Romantic privileges: Best things come in pairs

As the saying goes, the best things come in pairs. So do certain on-screen performances. Considering the limited shelf life of an actress, the likes of Nayantara, Kajal Aggarwal and Lavanya Tripati, have had the rare distinction of being paired opposite the second and third generation actors of the same family.

Lavanya Tripati:

Just five years into her Tollywood career, Lavanya Tripati was bestowed with the rare opportunity of working with actors from two generations of the Akkineni clan. While she romanced Nagarjuna in Soggade Chinni Nayana, the actress is now paired opposite Naga Chaitanya in Kalyan Krishna’s upcoming film. Talking about the opportunity, the Dehradun-based model says, “When I was initially offered the lead opposite Chay, I was a bit surprised because after being paired opposite Nag sir, I thought I will never get this opportunity for at least 2-3 years.”

Describing the experiences of working with the actors, she adds, “Nag sir is chilled out and is always open to discussing new ideas. Chay too is very warm and friendly. Both are extremely humble and disciplined. They ensure that everyone around them is comfortable too. And both have similar laugh. Recently, when Chay and I were chatting, he burst into laughter on the sets, and for a second, I thought it was Nag sir. Also, both do rehearse and are open to re-takes if they they can do better.”

Kajal Aggarwal:

Kajal Aggarwal too has romanced two generations from the Konidela parivar. Interestingly, she worked with the son first and then the father. She acted with Ram Charan in Magadheera, Naayak and Govindudu Andarivadele; their onscreen chemistry has been appreciated too. But the biggest moment in Kajal’s career arrived when she played Chiranjeevi’s romantic interest in Khaidi No 150. “Charan and I worked for a few films and he is a cool co-star. But my biggest moment was when I got the chance to work with Chiranjeevi sir. It was Charan who informed me about the offer. I wasn’t nervous to work with Chiru sir, because I have already interacted with him while shooting with Charan and also at a few social get-togethers. We had already broken the ice. Chiru sir is someone who puts everyone at ease — a trait I observed in his son too. Also, he did give me tips about the approach to acting, on a few times,” recalls Kajal. She adds, “Chiru sir never sits until the break is announced, that’s because he is a very disciplined actor. This is something actors from our generation should learn. Working with the son and father was a great feeling; I am glad that the audience appreciated us.”

Nayantara:

Joining the list of actresses to play the love interest of actors from the same family — the Daggubatis — is Nayantara. Apart from romancing Venkatesh in a handful of films, Nayan has acted with Rana Daggubati (Venky’s nephew) in Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum. Talking about her experience, Nayan states, “I started off in Telugu with a film starring Venkatesh and I made my comeback after a two-year-gap with a Rana movie. So I share a special association with the Daggubati family.” She feels that there are many similarities between Venky and Rana. “Both are extremely passionate about their work, enabling co-stars to give their best by pushing their acting limits. I’m really honoured to be part of the projects with both of them,” the actress says.