On Krishna,

his father
I completely idolise my father.
I try to emulate his attitude,
simplicity and humility. I am
blessed to be born to him.

Five years after the smash hit Athadu, the

Trivikram-Mahesh Babu combination returns with
Khaaleja that promises to turn blockbuster too!
Vanaja Banagiri meets Mahesh Babu on the sets
and realises that the iconic actor quotes Thoreau
with as much panache and conviction as he
shatters box office records.

W
hat do I say about
perceptions?
Many people
including some
of my media colleagues had
led me to believe that Mahesh
Babu, the award winning
superstar, ambassador for 5
leading brands, may be ruling
the roost, but getting him
to talk is a project in itself.
Obviously, I was blown out of
my head when he turned out
to be articulate, philosophical
and humorous, breaking my
perceptions to smithereens.
Hear it first hand from the hit
man of Telugu cinema as he
holds forth on his life so far,
brand endorsements, Khaaleja
and his dreams…
“The years that I didn’t act
are the ones that helped me
grow as an actor. I took a break
for three years. I can feel the
evolution in me. Trivikram’s
been echoing my sentiments
ever since we began shooting
for Khaaleja,” says Mahesh
Babu. All eyes are on his
forthcoming film Khaaleja,
which is indubitably one of
the most awaited films of the
season. Everybody is waiting
with bated breath to see what
the king of understatement,
master of subdued acting, is
unleashing this time around.
We are in Ramoji Film City,
Hyderabad, where Mahesh’s
entry song is being shot. He
is grooving away in a rust
and white checks shirt and
46 sOUTHsCOpe sep’ 10
On Namrata,
his wife
We were on an outdoor
location for 40 days. On
the last day of shooting,
we realised the intensity
that was building up
between us. I can’t
pinpoint the moment
we fell in love. It just
happened. I love her
simplicity. She’s so real. I
never proposed marriage
to her formally. When
I told my father about
us, he enquired about
our marriage plans. We
got married in February,
2005. I’m lucky to have
found her. We dated for
five years and have been
married for five years.
Our relationship has
gone from strength to
strength.
a pair of blue jeans. He’s sweating
buckets no thanks to the humid day
and the dusty location is not much
help either. Trivikram, his only friend
and favourite director is watching
intently. Cinematographer, Yash Bhatt
is shooting his first south Indian film
with gusto.
In the background you can see vegetable
and fruit bandis and a typical Irani
chai place with an interesting name
`Try Luck Café.’ On his right at the far
end is a store, Anu Sarees. In the same
row at the other end is a Univercell
banner, the brand he endorses. People
have gathered around the scene to get
a dekko of their favourite hero. He gets
his moves right and the choreographer
is happy. He says something and
everybody is in splits. You can sense
the easy camaraderie amongst the
team. He walks towards the computer,
checks out the scene on the monitor
carefully and says ‘looks fine.’ He
walks towards me and says, “Too much
noise here. Let’s go.” And leads me to
the vanity van. Once inside, I tell him
how we’ve been on a chase to get him
on our cover since our launch issue.
He says earnestly, “Sorry, I am not a
phone person at all,” pointing to the
cell phone that’s lying in a corner, “I
carry it to stay accessible to Namrata.” I
explain, we’d actually been speaking to
his wife Namrata who kept us updated
from time to time, methodically and
promptly. “She’s just unbelievably
amazing,” he gushes belying his shy
nature, “She’s made my life so much
easier. Besides being a great wife and
mother, she also handles all aspects of
my work. I only look at the creatives.
She’s also influenced my dressing.
Earlier, I would be comfortable only
in checks shirts and jeans but she
introduced me to T shirts. Now, I
quite enjoy experimenting with my
look.” Quite right. His wardrobe has
undergone a make- over since Athadu.
Was it a conscious decision? Did
Namrata play a role in that department
as well? “Times are changing. You don’t
need me to tell you that. Everything
today is about clothes, hair, looks and
appearances. For Khaaleja, Mamta
Anand has designed my clothes.
Namrata brought her on board and she
has done a fabulous job.”
On the personal front, everybody is
commenting on how he looks more at
ease with himself after marriage unlike
his earlier reclusive self. “Contrary to
perceptions, I am not a recluse. You
could call me a private guy. You could
even call me shy. Even when Pokiri
became this huge massive hit, I felt shy
and nervous with all the attention I
was getting. But calling me a recluse is
a bit far-fetched, you know. The fact is I
like my space. I still get uncomfortable
with attention though I’m getting
better with handling it thanks to
Namrata. I’m not a guy who’s ever been
into socialising or hanging out at night
clubs. That’s not my scene. I love being
at home with my family. Namrata has
definitely brought out the best in me.
My son has totally transformed my
life. When I hear my four year old son
talk, it’s like a miracle. It’s difficult to
put it into words,” says the actor who’s
known to be a man of few words. “I’ve
been talking ad nauseum to you. I
take a little longer than most people to
open up. I also don’t believe in using
words when silence serves a better
sep’ 10 sOUTHsCOpe 47

