Showing posts with label Nandamuri Balakrishna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nandamuri Balakrishna. Show all posts
The second coming: From Sunny Deol to Akshaye Khanna, mature actors score big at the box office
10:14 AM
Actors aged 50-70 are delivering the goods across Hindi, southern cinema as acting skills trump media gimmicks
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; February 5, 2026)
Mumbai: Men with dad bodies, crow feet and grey hair around balding pates are barrelling the cinema box office with gravitas, character and depth. They are also charging hefty premiums while crashing the youngsters' rave in cinema halls and OTT platforms. Films starring mature actors aged 50-70 have recorded impressive box-office collections across Hindi and southern cinema reflecting audiences' growing preference for acting skills and character depth over stardom hype and social media gimmicks, leading producers and distributors told ET. The "second innings" of these actors have turned the match.
In recent years, mature actors such as Sunny Deol (68), Chiranjeevi (70), Nandamuri Balakrishna (65), Venkatesh (65) and Akshaye Khanna (50) have either delivered solo hits or contribute meaningfully to noteworthy hits, giving a run for the money to younger peers.
Notably, these mature actors today are charging fees in the Rs. 15-50 crore range, considerably higher than Rs. 2-10 crore they charged at the prime of their careers, trade analysts said.
Films such as Border 2 (India collection: Rs. 335.7 crore), Dhurandhar (India collection: Rs. 1,004 crore), Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu (India collection: Rs. 245 crore), Daaku Maharaaj (India collection: Rs. 108 crore) and Sankranthiki Vasthunam (India collection: Rs. 225 crore) are prominent successes of these mature actors.
"It is impressive that films of mature actors are recording above Rs. 100 crore at the box office almost consistently. After Gadar 2 and Jaat, Sunny Deol delivered another winner in Border 2 at the age of 68 in today's highly unpredictable times," explained Shaaminder Malik, film distributor and trade analyst.
Producers attribute the captivating charisma of these long-established stars as a fundamental reason for their success.
"Across languages, actors in their 50s and above are delivering extraordinary performances. Films today demand larger-than-life, deeply rooted Indian characters. These mature actors who have distinct personalities are showcasing these elements with conviction and gravitas. Audiences are returning to theatres because these actors bring in certain authenticity," said Sunil Bohra, co-founder, Bohra Bros.
These actors have long-established connections with multiple generations of audiences, which works for them.
"These stars attract a wide and multi-generational audience. In a time when younger actors are over-exposed across platforms, the familiarity, trust and legacy of these mature stars work in their favour," shared Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder and director, Karmic Films.
He said that today's audiences are less focused on actors' age. They value depth of talent, presence, nuances, and suitability for roles.
Producers said that the emergence of credible larger-than-life stories such as Dhurandhar have worked in favour of these stars.
"The wave seems to have shifted from south to Hindi film industry. Directors in Hindi film industry are making credible larger-than-life films. These films are working as audiences are responding to them. These mature actors are talented. Today, the difference is they are getting the right roles which exploit their talent," explained producer Rajesh R Nair.
These stars' flexibility in accepting roles which are beyond their 'set image', opportunities from streaming platforms, and almost constant social media buzz around them have worked for these stars, producers said.
Bobby Deol, Urvashi Rautela-starrer NBK109’s set in Ooty ‘not damaged’
8:52 AM
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 19, 2023)
Nandamuri Balakrishna-starrer NBK109, which also features Bobby Deol and Urvashi Rautela, wrapped up its Ooty schedule on Sunday. But the team has denied reports that the film’s set in Ooty got damaged due to inclement weather in Tamil Nadu.
“Nothing has happened. We managed to finish the shoot right on time. Because of the cyclone, the team decided to wrap up strictly on schedule. Everything went smoothly and the team is planning the next schedule,” a source tells us.
Rautela, who was also in Ooty with the team, has returned to Mumbai. The source adds that the actor “plays a police offer in the film and is the main lead”.
Another source indicates that Deol will join the crew in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh, where the film’s next schedule is supposed to take place. “But nothing has been finalised yet. Bobby Deol, who plays the negative lead opposite Dulquer Salmaan and Nandamuri Balakrishna, might also join them there,” says the insider.
There were thousands of fans outside Balakrishna's house; he met all of them-Arjun Rampal
8:59 AM
Foraying into Telugu cinema with Bhagavanth Kesari, Arjun Rampal on how he tackled the language to play the antagonist in the action comedy
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 22, 2023)
In the past few years, many Bollywood actors have tried their hand at south movies. Arjun Rampal is the latest to jump on the bandwagon, with his maiden Telugu film Bhagavanth Kesari that hit the marquee on October 19. The actor was initially hesitant about signing the Nandamuri Balakrishna-starrer as he doesn’t speak the language, but all it took was a meeting with director Anil Ravipudi to change his mind.
“I’ve been offered other south films before, but I wasn’t certain how I would tackle the language. That was my biggest fear. Anil Ravipudi and producer Sahu Garapati came down to Mumbai and narrated the script to me. I liked the story, and Anil’s energy. He assured me that I would get my lines in advance, and that they would send someone to rehearse my lines with me,” says Rampal.
