Had I continued in politics, I would have shifted to AP: Chiru

Team GodFather didn’t promote the movie vigorously due to delays in work. However, they opted for strong promotions post the release. Megastar Chiranjeevi is taking part in every promotional activity and he has interacted with the media today.

Do you think this success is something special for you?
Cinema is a collective effort. I’m not over-enthusiastic about success. If audiences accept me in such movies, I can try different stories. I at least hope, directors will now approach me with unique scripts. I want to come out of this regular space of including songs, fights and comedy in movies.

How did GodFather happen?
Sukumar felt that I would be apt for Lucifer’s remake and discussed the same with Ram Charan. He was the first option to direct the movie. However, Sukumar was not available, due to his other commitments. Few directors approached but they were insecure about no commercial elements like songs and heroines in the movie. Finally, Mohan Raja came on board. He removed a few characters from the original and added new ones.

Did you receive any negative comments?
I didn’t receive any negative comments for not including songs, and the credit goes to Thaman who didn’t give us the feeling that songs are necessary for the movie. He gave many highs with BGM.

Did you feel it was okay to make changes to the script?
We wanted to keep the original flavors, and tried to make the movie much more engaging. It’s a political drama movie. We wanted to give more scope for brother-sister emotion, than political elements. We thought of giving a fresh feel to the audience. Remaking hit movies is a big challenge, as there is always a comparison with the original.

Do you feel there is a lack of stories in Telugu?
Frankly speaking, we don’t dare to do experimental movies, because of the high budgets involved in making Telugu movies. However, due to OTT, the mindset of the audience is changing and we also need to attempt experimental subjects. I’m looking for a wide variety of subjects. I also am ready to work with young directors.

Will you do special roles in other languages like Salman did in GodFather?
Language should not be a barrier for actors. I’m ready to work with other stars.

How can you be so grounded?
I try not to make any mistakes. If someone makes mistakes, we need to wait till they realize the truth. I followed this when I was in politics as well. My philosophy in life is to be genial with everyone. However, if I feel that I made a mistake, I will go to them to say sorry.

Do you want to be the GodFather of the industry?
All I want is harmony in the industry. I don’t want to involve in unnecessary things. However, if the industry needs me, I’ll do the needful.

There is a political vacuum in AP. Do you feel regret for not continuing in politics?
Had I continued the political party, I would have shifted to Andhra Pradesh. I’m happy that people from both states love me.