” the funnyman points out. James Bond is set to hit screens after the Baahubali storm. Sandwiched between SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali and the upcoming Mahesh Babu-starrer Srimanthudu, many feel James Bond will be affected by the presence of such huge films. Naresh, though, is unperturbed and is confident James Bond will be able to hold its own.
“I feel there is space for each film and I’m not very worried about the other big releases. I think after a historical film like Baahubali, the audience need a bit of breather – something to lighten the mood. There hasn’t been a comedy entertainer this summer, and that is the real fetching point of this film,” the actor explains.
After James Bond, Allari Naresh will also be working with Mohan Babu in another laugh-riot titled Mama Manchu Alludu Kanchu, which is inspired from a Marathi film. “It’s about the relationship between a father-in-law and a son-in-law. There would be loads of comedy in it and it is going to be a highly entertaining film. Vishnu rang me up and narrated the script to me, and I was thrilled to act with Mohan Babu,” gushes Naresh. Incidentally, James Bond is Naresh’s 49th film in the industry and the actor is looking for scripts to start on his 50th film next year. No prizes for guessing – it will be a comedy.
“I want to do comedy films because that’s what expected of me,” he bluntly adds. Directed by Sai Kishore Macha, James Bond will hit screens this Friday.