I want to be judged by my films, not by my personal life: Naga Chaitanya

You’re looking good these days!” We greet Naga Chaitanya when we meet him for a chat. “Oh is it?” he responds. “I am just leading a cool life; the usual routine filled with work and other professional commitments.”

But the film industry is all about looks, so how demanding is it to always feed that need, we ask.

“You look your best when you’re natural,” the actor replies. “And the industry is also about performance, hard work and persistence. I have to impress the audience with my performance and roles,” he says, adding that the responsibility is even more with his latest film Custody, because he’s venturing into Tamil.

In the film directed by Venkat Prabhu, Chay plays the role of a constable. “When I heard the script I felt the character was an underdog but had a lot of power deep down within him” he explains. And that’s what motivated him to sign the film.

When it comes to thriller / action films Venkat Prabhu is a master. His plots have twists and the screenplay is gripping.

Sharing that he had always wanted to do an action drama in a realistic setting, Chay says foraying into Tamil was another dream, and he’s glad he realized it with Custody.

“I visited the Yousufguda police quarters and spent time talking to the cops. I also rehearsed a lot before the shoots,” reveals the actor,

Chay, who is a decade old in his career, feels that this is a great time to be in the industry, as it is in a phase where the audience puts content ahead of everything. “We are living in an era where content is king. Language barriers too have been blurred, and there’s so much cross collaboration happening, with actors from various industries working together. This gives a chance to tell and be part of interesting and different stories to a wider audience,” the actor elaborates.

In that context, Chay is making his digital debut with Dhoota, a horror comedy. “The one thing that always keeps running in my mind is the need to constantly push myself as an actor. Going forward, I would love to explore different roles as much as I can,” he says. He has taken up the challenge to keep growing and evolving, and his talented peers motivate him to be on top of his professional game, he adds.

But box office success is important too, and of late Chay has had an indifferent run in that department - his last two films, Laal Singh Chaddha and Thank You did not fare well. “I take failures in my stride! But before moving on, I always do a post-mortem on why the film failed,” the actor says, adding that he tries not to repeat mistakes.

“Films are like any other profession. What I do after switching off helps me to come back rejuvenated and recharged,” he says, adding that actors should be able to find that balance or else it will reflect on their performance.

So what does Chay do when he’s not shooting? “I like racing, cars and motorcycling; I am also passionate about food, it’s an area that I have been working on business wise too,” he shares. He enjoys road trips and long drives. “I am also into fitness, which is a way of life for me. That one-hour detox at the gym keeps my mind fresh. I do yoga, it has a calming effect,” he adds.

A lot has been written about the developments in Chay’s personal life recently. We ask if there’s anything he’d like to clarify.

He replies, “Nothing really! I want to be judged by my films, not by my personal life. I am in a happy space. I like my films to do the talking and entertain the audience, that’s my job.”