With reigning star Naga Chaitanya essaying the role of a young father in his latest web series ‘Dhootha’, it looks like new generation heroes are game for variety. It was star Nani who set this path with ‘Jersey’ and tasted success as the audience connected to the father-son bonding in the film. He is returning with another father role in 'Hi Nanna' which explores father-daughter relationship. “Young actors like Nani and Chaitanya are definitely changing the game and it augurs well for the industry,” says director Hemanth Madhukar, who claims that our films are becoming realistic these days. “Now-a-days young guys are marrying early and turning fathers in a year or two and we could find young fathers all around us. Hence, parenting roles get stars closer to real-life audiences,” he adds. Another young hero Allari Naresh also played a doting father in his last release 'Ugram'.
Besides, the heroes can showcase varied shades if they have multiple relationships in their films. “It will be more challenging for actors to deal with varied characters in the film. After marriage, he has to deal with his wife or daughter/son and extended family and make the film multi-dimensional and sustains audience interest,” he adds.
Talking about other languages stars, Hemanath claims that Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan played a father in ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ while he was much younger since he likes to explore new roles. “Our Telugu star Nagarjuna played a father in ‘Santhosham’ and it worked wonders at the box office. Similarly, Kamal Haasan also donned the role of doting parent in Tamil film ‘Mahanadi’. Now, Venkatesh is essaying the role of a father in his upcoming film ‘Saindhav’ and he is bound to rock in his father-kid bonding ” he adds.
He further claims that Telugu heroes have to shun routine lover boy roles or college-going guy roles since those stories hinge on his love with a girl and nothing beyond. “It will turn into a one-dimensional story of a boy and girl seeing each other and falling in love and later breaking up. It has become predictable and cliché and so heroes have to add new relationships in their films and showcase their versatility,” he informs.
