HYDERABAD: The legendary Akkineni Nageswara Rao’s 100th birth anniversary was celebrated on September 20. In a fitting tribute to ANR’s legacy, the Akkineni family organised the 20th ANR Award 2024 at Annapurna Studios founded in 1975 by ANR. Chiranjeevi was honoured with the prestigious ANR Award for his lifetime achievements and outstanding contributions to Indian cinema.
Bollywood legend, Amitabh Bachchan was the guest of honour and presented the award to Dr Konidela Chiranjeevi. The award ceremony was a blend of nostalgia and entertainment as celebrities from Telugu cinema and television came together to remember ANR and pay their respects to his memory. CE spoke with Nagarjuna about his father’s legacy, the essence of a true artist, and why quality movies remain relevant and will continue to do so forever.
Excerpts.
What does the ANR Award mean to you personally, given your family’s legacy in cinema?
The ANR Award represents my father’s vision to me. He believed in cinema, in people who contribute to it, and in the importance of recognising those contributions in a unique way. He believed in it, which is why he established this award. That’s how this whole tradition began.
In your opinion, what are the key contributions of ANR to the Indian film industry?
If I talk about his contributions to the Indian film industry, they add weight to this award. Any award is defined by the legacy it carries. He dedicated almost 80 of his 90 years to acting — whether in theatre, cinema, or related pursuits. He began at a time when there was no background score, in the silent era, when Indian cinema was just a decade old.
Almost single-handedly, he relocated the Telugu film industry from Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh. Though this shift took nearly 20 years, he remained unwavering in his commitment to cinema. He wanted nothing else, only to contribute to the industry. Annapurna Studios is the sole creation bearing his legacy. He once said,
“After my death, I want my work to continue through others. That’s why I established the ANR Awards — to honour those who contribute to the film industry.”
How has your father influenced your career and your approach to acting?
When you’re born to a legend or an actor, it’s not about influence — it gradually becomes part of you. It slowly seeps into your blood. You live with it, talk about it, and home conversations naturally revolve around it. At some point, it just becomes a part of your life. That’s how it happened for me. How well we carry it forward is ultimately for the audience to judge.
How do you think the ANR Awards honour his legacy and impact future generations of actors?
As the award gains popularity and respect, people will aspire to receive it, wanting to understand the legacy behind it. Over the years, legends like Amitabh Bachchan, Dev Anand, Sridevi, and now Chiranjeevi have been honoured.
What was the initial reaction when you first told Chiranjeevi about it?
He was so, so happy. He said, this is more than an award to me because it comes from ANR, it comes from Telugu land. He and ANR shared a very nice rapport.
What qualities do you believe define a true artist, as exemplified by ANR?
A true artist is someone who adapts to the times, like a sponge, absorbing new characters and fully inhabiting them. As times, people, and tastes change, the artists who endure are those who evolve. They shouldn’t fade away.
How do you see the current state of the film industry compared to when your father was active?
The movie industry has become highly competitive as the medium has diversified in countless ways. We now have the small screen, OTT platforms, and social media, all offering endless entertainment options. People can simply pick up a phone to stay occupied. But the quality of films has also evolved, and tastes have changed rapidly. During my father’s time, if you wanted entertainment, you had to go out to a theatre. Even at the start of my career, you had to leave home to watch a movie — there was no alternative.
Now, entertainment is at your fingertips with just a click. However, what comes easily often lacks lasting value. Even on a small screen, content needs to have substance, or people won’t watch it. If we can draw audiences back to theatres, movies will endure. Ultimately, films also feed small-screen content. Look at OTT—though the medium may shift, movies will continue to be made.
In the future, technology might change, but how long can you watch a film through artificial means like VR? You still want to interact with others in a theatre, to laugh alongside them. Laughing alone just isn’t the same. Watching an IPL match alone is boring too — you need friends around. The shared experience is irreplaceable.
What advice would you give to young actors who look up to the legacy of ANR?
Just follow his life — there are countless lessons to learn. And it’s not only him; all the ANR awardees are legends, and we can learn so much from each of them.
How do you plan to carry forward the values and principles that ANR stood for in your own work?
That’s a difficult question to answer. Everyone has to find their own way, with these values somehow imbibed. We’re carrying out his vision in a state-of-the-art facility — Annapurna Studios. I don’t think there’s another place like it anywhere in India.
I’m proud to say that the post-production capabilities, advanced technology, skilled professionals, and resources we have are why films like Baahubali and RRR come to us. We create a complete cinematic environment, where once you step in, you’re entirely focused on cinema.
Recently there was a festival honouring your father. Do you plan to do this every year?
This year was special and very successful, especially in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Now that we have many of his films, we can definitely make this happen, at least on his birthday. Numerous connoisseurs of classic cinema, as well as many young people, attended to watch these films on the big screen. They all want to revisit that era.
We will certainly strive to continue this tradition. If theatres aren’t willing, we can always screen them at Annapurna and host a festival. We can reach out to the National Cinema Archive to lend those films for those two days, and they typically oblige.