purpose. But when words are required for
communication, I can speak at length. Like I’m
doing at the moment,” he flashes a smile that
reaches his eyes.
Who are his friends? “Trivikram from the
industry.” And outside? “None,” he says. What?
How’s that possible? “Yes, it’s true. I have no
friends. I studied in Chennai till my B.Com.
When I moved to Hyderabad, I lost touch
with my friends. Not that I had many of them.
Honestly, I don’t miss having friends. I am
quite happy with my own company and my
family’s. Either I’m working or I’m at home.
Life’s blissful this way.” He may not be into
socialising but he’s been easily the most active
south star on Twitter. “Namrata and Blah, the
celeb management company that handles my
endorsements were instrumental in getting me
on Twitter. They made me realise that this is
the only platform where I could have a direct
connection with people. Now, I really enjoy
tweeting.” Some people are downright rude
to stars on networking sites. How does he
deal with them? “I haven’t encountered such
people, luckily, so far. But if I do, I will ignore
them.”
So what’s he doing in Khaaleja? “Ask what
Khaaleja is doing in me,” he guffaws. “Jokes
apart, you will see a brand new side of Mahesh
Babu that’s never been seen before on screen.
So far, I’ve played subdued, understated
yet powerful roles. This is the first time my
character is loud, brash, funny as hell and yet
very realistic. Very natural, very convincing. I
can never do anything that I’m not convinced
about.” How convincing can a professional
killer be like he was in Athadu? “Actually, I had
trouble initially convincing myself that I can
pull it off. But once the director explained the
circumstances and situations, I managed to
get into the skin of the character. And I think
I did a fairly decent job.” Decent? That was by
48 sOUTHsCOpe sep’ 10
far one of his best on screen performances. “My
personal favourite is Okkadu though,” he says.
So how does he go about signing a script other
than the fact that it should excite him? “I look
mainly at the characterisation of my role in
the context of the story. If that interests me,
if it captures my imagination, I take it on.” So
what goes wrong when a film doesn’t work like
Sainikudu, for instance? “That was a bad film.
The director is undoubtedly one of the best in
the industry. Half way through the shooting of
Sainikudu, I knew it wasn’t going to work. But
then, you can’t abandon a project just because
you stop believing in it, right? That has
happened with many of my films that flopped.”
So does he change his approach when a film
doesn’t deliver? “No, I don’t.” Do flops affect
him? “Of course, they do. I get depressed,
dejected, I go through a huge turmoil. But I
have become better at handling it now. Three
years of break helped me immensely.” What did
he do during the break? “I saw my son grow
up. I also went through deep pain. I lost my
grandmother, who I was closest to and also
lost my in laws. I spent loads of time with my
family. I also discovered my inner strength
through spiritual reading. Eckhart Tolle’s The
Power of Now and New Earth have influenced
me a great deal. I have, however, always been
a very balanced person from day one, largely
because of my father. He was a huge star with an
unbelievable fan following when I was growing
up. But at home, he was just my father. No star
treatment, no starry airs. I think the best gift
parents can give their children is grounding.
I hope I can demonstrate to my son what my
father did for me. I can’t thank him enough.
You know, my being here today, in films is
entirely due to him. Every year, we would go
to Ooty for summer vacations. Every summer,
he would get me to do a film. Before I realised
what was going on, I had become a child star
with a fan following and popularity! It is easy
to get carried away and lose your head. But I
On Gautam,
his son
At four, he shows all the signs
of becoming an actor. His birth
has made me value my life
even more. He’s precious. He’s
my life. You’re not a complete
man until you become a father.
On holidays
I love holidays. My current
favourite destination is
Malaysia. My all time favourite
is New Zealand. We love Goa
too.
On people
I hate liars. I disconnect
instantly with people who
mess with me. I look for
commitment and excellence in
the people I work with.
On his dream
I would love to win a National
Award. I have no idea if I ever
will. But what’s the harm in
dreaming?
have been lucky to have had a normal
upbringing.”
What does he like about being a star
and why does he think he has the
maximum number of endorsements
compared to his contemporaries? “I
love the recognition, money, fame,
love, success but what I love most is
the creative aspect of this profession.
No two days are the same. There is no
scope for monotony or boredom. Yes,
I love the endorsements that come
my way too. At the end of the day,
endorsements are based on an actor’s
popularity. I hope that answers your
question. Having said that, I must tell
you that I accept only the products I
believe in. My criteria for accepting
Univercell, for instance, was based on
the founder’s humble beginnings and
his conviction that helped his company
succeed in a big way. Thums up, the
other brand I have been endorsing for
some time now, is a household name
and so is Amrutanjan, the newest
brand in my wagon. The Provogue
campaign should be out soon,” he
explains grinning from ear to ear.
Would he ever do a multistarrer? “Why
not? I’m open. Though I have my
doubts if anybody can come up with
a befitting story.” Who would be his
dream co star? “Pawan Kalyan. Now,
that would be interesting.” Would
he ever venture into other areas of
filmmaking? “Nah. Once an actor,
always an actor. I’m passionate only
about acting. I haven’t done anything
else in my life, you see. From age 4 to
now. I can’t think beyond acting.” That,
we’re sure, is music to the ears of his
legion of fans.
sep’ 10 sOUTHsCOpe 49
 On food
I love south Indian food. My wife’s cooking
prowess encompasses making a cup of tea. The
Namrata Ghattamaneni on
way to a man’s heart is definitely not through his Mahesh Babu
stomach, in my case. I prefer going to Novotel, As an actor I think he is by far one of the best actors we have in
Ista or Westin because they ensure privacy. our country. I say country because that’s how I feel truly. He is a
Namrata and I love the cuisine at Fusion 9 too. consummate actor and gives his all to the character he portrays
each time. He is totally committed to his craft.
 
