Early success doesn’t weigh lightly on Teja Sajja. After his blockbuster run Hanu-Man, which also won the National Award, the young actor is back with Mirai, a superhero fantasy film directed by Karthik Gattamneni. Backed by Karan Johar, Mirai released pan-India, winning the hearts of audiences all across the country. In this conversation, Sajja speaks about efforts behind the film, the blurring lines between Hindi and regional cinema, and why every project is a challenge for him.
Mirai is doing well at the box office. What made you say yes to the project?
It was a challenging film as far as the making and budget were concerned. We were not sure how we would fit the film into this budget. We had a lot of constraints and limitations, but our ambitions were high. We have shot the film on real-life locations without using body doubles or green mat sequences. We have put in extra efforts to make it a big film. I believe that this film will cater to all age groups from 10 to 80 years old. Very few Telugu films have action with adventure. Children will love the fantasy element, young adults will love the action-adventure, and the 80-year-olds will connect to the mythology and history.
Films have now transcended regional boundaries; they are called pan-Indian films. How do you look at it?
I don’t understand the term pan-India. I know we are making a film which is predominantly Telugu, but it’s available in other languages as well. Such lines have been blurred. Now that we have Karan Johar backing us and trying to put us on a bigger platform, it’s a major change for us. With this collaboration, we are as good as a Hindi film, and we are putting in a lot of effort to make it a proper Hindi film. It gives us immense pleasure to make it in other languages.
Have you dubbed for the film in Hindi as well?
No, I speak Hindi very well, but my dialect is different, and I didn’t want to spoil the effect.
Your film Hanu-Man won a National Award. How does it feel since you are so young?
It’s a validation from the Indian government. It gave us a platform and confidence to showcase our next work. But nothing changes for me as I have to put in the same kind of effort in my future projects too. For us, the appreciation of the audience is important. Believe me, I had to sacrifice my remuneration first before signing films.
Did you undergo any special training or workshops?
Since it’s a fast action film, the director wanted me to know the craft of martial arts for action scenes. We want the audience to feel the thrill. Otherwise, I am an instantaneous actor. I follow the director’s vision. I try and deal with the sensibilities of the character.
How do you handle the pressures or the intensity of your roles?
I take time. I still have not figured out the art of getting out of my character. I feel that the most expensive part of the film is to buy the credibility of the audience. All I can do is give my one hundred percent. The rest is left to the audience.
Hanu-Man was a box office hit. What does success mean to you now?
It’s the team that has made the film a success, not just me. I have a long way to go, so I don’t take my achievements seriously. I have to prove myself with every film. I get excited when I listen to a new story. The success has definitely given me a bigger platform and the liberty to choose the kind of films that I want to do.
Will we see you doing something other than action-oriented films?
I’d love to do comedy. My next film is comedy, and it’s a pan-India film and will cater to the Hindi audience as well.
Any plans of doing a Bollywood film?
Language is not a barrier now. We are ready to collaborate with directors from other languages, and it’s already happening. If working in a direct Hindi film will make me a Bollywood hero, then I will definitely think about it.