Though Ravipudi offered to have someone dub his lines in Telugu, the actor decided to give it a go himself. “I would ask for my lines, learn the meaning of every word and memorise my dialogues before I came on set. Then I would sit with [my language coach] Rajesh [to better it]. Telugu is a difficult language; each word is [as long as] a sentence in Hindi, and you have to say it fast. I felt that saying my lines would help me emote [better].”
In the action comedy, Rampal plays antagonist Rahul Sanghvi, a business tycoon who locks horns with Balakrishna’s character. It was fun stepping into the role for the actor, who quips, “I have not worn such colourful clothes ever!”
He has done several grey roles in Hindi cinema too. Does he gravitate towards them? “Playing a negative role is difficult and tiring because you have to switch to a mode that has nothing to do with you as a person. You have to create the badness in your mind. You can go to bed more peacefully playing positive characters.”
Working with Balakrishna, one of Telugu film industry’s top stars, was a fantastic experience for Rampal. “In our first meeting, when I went to meet him on his birthday, there were thousands of fans outside his home. As we made our way to the gate and it was opened, the fans rushed in and we were left out. [I noticed that] he met all of them. He is a gentleman, disciplined and enthusiastic about his work.”
If south films have made 3 times amount of money that Hindi films are making, why does this divide exists-Shruti Haasan
8:27 AM
Citing reason behind being turned down for Bollywood film, Shruti on how success of Baahubali, RRR have done little to bridge gap between industries
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 26, 2022)
Asserting that a female Bollywood actor with prominent roles in films starring Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, or Akshay Kumar would be sought-after in any Indian film industry would be a justified analysis. However, Shruti Haasan would testify that Bollywood doesn’t seem to be equally welcoming of revered female actors from other film industries. Haasan may have a line-up of projects with the south Indian film industry’s megastars — Prabhas (Salaar), Chiranjeevi (Mega 154) and Nandamuri Balakrishna (NBK107) — but is still frowned upon when being considered for a Hindi film.
Haasan says, “Several southern technicians, like DOP’s and action choreographers, have been working in Hindi movies for years. They don’t blow their trumpets. They complete the work quietly, and return home. That is the work ethic. [This rift] cannot exist in 2022. If south films have made three times the amount of money that Hindi films are making, one wonders why this divide exists?” she asks, referring to movies like Baahubali, RRR, and Pushpa, which found several takers in consumers of Hindi cinema too.
A recent incident has left a particularly bad taste in Haasan’s mouth. “I met [a team] for work in a Bollywood movie, and they said, ‘Oh! But you belong to the south.’ I told them [about my parents], that I made my debut with a Hindi film, I speak the language fluently, and live in Mumbai. When I was shooting for the Hollywood series Treadstone in Dharamshala, I met young monks who had seen all my Telugu films which were dubbed in Hindi. People know Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada actors. The audience is leading the way. They are the ones buying the tickets and making the movies blockbusters.”
While the success of films like Baahubali and KGF: Chapter 2 has played a significant role in erasing the lines demarcating the industries, Haasan says a large chunk of the responsibility also falls on the shoulders of the common man. “We must change how we communicate with people of different cultures. The way we say, ‘Gujarati log aise hote hai’, ‘Tamil log accounting karte hai’, ‘Punjabi log khana khaate hai’ is stereotypical, and should not happen in 2022. Our beauty is in our diversity. Isn’t it sad that we tear down people over differences? Cinema can pave the way for the celebration of these differences.”
Image: Rana Daggubati meets Chandrababu Naidu for NTR biopic
7:53 AM
The actor plays the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in the film which also features Nandamuri Balakrishna
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 6, 2018)
Mirror (July 3) had earlier reported that Rana Daggubati will play Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the biopic on Telugu actor-turned-politician Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) that will feature his son Nandamuri Balakrishna in the titular role. The Bahubali actor met the politician on Friday as a part of his prep.
Rana informs that when the film was still being scripted, Balakrishna had called to say he wanted him to play Chandrababu Naidu. He’s happy that Krish, a dear friend with whom he collaborated on the 2012 Telugu action drama, Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum, is on board as the director. “Both of us are huge NTR fans. His life journey is an important story as he was our first face and voice and struck a chord with every Telugu speaking person across the world,” asserts the 33-year-old actor.
Rana has never played a living person before and is excited to take on the challenge. “For 25 years, I’ve seen Mr Naidu reign as a politician. He has had a great influence on our people and society,” he avers, saying he doesn’t plan on aping Naidu. “We’ve been working with images and videos from the archives taking us back to his days as youth student leader and his early days in politics to the beginning of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).”
Rana’s grandfather D Rama Naidu had established his production house with the 1964 Telugu comedy Ramudu Bheemudu featuring NTR. That film was remade in Hindi as Ram Aur Shyam and in Tamil as Enga Veettu Pillai. “Even as an actor, I learnt the language, along with history and mythology, through his films so it’s an honour to be a part of his biopic,” says the actor whose favourite NTR film is the 1977 Telugu mythological Daana Veera Soora Karna in which his hero played the triple role of Karna, Krishna and Duryodhana. He also enjoyed the 1951 fantasy Patala Bhairavi.
Rana is also thrilled to work with Vidya Balan who plays NTR’s wife, Basavatarakam. “She is a fine actress and I’ve been hearing great things about her from Krish,” he smiles.
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