It’s no more chocolate-boy roles and swooning women for Telugu actor Naga Chaitanya. He wants to be the rugged man with a cause, one that women are willing to die for. His digital debut, Telugu series Dhootha, is a step in that new direction.
In the supernatural thriller, which released on Amazon Prime earlier this month, Chaitanya traverses several shades of grey as he essays the role of a journalist exploring the overlapping realm between good and bad.
“The role has many layers and isn’t your typical black or white character. He questions what is ethically correct or not, both in journalism as well as his personal life,” the actor says.
Chaitanya is no new-fangled newbie. A 14-year-old career has seen Chaitanya getting his successes with romantic films, including his debut Josh, as well as Manam, Ye Maaya Chesave, 100% Love, Saahasam Swaasaga Saagipo, Premam and Oka Laila Kosam. So, Dhootha was uncharted territory, both in terms of characterisation and format.
The actor, however, was raring to take the plunge. “I had to shed the romantic hero image at some point. I wanted to do more complex stories, which were out of my comfort zone. Dhootha fit the bill, and the screen time of eight episodes allowed me to add more depth to my character,” he says, adding, “The supernatural thriller genre too seemed exciting. I had never done something like this. Plus, Vikram Kumar (who he worked with in Thank You and Manam) directing it was a win-win for me.”
That said, the 37-year-old admits that romance is a favorite genre, and he is never going to say no to love stories. “Only, I can’t play the regular boy-next-door anymore,” he clarifies.
His upcoming project, Thandel, is proof. The Telugu film, which also stars Sai Pallavi and is based on a real-life incident, will see Chaitanya play a fisherman.
“It is primarily a love story, but it is also inspired by the political events of 2018 within the fishermen community in Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh),” he elaborates. His film Custody, which came out in May this year too, combined the romance and crime genres. He plays a constable, who gets caught up in a power nexus, after he arrests a notorious gangster. The action unfolds with his personal life—he plans to elope with his partner—as the backdrop.
A reason behind Chaitanya’s drive to constantly reinvent his craft is the cinematic legacy he hails from—his father is legendary actor Nagarjuna, his uncle is Venkatesh and grandfather is A Nageshwar Rao.
“The initial takeoff for me was much easier. I have been fortunate in that sense. But it can also be burdensome. All my family members in the industry have a unique style. And, that is what I keep reminding myself: to be original. I see that as my responsibility,” he says.
Following in his father’s footsteps, he ventured northwards with his first Hindi film, the Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha, last year. Although the film did not do well at the box office, Chaitanya’s performance was appreciated.
Welcoming the pan-India phenomenon, the actor says, “The lines have blurred to a large extent. Southern audiences have always consumed content from the North. Now the opposite is also happening. With language no longer a barrier, it’s an exciting time to be an actor because we are getting opportunities across all industries,” says Chaitanya.