I have always been a fan of masala Telugu films: Actor Angad Bedi
After a 12-year-long career filled with a filmography averaging out to one film a year, Angad Bedi has had an exciting 2023 with three releases. There was a short film directed by R Balki in the Netflix Original Lust Stories 2, followed by a key role in Ghoomer alongside Saiyami Kher and Abhishek Bachchan, which was also directed by R Balki and then came Hi Nanna, the actor’s maiden Telugu feature. The actor plays a crucial supporting character named Dr Aravind Bhatia in the film. Hi Nanna also reunites him with Mrunal Thakur, who co-starred with him in Lust Stories 2.
Speaking about how he became a part of a South Indian film, Angad says, “This film was offered to me a while back. My enthusiasm towards the role is unsurprising, considering how much I love Telugu cinema. I have always been a fan of masala Telugu films. But what drew me towards the film was how Shouryuv actively sought me out for the role, insisting that I was a perfect fit for it and that he could not think of anyone else for the role.”
Angad adds that the director’s assertiveness was, however, not without its doubts. “Shouryuv did not think he could get me on board. So, he just told his team to be on the lookout for someone like Angad Bedi. I also think a certain kind of misconception about how actors from Mumbai may not be interested in Telugu cinema came into the picture at some point. Eventually, he did manage to reach out to me. His producers also decided to back him up in the process. Sometimes, it is just meant to be,” says Angad.
When enquired about what exactly drew him to Telugu cinema, Angad replies, “I like style and swagger. The Telugu industry does swagger pretty well. It also speaks to my sensibilities as an audience. Growing up, I enjoyed watching Amitabh Bachchan’s films like Agneepath (1990), Naseeb (1981), Khuda Gawah (1992) and Hum (1991). It is delightful to see the cinema of my childhood re-emerge now, from a different industry through films like RRR and Pushpa. In a way, the Telugu film industry has always been doing big-spectacle cinema well. As an actor, you also wish to expand your horizons and the opportunity came my way at the right time. I hope I find love and appreciation for my work here. I would love to branch out into other industries, maybe even work in Tamil cinema someday.”
Speaking in length about the film’s production values and other technical attributes, Angad continues, “Hi Nanna is beautifully packaged with commercial elements. Remember that scene from Parinda (1989) between Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar featuring pigeons flying? A scene in Hi Nanna, where pigeons are seen flying by as Nani takes a walk near the Marine Drive beach brought me back to that scene. I am grateful to be a part of a film that is so aesthetically shot. Cinema is more than acting and story. The makers of Hi Nanna also tackled the challenges of showing a city differently in their storytelling approach.”
Angad will be seen next in A Legal Affair, a web series produced by Jio Studios. A Legal Affair is the Hindi adaptation of the Korean drama Suspicious Partner. As someone who has featured in shows that came out in the mid 2010s, when the OTT market in India was in its infancy (24, Inside Edge), how does he view the evolution and the resultant proliferation of OTT content in India over the years? “Well, I certainly believe OTT has introduced the audience to meaningful work that does not find a place in feature filmmaking. I am grateful for the various opportunities it offers people from different walks of life, including actors like myself. It is a boon for everyone, but for me, there is nothing like the big screen. Cinema is an event, personally and professionally. The buck stops there.”