After the successive successes of his films - Dookudu and Businessman, Mahesh Babu has organized a media interview at his residence. He replied to the questions of media people in his spontaneous yet precise style. Here are the excerpts of a group interview -
What is the secret of your ever-growing glamor?
Happiness
How does it feel to have two back-to-back blockbusters?
It’s like a dream. It gives me a big responsibility.
You have given mass films like Dookudu and Businessman now. You are doing a family subject as your next?
I never planned anything. I had accepted the film SVSC during the pre-production stage of Dookudu. It has a fantastic story and a perfect follow-up film for Dookudu and Businessman. I feel very lucky to have such a line up of movies.
Mahesh Babu interview (11:49 minutes)
Do you believe in luck?
Yes.
How did you accept the story of Businessman?
I listened to the story line of the movie and asked Puri Jagan to go ahead with the shoot. I didn’t listen to the entire script as I was busy doing the dubbing of Dookudu. I could able to listen to the entire story only after 10 days of shoot. The entire film runs on me and there is no scope for any comedians or sentiment scenes. The entire story runs on a single thread. The strength of Businessman is the strong characterization. I made it sure that Puri Jagan shoot the movie the way he wanted. If I tinker with story for the sake of formula and comedy, the result would have been exactly opposite. Businessman has new type of narration and it worked. It’s a film of new genre. It is a rare character and I do get these kind of characters very rarely.
Do you have any dream character?
I used to have dream characters before. But, now I learnt that we should choose the best from what we get. I take a character as it comes and surrender myself to it.
How did you maintain such consistency in your performance throughout the movie Businessman?
It was easy to do it because it was shot in 70 working days. Had it been taken 5-6 months, I would have struggled to keep up with consistency.
Any plans of remaking Alluri Seetaramaraju?
No. It is a classic and I don't want to spoil it by remaking it.
What about bond films?
I wouldn't want to remake any of my father's hits. For the next five years, I don’t want to do any experiments.
Who is the person behind your success?
My wife, my family and my father. If your home is good, everything is going to be good (illu bagunte, antha baguntundi).
What happened to Mani Ratnam and Shankar’s project?
They didn’t materialise in the last minute. I am open to do films with them when I get an opportunity.
Your father is a prolific hero who acted in over 300 films. Are you going to have more releases?
I am ready to work every day. I am making sure that there are 2 releases every year. If anybody can direct as quickly as Puri Jagan, there might be three films an year.
Your father Krishna’s judgments are turning out to be true?
Yes. As an actor we lose judgment while the shooting is going on. Though we hope for the best, we are not sure of success after the shooting is completed. That’s when my father’s prediction gives me a lot of confidence. You can find a change in his voice if he doesn’t like a movie.
You have mastered timing of comedy in recent movies?
People used to think that I am weak at comedy. But Khaleja and Dookudu proved that I am good at comedy. I am very happy with my comedy timing/sense in Dookudu film.
Most of the straight Telugu films directed by Tamil directors are not doing well. Whats the reason?
May be they lack grip on Telugu language. I personally feel that a director has to be a good writer to make it happen in Telugu.
Any plans of introducing Gowtam as a child artist?
It’s up to Gowtam.