The fact that he is the son of a legend hasn't hampered Nagarjuna Akkineni, son of thespian Akkineni Nageswara Rao. He is perhaps one of the few southern heroes who does a Hindi film, albeit sporadically. Even today, this trim, smart and very cool superstar can give the younger heroes a run for their money. His style has won him numerous fans.
Nagarjuna (Nag as he is often called) is in tune with the times -- he sports long hair for his Telugu film, Super, directed by Puri Jagannath (a two-hero film with Sonu Sood, featuring Bollywood babe Ayesha Takia).
On the sets at Annapurna Studios, Hyderabad, Nag is not a pretentious star but an affable and down-to-earth person.
Rewind to about two decades ago, when Nag made his entry into tinseldom after studying in the United States, a rather unthinkable idea back then.
"As a kid, I didn't know I would get into films," he says. "When I was 10-11 years old, I worked in Dad's film as a child artiste but found it boring. The acting bug did not strike me till my graduation despite the fact that my father and brother were making films. In 1984 my brother casually asked whether I would like to act. This got me thinking and I finally said yes."
| |||||||||||
By 1985, he was ready to can his first film. The start, he recalls, was bad.
"The first action sequence was to be filmed after the mahurat. In my excitement I tore a ligament; it had to be surgically repaired and I was in bed for three months. When I got back to work, it happened again and I was in bed for two weeks. That's when I thought I was jinxed," he says.
Nag says he was a bad actor in the beginning. "I was a private person, an introvert. My English education didn't help me and there was no television. Now, filmmaking is different. I am a fast learner and all my movies have been learning experiences."
Nag, who has always been in sync with the changing trends, has fought against challenging stereotypical notions since his first film. "In the beginning, they would not let me wear jeans in films. They would say how can you wear 100 per cent cotton? Cotton was simply not happening then (it was the age of synthetics). I had to fight to wear jeans," he recalls.
Here's another example. "I was playing a tough guy in my first film, so I wanted to grow a stubble. But people wouldn't hear of it; how could the good guy have a stubble? It has been a constant battle. Even in Mani Ratnam's Gitanjali, people asked how can you act as a hero afflicted with cancer? How can you use oil in your hair? Moreover, my face was not visible in the mist (the film was shot at a hill station). When Gitanjali released people tried to console me saying, 'We all experiment.' A week later, the film took off."
His passion for change is reflected in his long, newly streaked hair. "Long hair is coming back. Maybe five years ago, it didn't look good. I feel it does now so why not try. That's how the mindset changes. That's what made me stand out -- the way I dressed in my movies."
Nag's illustrious father, no doubt, weighed on his mind in his first two or three movies. "I never tried to emulate him. My dad was very happy I got into films and he was always encouraging. On my part, I sharpened my skills -- learnt more about cinema and now know all that is necessary."
Nag gave Ram Gopal Varma a chance to helm Shiva, catapulting both of them to success in mainstream Hindi cinema. But Nag did not work with Varma again in Hindi cionema.
"Ramu wanted to get into Hindi films," he explains. "It was a good avenue for him and I was happy. After Shiva, Ramu suggested both of us shift to Mumbai. I refused. I am happy in Hyderabad. I do Hindi films when I want to -- when I find the role exciting, or with people who are my friends. They are not a priority. I do them if I am free and have the time."
He, however, regrets doing J P Dutta's LOC Kargil. "There was no soul in the making of the film. The least we could do is to glorify the courage of the soldiers, and this was not shown." He is not working in any Hindi film now. 
Nag has the uncanny ability of spotting talent. Varma is a prime case. There have been others like Krishnavamsi and Dasarath in Telugu films. How does he do it? "I like working with new people as it means new ideas, and a 'new me' too. I get my energy from them. I judge a person from his common sense. We talk about the world, films, clothes etc," he says.
"Before Ninne Pelladuta, when Krishnavamsi came with the script, I did not like it but I liked the person. When Dasarath came with the idea of Santosham, I liked his sensibilities. I wanted him to direct the film even though he was a writer because I felt another director would change it. It took me two days to convince him."
He has done action entertainers to hardcore family films. "I like feel-good films, whether action, romance or comedy. They should not make people feel heavy. For instance, I liked the title Santosham as it meant happiness and made me feel good. There is no end to problems people face today. Why show problems on the big screen? Even when one wants to show such problems, show them in a light way. Family entertainers can be seen by the young and the old."
Don't miss Part II of this exclusive interview tomorrow!
More from rediff