Ananda Chakrapani has become a popular name. He acted not only in films that had a huge star cast, but also in small-budget films like Mallesham. But not many know that the 50-year-old had actually started his acting career 30 years ago.
“I started with B. Narasinga Rao’s Daasi after which I acted in few films, but no one noticed me in any of them. Now, having returned, I am happy I started with a film like Mallesham,” says Chakrapani, who played the role of the father to Mallesham’s character in the film.
“Mallesham himself hugged me and told me that my performance in that role reminded him of his father. That’s the biggest compliment I could get,” says a beaming Chakrapani.
Hailing from Nalgonda District, Chakrapani was passionate about acting from his childhood.
“When I was in Hyderabad, I used to work in my uncle’s printing press. So, I used to meet many people and one of them was Devipriya, a senior journalist and the screenplay writer of Daasi. I met him regularly and requested him for a role in that film, and he recommended me to director Narasinga Rao garu. That’s how I debuted in that film, which had won five National Awards,” he adds. Unlike Daasi, Mallesham seemed to have come to Chakrapani through a stroke of luck. “Lakshman Aelay who was the production designer for Mallesham, suggested my name to director Raj. But Raj had to leave for the US then and asked his assistant to conduct my auditioning. Unfortunately, the assistant didn’t seem too impressed with my performance then and suggested me for another role. But the next day, I prepared better and asked him to give me one more chance at the audition for the same role, and he agreed. That act impressed him and he zeroed in one me for the role of Mallesham’s father,” recounts Chakrapani.
Clearly, the actor is pleased to bits with the appreciation he’s been getting for his performance in the film. “I’d never imagined that I’d find this kind of popularity with just one film,” says Chakrapani.