As a husband, he’s incredibly loving and truly understanding. We
are the best of friends. Meeting and marrying him have been the
best things that have happened to me. I am going through the
happiest phase of my life. Do I have to say more?
 
As a father, he’s the best dad in the whole world. At least that’s what
Gautam and I think. He’s Gautam’s idol and nothing matters more
to him than waking up in the morning and see Gautam smile.
On Khaaleja
I have never done a role like this one. I am a loud,
funny taxi driver. It’s an out and out commercial film.
There are no messages, no fight for fight’s sake. You
On Khaaleja without frequent cuts. We haven’t
done anything for cinematic or
Life is an ensemble of incidents. Man
can’t categorise it. There is action but it’s very real. dramatic convenience. Yash Bhatt,
becoming God is purely incidental.
Very credible. It has all the elements that people the cinematographer has done an
According to scriptures, there is
would want in a good film. outstanding job of using zoom in a very
God in every human being. Daivam
different way.
Manushya Rupena is the theme of the
On his next film film. Mahesh Babu is a regular taxi
driver, an ordinary human being who On Mahesh Babu
It’s tentatively titled Dookudu. My co-star transforms into a divine incarnation Lot of people talk about passion.
is Samantha. Sreenu Vytla is the director. when he comes face to face with an Mahesh Babu lives it. I remember an
We start shooting on 14th September in unjust incident. Honestly speaking, incident during the shooting of Athadu.
Vadodara, Gujarat. we started out to make a regular At 2 midnight, after Mahesh had left
commercial Mahesh Babu film but it the set, I wanted him to come back for
assumed a life of its own. Watch out a retake. He had almost reached home
for an entire new Mahesh Babu. He but came back. And then he went about
Starring: Written by: has pushed his boundaries and tackled his work with a smile, effortlessly.
Mahesh Babu as Seeta Rama Raju Trivikram Srinivas comedy phenomenally well. He is There is no pressure of working with
Anushka Shetty as Subhashini the comedian, character artiste, item a star when you work with him. He
Music by: guy, action hero, lover boy all rolled
Prakash Raj, Sunil, Brahmanandam doesn’t take his star status seriously at
Mani Sharma into one. It has all the elements of a all. That’s his best quality as an actor.
commercial film and yet very out of As a person, he has undergone a 180
Directed by: Cinematography: the box. Anushka brings bad luck to degree transformation. Marriage has
Trivikram Srinivas Yash Bhatt, Sunil Patel Trivikram Srinivas, him throughout the film. That leads done wonders to him. He used to be
Director to hilarious situations. Mahesh has extremely shy with romance before.
Produced by: Editing by: attempted humour for the first time. I Now he’s opened up much more. If
Singanamala Ramesh, A Sreekar Prasad won’t say it’s an experimental film but he can speak truth he does, otherwise
C Kalyan
the treatment is definitely very unusual. he doesn’t bother. The birth of his
Distributed by: There is nothing run-of-the-mill about son has matured him a great deal. It
Khaaleja Geetha Arts it. Let me give you some inside news. has actually helped him as an actor.
Mahesh Babu worked with me on the He’s so sure of himself now that he’s
Highlights script completely and closely. You can confident of his first take. His technical
call him associate script writer. knowledge is superb. I think five years
Unusual camera work – lengthy shots, zoom on steady cam
from now, he may be ruling Bollywood.
Petrol bunk fight scene directed by Ram-Laxman We have also tried a new camera He is a reservoir of acting stamina.
technique. There are lengthy shorts
Comedy track between Mahesh Babu, Brahmanandam & Sunil

50 SOUTHSCOPE sep’ 10 sep’ 10 SOUTHSCOPE 51