HYDERABAD: This 20-year-old is in spotlight after he shot the ad film, Rise above Fear in the Western Ghats. And it is his inner fear that sparks interest in the commercial.
“This ad film isn’t just for people to watch and forget; I believe it will push them towards recognising and facing their inner fears – big or small and overcoming it to emerge a winner,” says Tollywood actor Nagarjuna’s son, Akhil Akkineni.
“It’s all about- taking a risk, overcoming your fears and emerging a winner. Truly, Bhayam Vadalu, Shikaram Thaaku’ (Who Dares, Wins). It has a strong connect with its consumers and I, like million others love their tagline - ‘Who Dares, Wins’,” he adds.
The young actor sees this as a good learning experience. “The script of this advertisement challenged my fears and I instantly knew that I had to be a part of it. When you watch it you will see the attitude, confidence and a streak of adventure attached to it. It’s a very interesting film and it has given me some personal learnings as well,” he says adding that the film has changed the way he sees himself – physically and mentally.
“During the shoot, my fingers went numb due to the cold. Gripping the mountain for the climb was nearly impossible. I had no option but to rise above that fear. It articulates the fact that all of us want to get over our inner fears and emerge victorious. For instance, I was initially apprehensive about climbing the precarious rocky mountain in extreme conditions but I managed to make it in the end,” says the Akhil. He now feels that though one faces a number of road blocks they are only stepping stones.
Pointing at the sequence of the ad film Akhil says, “In the film, we are out to search for the Kurinji flowers that bloom once in 12 years in the Western Ghats. While we face a number of road-blocks that challenge our belief – fierce weather, height or landslide – all that force us to reconsider our decision, we keep going and eventually succeed.”
He also expresses that this was also an opportunity to test himself. “I had to do it to prove to myself that life is all about facing and overcoming challenges to scale newer heights, literally. Every part of the shoot was adventurous, from the trek up to wing suit flying – I had to keep telling myself that I can do this and I guess that’s what actually helped me complete this film,” he shares.
Moving on to other happenings in his life, the actor, whose first gig was a cameo in ANR’s last film, Manam, says, “Manam was my first on screen appearance and it will always be special as I had the privilege of sharing the screen with my grandfather in his last movie,” adding that his father Nagarjuna is his biggest influence.
Ask him why he chose to get into the same profession, he says, “I love the fact that while acting I get to play different roles that give me a chance to explore new things and have a good mix of fun and substance.”
He also states that Tollywood as an industry has transformed over time. “Tollywood has come a long way and I’m certain it is only going to scale newer heights. The industry is brimming with talent and people are thinking of interesting scripts and roles to make the journey interesting. I believe we are in a good space and are ready to try different things to add variety,” says Akhil, whose debut film is likely to go on floors next year.