He roars on the big screen, and triumphs at the box office. He’s witnessed the glory of the Oscars with RRR, which catapulted him into a pan-India star. But the role that Ram Charan is revelling in the most now, is playing daddy to his baby girl, Klin Kaara Konidela, who turns one soon. He rarely sits down for an interview, but on his first Father's Day, we had the superstar gushing about his li’l girl and admitting that he’s “addicted” to her in an exclusive conversation with us. Of course, the chat wouldn’t be complete without the mention of his own role model, his father and superstar, Chiranjeevi. Here’s to superstars playing super dads in their real-life roles. Read on…

During the first six months, I felt nothing, except a sense of responsibility and the fact that a new member of the family had joined us. I was amazed at the bond that a mother and child share and I just could not replicate that. Then I spoke to a friend of mine who is also a senior parent, and he told me that it happens and it’s normal to feel that way and that he didn’t feel that kind of connect with his second child until nearly a year after her birth. Now that Klin is interacting and recognizing people, she misses me when I am not at home…the whole ball game changed. I feel left out when I am not around her, so I don’t feel like going out.

Yes, for the next couple of years, I will plan my schedules around her, at least till the time she starts school. I don’t want to miss a single moment with Klin. I have worked hard for 15 years, and now I want to be back home by 6 pm. I tell my producers that this is how it is going to be. When I see her, my heart lights up. I just don’t feel like going to work. I don’t even let her go for a shower in the morning. I’m like, what, babies don’t need a shower! I’m that addicted to her.

I feed Klin at least twice a day, I love doing that. I do my readings with her, too. Upasana (wife) is a fantastic parent, but when it comes to feeding her, no one can beat me. I can get her to finish the whole bowl of food, I have some superpower when it comes to this.

When he’s with Klin, he becomes like her older sibling. He lets her hit him, punch him… it’s really cute to see that side of my father. He says, “Don’t call me grandfather, it’s so boring, call me Chirutha.” In Telugu, Tha (Thatha) means grandfather, and he adds Chiru to it. Chirutha also means Cheetah in our language. Just seeing my parents enjoy their time with Klin fills me with joy. You know it’s been a 10-year-long wait for Upasana and me, so we are all so happy. Klin has brought so much of luck into our lives.

I feel a lot of change has come about now with exposure and awareness. In the early years of a child’s life, it is crucial to provide them with a sense of security, where they feel cared for and not neglected. These are the foundation years, if we don’t focus on this now, later, this can turn into attention-seeking habits. So, I take her to play school, go to swimming classes with her, and take her to my readings so that we are part of each other’s routine.

It’s the way my father communicates and expresses himself. Ask anyone in the family and they will tell you that the number one quality of Mr Chiranjeevi is his communication and sense of appreciation for any kind of job well done. He would tell me, ‘In my growing up days as a struggling actor, I used to wait for people to appreciate me and say, Hey, Chiru, you did a good job.’ So, when he thinks someone deserves appreciation, he goes ahead and expresses it. Sometimes, at parties, my actor friends come up to me and tell me, ‘Hey Ram, your dad called me.’ I don’t even know he’s done that. He takes time out to reach out to my friends, whether it is Mahesh Babu or NTR Jr, to show them his appreciation for their work.

What he said is true. He didn’t say it so because it’s the right thing to say. He truly believes in what he said, and I can see it in the way he lives his life. He still wakes up at 5 am and competes with me in the gym. He doesn’t do it because he’s an actor, he does it for himself, to stay fit and healthy. He’s meeting more directors. He’s the busiest actor right now. He’s signed four films, and I am doing only one or two films (laughs). I don’t think my father is getting older, he’s reverse ageing.

Absolutely! Personally, I feel that if she explores her mother’s side, it will be great because we have so many actors on my side, we are so confused with so many releases in a year, and we are all fighting for release dates. Now I don’t want to fight with my daughter in this space (laughs).”

I think that’s what children do to us. At first, it is our parents who tell us how to be. And then, it’s our children who guide us in a certain way. The last one year has been a very interesting phase for me – from becoming more responsible, not just in my career and with regards to earning more for my family, but overall, as a person. I think my mind and body are functioning differently. After becoming a father, it feels like something inside me, like a software inside me has rebooted.

