Ten years and over 20 films to his credit but actor Nani still gets jittery ahead of his film’s release. “I’m tad too nervous about MCA’s release and no matter how many movies you are part of, I still wait for the audience response like a newcomer,” said Nani. In the film directed by Venu Sriram, Nani plays a middle-class youth, who doesn’t stand a chance against his vadina — played by Bhumika Chawla Thakur. Sharing his experience working with the actress, Nani shared, “It was really fascinating to share the screen with her. I stood in a queue outside Ameerpet’s Satyam theatre to grab a lucky ticket to her blockbuster hit Kushi. We shared a few laughs recollecting that incident. Bhumika has a pure heart and she is family now. I consider her as my sister-in-law for real.”
Ask him how different his role is from any other film of his, Nani said, “I know people are drawing comparisons with Nenu Local and MCA. The former shows me as an aimless guy, who lives on his own terms but in MCA, every middle-class youth will relate to my character. He has his share of apprehensions and aspirations in life. He encounters a problem in his family and he stands by them. The trailer reveals everything about the film and I can confidently say MCA is a wholesome entertainer. I think only the critics are relating to both the films but not the audience. If you see the trends, the advance bookings have been amazing.”
Nani is all praise for his co-star Sai Pallavi with whom he was paired for the first time. “She is a live wire and is undoubtedly one of the best actresses I have worked with. The audience will fall in love with her characterisation and her presence is a valuable addition to MCA.”
So, what kinds of films interest Nani the most? The 33-year-old actor, who is on a roll with back-to-back hits explained, “Things I’ve not tried before excite me now. I’m craving for the scripts that challenge me and show me in a new light. Every day, I’m listening to many scripts but none of them are riveting.”
On his upcoming films, Nani said, “I’m doing Krishnarjuna Yuddham, a multistarrer with Nagarjuna and a project with Hanu Raghavapudi is in the pipeline. I’m also producing a film titled Awe. The film is the first-of-its-kind in Indian cinema. Hence, I decided to bankroll it and roped in several popular stars to reach out to a larger audience.”