Magadheera, the 2010 blockbuster, catapulted Ram Charan Teja to stardom in the Telugu film industry. Son of megastar Chiranjeevi, the young actor was in the city recently for the audio launch of Maaveeran, the dubbed version of Magadheera.
“Personally, I’m the same Ram Charan. I haven’t changed a bit after the release of Magadheera. But, yes, my fan base has increased and they expect a lot from me,” he says, and adds that after the success of the film, the audiences have more confidence in him. “Now they know that I will not let my father down and that I can survive on my own. I’ve become more responsible now.”
Ram Charan still cannot believe that Magadheera was a blockbuster. “Don’t get me wrong. I was sure that the film would do well commercially. It had a period touch to it, but we never imagined that it would be a massive hit,” says the actor, who portrays the role of a warrior in the film. Produced by Allu Aravind, the film was directed by SS Rajamouli.
Born and raised in Chennai, Ram Charan did his schooling in Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan. “I feel like a little child getting a candy from his mother. I’m that excited for the release of my film here. I love this place and have always admired Tamil Nadu for its culture,” he says.
Ram Charan was supposed to dub for the Tamil version, “but I couldn’t, as I was busy shooting. Maaveeran’s songs have come out well. It’s a one-of-its kind movie and will never disappoint you. I hope I can get a small place in the hearts of the Tamil audiences.” He hopes that the Tamil remake of the film would set the box office ringing, just like it did in Telugu. “When Magadheera’s DVD was out, the maximum sale was from Tamil Nadu.”
The actor says that the Tamil film industry produces superior movies that are on par with the international ones. “The Tamil audiences are larger in number. Here, there are many experimental movies being made, unlike in the Telugu and Hindi film industries. The Telugu industry is more hero-driven. The talent is versatile in the Tamil film industry and we’ve an amazing group of actors, directors and technicians. Kollywood is a very big market for us.”
Though the Tamil version of Magadheera is releasing by the end of next month, almost one-and-a-half years later, the hero says it’s not too late. “The Malayalam version would also hit the screens soon. From the producer’s side, talks are on to remake Magadheera with a big hero in Hindi,” informs Ram Charan. Does he plan to act in the Hindi remake? “No. I would like to be in the South and I’m also planning to do Tamil movies. Talks are on and as of now, nothing has been materialised. Just like any other actor, I want to do good movies.”
Quiz him about the competition in the industry and this budding actor seems unfazed. “My dad did 12 movies in a year and he never had the time to think about competition. I know I can’t experiment in Telugu, as my stakes are higher, but I can do that in Tamil, as I’m just starting here,” he adds.
Ram Charan is now busy with three projects — an untitled film with VV Vinayak, a film with Dharani and one with Vamsi Paidipally.