Nagarjuna Akkineni has opened up about the importance of taking bold career choices, taking from his own experience of working with acclaimed filmmaker Mani Ratnam on Geethanjali. During a recent interaction with a media portal about his sons, Naga Chaitanya and Akhil Akkineni, the actor spoke abot how choosing the 1989 romantic drama helped shape his journey in cinema. Nagarjuna said he hopes his sons will also make unconventional choices that help them establish their own identities. He also spoke on how the industry has changed over the years, noting that actors today have less room for repeated setbacks.
Nagarjuna Urges Sons To Make Bold Choices Like Him, Recalls Taking On Mani Ratnam Film When No One Else Would
Speaking with Variety India, said taking what he considered a bold step by starring in ‘s Geethanjali at a time when other leading actors were reportedly hesitant to take on a project of that nature. He said the film went on to define an important part of his career, much like Shiva did later.
Nagarjuna went on to say that his approach has always been about finding his own path rather than simply following trends. He hopes his sons and do the same.
Nagarjuna talks about taking bold choice in career
“For me, taking risks was always about finding my own path. When I did Geethanjali, it was a bold step because no leading actor was doing something like that at the time. But that film helped define my journey. The same happened with Shiva. Those films did not change the entire industry, but they defined my path. That is what I want these boys to do. They need to take bold steps, do things that nobody else has done and define their own journey.”
Nagarjuna, went on to say that audiences today are less forgiving, with intense competition making it easier for actors to be written off after a few setbacks. He believes that contemporary actors need to think carefully before making major career decisions.
About Geethanjali And Nagarjuna’s Work Front
Released in 1989, Geethanjali is a romantic drama written and directed by Mani Ratnam. The film follows Prakash, a young man who learns that he has only a few months to live and travels to Ooty to escape his family’s grief. There, he meets Geethanjali, a woman who is also battling a serious heart condition.
The film starred Nagarjuna and Girija in the lead roles, along with Vijayakumar, Vijayachander, Velu and Pradeep Shakthi. Nearly four decades after its original release, Geethanjali is set to return to theatres on August 28, 2026. On the work front, Nagarjuna is gearing up for his next project, tentatively titled King100. Directed by Ra Karthik, the action drama is expected to feature Tabu as the antagonist. Meanwhile, Naga Chaitanya is set to headline the mythological action-adventure film Vrushakarma, which also stars Meenaakshi Chaudhary and Sparsh Shrivastava. Akhil Akkineni was last seen in Lenin.