The good or bad part about me is that I don’t know how to take pressure. In fact, when a movie hasn’t done well, I have had a party. And when RRR became a success, I remember that for one week, I didn’t come out of the house. I was relieved, relaxed and just enjoyed family time. So, with me, it’s a contrast. In the same way, when I see someone like my father in the house, I don’t know how to react to it. I believe what I am doing today and right now is what is important. I think I do what is right as a son, father, brother…for that day. And if I can achieve it every day, I think I will achieve it in the years ahead.

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Talking about what he truly admires about his father, Ram says, “My father’s communication skills, dedication towards his work and his discipline are exemplary. He tells me, ‘I don’t care how successful you are, Ram, you have to take care of your dedicated staff around you. Secondly, however big or old you are, make sure you are disciplined, because even on your bad days, your discipline will see you through.’ He’s my inspiration and a living role model. It is difficult to live with a man like that (laughs).”

Ram Charan and Chang Jae-bok, Korean Ambassador to India, match steps to the Oscar-winning song Naatu Naatu at the meet

During a G20 session held on film tourism in Srinagar, Ram Charan told Indian and foreign delegates that while he usually prefers to talk very little about his achievements, he never gets tired of discussing RRR.

Ram Charan said, “I shy away from talking about my achievements, that’s how detached I am from my work. However, when it comes to RRR, it’s a different story. It’s not merely my movie, my song, or my Academy Award. It’s not my director (S S Rajamouli) or my composer (M M Keeravani won best original song for Naatu Naatu) who won it, it’s the people who won it. It’s the people who have taken it to the Academy (Awards) and across the globe. ”

Apart from recalling his visits to Kashmir as a child, Ram Charan also spoke about his love for the place. He said, “No matter what we hear about Kashmir, this is such a surreal feeling to be here,” adding, “I feel like a tourist when I come here, because this place is something I look at in awe. This is a beautiful untapped place. I want this beautiful paradise to remain like this.”

Sharing filming experience and how the Naatu Naatu transcended boundaries, Charan said, “When I did the Naatu Naatu song, we shot that song for 17 days. Even now when I talk about this song, my knees hurt. I don’t know (how they did it), you just do it for the passion of the song. It was the highest grossing film in India and we were more than happy, and I actually moved on to my next project. Then we got a call saying that, at Chinese theatres in LA, some audience members are appreciating your film and that video of people enjoying it in a theatre went viral...,” adding, “I am just proud of the fact that the West or the East have taken interest in our films and our emotions which are so rooted to our culture and traditions, not in any other countries’ feelings or emotions. A film with a true Indian director, true Indian producer, true Indian actors and a true Indian emotion went across the globe and achieved what it achieved. I’m just proud and I thank my director (S S Rajamouli) for doing this. It is not a Hollywood studio. This is a pure desi film.”

Making a magnum opus like RRR is no cakewalk. But Ram Charan was assured of pulling off the ambitious period drama for a singular reason — S S Rajamouli. The Baahubali franchise has proved that he is one of the most reliable directors when it comes to mounting a film on a lavish scale. The director has raised the stakes with his latest release that tells the story of two 19th century revolutionaries who fought against the British Raj.

“When you are working with a star of that stature, there are so many ideas coming to your head. You wonder, ‘Will we be able to pull off this vision?’ But everything fell in place because of one man’s vision. We completely surrendered to his vision,” says Charan, who plays Alluri Sitarama Raju in RRR. The film marks his second venture with Rajamouli after Magadheera (2009).

“Over the years, he has evolved as a director to bring a realistic touch to his fictional characters. His writing and characterization have become [more nuanced]; he has understood the market. This is one of my films where I have delivered a subtle performance.”

Considering the story largely revolves around Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem’s friendship and shared ideals, the film hinged on Charan and Jr NTR’s chemistry. The fan clubs of the two south stars are known to be at loggerheads. “We had to have a genuine bond so that it translated on screen. There is genuine fondness for each other.”

RRR, designed as a pan-India film, has extended cameos by Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt. Charan is impressed after his first collaboration with Bhatt. “I have been an admirer of her work since Highway [2014]. After Raazi [2018], I became her fan. After working with her, I understood why people love her so much. There were times when I didn’t get my Telugu lines properly, but she got them bang-on. She was a thorough professional.”