Bhai was like a big slap on my face: Nagarjuna

Hyderabad: Nagarjuna just can’t forget Bhai as he feels that it is one of the bad films that he has worked in.

“I can’t forget Bhai, it is always there in my mind. It’s like a big slap on my face,” says the actor adding that this was why he has spoken about the film many times.
Confirming that he will start working on his next film from September onwards, Nagarjuna shares, “I am playing a dual role and Ramya Krishna is one of the female leads. Kalyan, a new guy, will direct this film.”

The film, an all-out entertainment-based one, is set against a village backdrop.
“Like Manam this film too will have a surprise for the audience,” he says. He is also doing a multi-starrer with NTR Jr to be directed by Paidipalli Vamsi.

“The film will start this year around December. After we both complete our current films, that one will start,” he says.

The multi-starrer has an interesting theme and both the biggies play two characters each.

“It’s like the old film Missamma which had the late NTR and ANR,” says Nagarjuna. Of late, films belonging to different genres are doing rather well. When asked whether it was the success of

Manam that changed his mind, he immediately shot back saying, “It’s not from Manam. Actually my mindset changed after Bhai and from then onwards I have been looking for good scripts,” says the actor. “I produced many films and a few films didn’t do well as commercially, but all those films were good ones. However Bhai was something else, and I don’t want to blame anybody but myself,” says the actor.

About the remake rights for Manam, he says many people watched the film but felt that a remake would not do justice to the story.

“In Telugu, the film was a success because the Telugu audience can relate to the characters,” he says.
The actor is all set to revive the ANR International Award which was installed by his father.

“The award ceremony will be grand,” says the actor adding that his family still misses ANR. When Akkineni Nageswara Rao was alive, all the family members used to meet on Sundays.
“We continue to do it after his death. On Sundays we meet regularly at my house or at my brother Venkat’s house,” he says.

He says that he is happy about his son Naga Chaitanya’s film Oka Laila Kosam.

“I have seen the film and Chaitanya’s performance has improved a lot. He has done better than in Manam and he looks handsome in the film,” says Nagarjuna. The film is ready to release, but we are waiting for a good date.

“The right release date is very important for the success of a film. I waited two months for Manam and now I don’t want to release in a hurry. So I will wait as there are many big films releasing at this time,” says the actor.

When asked about Akhil’s debut, he says that he is yet to take a decision on it.