Majili actor, Naga Chaitanya: I had a lot of heartaches

Naga Chaitanya is confident that she will be able to take a break at the box office with her upcoming film Majili, which is due out at the cinema this Friday. The actor called the film "prestigious project" for him and his wife Samantha Akkineni, who is the main actress of the film.

Majili marks the third collaboration between Chaitanya and Samantha after Ye Maaya Chesave, Manam and Autonagar Surya. It was written and directed by Shiva Nirvana, of the renowned Ninnu Kori.

Below are excerpts from an interaction with the media:

Q. Samantha Akkineni said that she was initially reluctant to accept Majili. Did you feel the same about the movie in the beginning?

I've already done three movies with Samantha in the past, and all were love stories. After our wedding, we were under pressure but we wanted to do something new. And luckily we found the right script. Majili talks about a married couple and the ups and downs they face. Samantha and I were very happy to have been able to play these characters. Because this kind of story has not been much explored until now in our films.

Q. The trailer received a very positive response. What was your initial reaction to the script?

I loved Shiva Nirvana's Ninnu Kori. In fact, I liked how he handled the climax. It was realistic. I asked him if he had a similar story for me. I did not approach Shiva to write a movie, especially for me and Samantha. Two months later, he recounted the highlights of this film for about 25 minutes. And then, we thought that Samantha would be the right choice for the female lead.

Q. Was working with Samantha in this film an advantage?

With a new heroine, it would have taken a while to make a report. But I'm already comfortable with Samantha and that makes my work a little easier. We understand the mistakes of each other and we help each other on the set. The roles are so intense that the actors who played them required a lot of understanding between them. The film looks so good on the screen because of the chemistry we have. Samantha, part of this film, helped me a lot.

Q. Was it very demanding to play such an intense role?

Yes, it took a lot to play this character. The script took about 7 to 8 months to complete. During this period, Shiva prepared me well for the role by explaining the character. At the same time, Shiva and I became friends and I enjoyed working with him on the sets.

Q. Shiva had said that your performance in this film would be a reference for your future films. Your Comments

I can not judge my performance. It's up to the public to do it. If Shiva is satisfied with my work, I am happy. When I heard the screenplay for the first time, I knew that I had to work hard for this character. Because he has multiple layers. I was also able to connect deeply to the scenario.

Q. Tell us about your character.

Everyone would have faced a failure at some point in their life and would have suffered. The film tells how my character overcomes his pain.

Q. Did your personal life change your life?

I had a lot of sorrows and they were very painful. Personally, I would say that the relationships have changed. Whenever I experienced the pain, they made me more mature as a person. Professionally, all my flops. Sometimes I think some movies work, but they do not. So this whole process has changed and made me evolve. Fortunately, it happens at a young age. I have time to correct myself.

Q. How are the Venky Mama shots fired?

We have already completed a 15-day program. The next program will start on April 8th. We are trying to complete the full shoot in July.