PANAJI: Sharing memories of his father and noted filmmaker Akkineni Nageswara Rao, widely known as ANR, Telugu superstar Nagarjuna on Friday said that ANR’s belief that language should not be a barrier was ahead of its time.“My father’s goal was clear: to make Telugu cinema a force to be reckoned with. He established Annapurna Studios, which remains a cornerstone of the industry today. His belief that language should not be a barrier was ahead of its time,” said the actor said. He was speaking at a special session titled ‘Centenary Special ANR: Celebrating the Life and Works of Akkineni Nageswara Rao’ held in Panaji as part of the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). He was in conversation with actor Khushbu Sundar. The programme began with a tribute video showcasing ANR’s legacy and his pivotal role in shaping Telugu cinema, after which Nagarjuna shared several anecdotes of his father and also spoke about his vision for the industry.Nagarjuna reminisced that ANR had started playing women characters at a time when women were not allowed to work in theatre. He recalled that his father would look cute in plaits, adding that may be this was one of the reason the late legend had turned to acting.The IFFI is celebrating the birth centenary of the Telugu cinema stalwart by showcasing a restored version of his 1953 movie ‘Devadasu’.Nagarjuna also revealed that at one point, ANR was dejected as he was mocked by a lot of people who made fun of him for his ‘feminine’ mannerisms. “People made fun of him and that really dejected him. He went to Marina Beach where he wanted to kill himself because there was so much laughter (mockery) and all of that. He told me he went waist deep into the sea water and then something in him stopped him,” Nagarjuna said.Nagarjuna credited his family for preserving ANR’s vision through initiatives like the Annapurna College of Film and, adding, “It is about creating a platform for the next generation of filmmakers.”When asked about a biopic on Nageswara Rao, Nagarjuna revealed that his plan was to make a documentary. “A documentary would better capture the essence of his life and vision,” the actor explained.The Mask director wants to work with SRK, AamirHollywood filmmaker Chuck Russell, best known for Hollywood hits such as ‘The Mask’ and ‘The Scorpion King’, has already tried his hand at directing a Hindi film and he now aspires to collaborate with Bollywood superstars Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. Russell ventured into Indian cinema with the 2019 film ‘Junglee’, starring Vidyut Jammwal and Akshay Oberoi. “I’ve been wanting to work with Aamir Khan before. He knows it, I’ve visited him. And Shah Rukh Khan. I got to work with Akshay (Oberoi) and my cast in ‘Junglee’ was terrific. I like working with different cultures and talent that is new to me. All of India is new to me,” Russell said.
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