Nagarjuna Akkineni, director SS Rajamouli and Chiranjeevi
| Photograph Credit score: File photograph/The Hindu
The ANR Awards 2024, which might be held on October 28 in Hyderabad, holds particular significance for actor-producer Nagarjuna Akkineni and his household because it coincides with the centenary 12 months celebrations of the late Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Amitabh Bachchan will current this 12 months’s ANR Award to Telugu celebrity Chiranjeevi.
Talking to The Hindu in between a capturing schedule at Annapurna Studios, Hyderabad, Nagarjuna says that the ANR Awards recognises invaluable contribution to Indian cinema. He cites an instance of one of many previous recipients — director SS Rajamouli. “He has taken Indian cinema to the world stage. Indian movies have garnered worldwide acclaim up to now however not a lot at a industrial degree. Rajamouli has made that attainable.”
Speaking in regards to the number of Chiranjeevi this 12 months, Nagarjuna reckons, “He is part of the historical past of Telugu cinema. My father believed in cinema as a method of leisure for everybody, not restricted to a distinct segment viewers. Chiranjeevi’s movies are recognised nationwide and he has had a holistic strategy in his contribution to society by way of his blood financial institution and different charitable actions.”
A file photograph of Akkineni Nageswara Rao
| Photograph Credit score:
G. Krishnaswamy
As a part of the ANR centenary celebrations, a statue of the legendary actor was unveiled at Annapurna Studios earlier this 12 months. A postal stamp was additionally launched. Ten of ANR’s Telugu classics that have been restored by the Movie Heritage Basis in affiliation with Nationwide Movie Archives of India (NFAI) have been screened in theatres throughout India.
No good prints of ‘Geethanjali’
Annapurna Studios had hosted a movie restoration workshop by the Movie Heritage Basis in 2019. Since then, efforts have been on to revive Telugu classics. Nagarjuna explains, “Sadly a lot of the Telugu, Tamil and Hindi movies haven’t been saved correctly. It may price almost ₹80 lakh to revive a print. In a number of instances, we couldn’t discover the originals.”
Nagarjuna and Girija in Mani Ratnam’s ‘Geethanjali’
| Photograph Credit score:
The Hindu Archives
He cites the instance of his 1989 movie Geethanjali, an iconic musical romance drama directed by Mani Ratnam. “The negatives have holes, and the positives are gone. What we now have entry to is the poor high quality that’s screened on tv. Changing that right into a 4K digital format is a protracted course of. If that’s the plight of movies of the ‘80s, you may think about the older classics. Restoring my father’s Devadasu was a nightmare; by some means we managed to do it. I loved watching it. It was like travelling by way of a time portal. Not solely the visuals, even the sound was cleaned up.”
Nagarjuna reveals that 21 movies of ANR have been restored, of which the household chosen 10 for public screenings. A number of extra movies are within the technique of restoration. “My father had saved the movies he produced in good situation. All of the movies produced by Annapurna Studios are additionally being preserved fastidiously.”
When requested if the restored movies might be obtainable to the general public for viewing on digital platforms, Nagarjuna explains that the movies are actually a part of NFAI’s repository and talks are on to hunt permission to make them obtainable on the Annapurna Studios’ web site. “For the reason that satellite tv for pc rights of a number of older movies belong to tv channels, we could not have the ability to share the restored variations with different digital platforms. However, I additionally heard that NFAI is contemplating having a platform or a channel of their very own by way of which viewers pays and watch restored classics in numerous languages.”
AI, a potent instrument
Taking his father’s imaginative and prescient ahead is an ongoing course of, says Nagarjuna. He factors out a few of the current developments on the studio, notably the Digital Manufacturing Stage. There are additional plans to introduce cutting-edge expertise for publish manufacturing. He cites AI (synthetic intelligence) as a potent instrument to reinforce the artistic course of. “Everyone knows that Amitabh Bachchan’s voice in Kalki, Telugu, was AI-generated. This opens up potentialities for us, actors, once we work in numerous languages. In each division, from writing to music to publish manufacturing, AI might be helpful, relying on how creatively it’s used.”
Nagarjuna additionally mentions the contribution of the Annapurna Faculty of Movie and Media. “A lot of our college students are writers, administrators and technicians. Aarambham, a Telugu movie made by our alumni, got here in for appreciation. The quick movies made by the current batch of scholars have been despatched to worldwide movie festivals. I’m pleased with their work.”
Nagarjuna in director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ‘Coolie’
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association
Transferring on to debate his new movies, which embrace Tamil movie Coolie directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and headlined by Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna says with a hearty laughter, “Once I watched Lokesh’s Kaithi and Vikram, I used to be wanting to work with him; I believe I manifested this chance for Coolie.” Nagarjuna has filmed for 15 days for Coolie and says the expertise has been satisfying.
He’s additionally part of director Sekhar Kammula’s Kubera co–starring Dhanush. “My character on this movie is in distinction to that of Coolie. I’ve really admired Sekhar’s sensibilities. It has been a journey of unlearning and studying. Sekhar would inform me that he doesn’t need me to stroll like a hero. I’d clarify that it’s my pure stroll. However he would need one thing else that appears extra sensible. It has been enjoyable.”
Printed – October 27, 2024 08:13 am IST
