"We are destined to win."
"We are destined to win!"
Oaksmith packaged drinking water and Country Delight presents
'Jayammu Nishchayammu Raa' with me, Jagapathi.
Co-powered by Vijay JB Infra Private Limited,
Continental XTRA and Jar App.
Celebration partner, Ibaco.
Special partner, Macho Hint.
And associate sponsor, Telugu Matrimony.
Fashion partner:The Arvind Store.
From 1989 to 2009,
you know, on every Friday release day...
I mean, the films where I was the hero.
I used to be up all night, you know, till dawn
to check the report.
To know the public reaction.
I used to worry about things like my role in the film, banner,
whether the producer is going to make back the money.
These thoughts used to exhaust me.
So, I decided to be a character artist.
But then, in 2025 for this show, 'Jayammu Nishchayammu',
I spent a sleepless night to know the report.
But I have received a lot of love and appreciation from you.
I've received enough encouragement. Thank you very much. Love you.
You took your own sweet time to accept me as a hero.
But the acceptance was quick as a villain and for the small screen.
The most important thing in life is...
Ambition. And you should be ready to lose everything for that.
Only then can you score a goal!
Well, even after scoring a goal, you shouldn't relax
and aim for victory. That brings glory!
And today's guest is a guest full of glory!
Natural Star our beloved Nani!
Where is Nani? Nani, where are you?
Hey, Nani!
Sir, I'm in Production Control room. I'm coming.
What are you doing there?
Yeah. - I've a surprise for you.
Old habits die hard. I'm coming, sir.
What is he doing in PCR? Does he still work in PCR?
While I was waiting to surprise you, you surprised me!
It was a small surprise.
Aren't you going to ask about it?
This itself is a surprise, sir.
This set, you being the host, and then...
It has got something to do with small kids.
Oh! Nice. Who are they?
Where are they? - On the way. They are late, just like you.
Perhaps, they are in the PCR.
Kids, come on!
"You are our beloved Nani."
"And your magnetic smile"
"always pulls us towards you."
"You are the benchmark"
"for natural acting in our film industry."
"And you were born to act."
"You value only two things. Art and creativity."
"And you are one of the brightest stars in the sky of filmdom."
"Your eyes so expressive that they can bring out all emotions."
"And your dialogues give us goosebumps"
"You have the ability to become the character."
"And there are very few who could do that."
"Since you are very hard working, victory will be yours."
"You glitter like pure gold even on the silver screen"
"I can't wait to see you..."
These are our Zee Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs.
They sang beautifully.
Okay, Nani. Please sit down.
Nani, do you remember when we met for the first time? - Sir.
Our first meeting. We have met so many times, sir.
I'm not able to recall, sir. Do you remember? - No?
I don't remember our first meeting, sir.
If you get beaten up, you would remember, too. - What?
What are you talking about?
I'm certain it was not at any shoot, obviously.
We have met several times before doing 'Tuck'.
The very first meeting.
We were at Goa for a wedding.
Nandini's brother's... - Before that, you and Nandini...
Nandini came down to meet with me.
While talking to her, I asked her who was in the car.
She said, 'His name's Nani. He's an upcoming artist.'
But you didn't get out of the car.
What was on your mind? Did you think I wasn't worth knowing?
Or were you too shy to... - Come on, sir.
First of all, I wasn't an upcoming artist then.
I wanted to be a director.
Okay. Whatever... - I was an assistant director.
But you didn't want to get out. - Well...
I did so because I didn't want to disturb you two.
So, I didn't... - Are you sure?
One hundred percent sure.
I was very hesitant and an introvert.
I was an extreme introvert back then.
So, I must have thought not to disturb you or her for that matter.
I'm going to bring this up again after a while.
Okay, Naveen Kumar Ghanta.
Naveen Babu. - I'll come to that later.
I have 'Babu' in my name, too.
That name was given to me after I started working in films.
There were too many Babus in the industry.
It was your birth name, right? - My dad's name is Rambabu.
I studied
in Edupugallu. Siddhartha School. I was in eighth grade.
When I was in that school, I was a bit of a prankster.
So they handed me the TC and sent me away.
And in that TC... There was this receptionist.
She must have wondered how the son's name
could be only Naveen when the dad's name was Rambabu.
She turned my name into Naveen Babu.
That name stuck with me from then on.
And that name reflects in my passport and everything.
That's how it became Naveen Babu. Universe has conspired... - Yes...
Babu. - Babu.
You have a powerful name.
Sounds like the name of an IPS or IAS.
It's a great name.
Naveen Babu Ghanta.
In my eyes, a name is just an identity.
For instance, my parents, or family, for that matter, the audience
and my fans call me Nani out of love, you know.
As far as I'm concerned, my name is Nani, sir.
But one needs an official name, so...
People called you Nani before you came into films?
Everyone called me Nani ever since I was a kid. - Really?
Yes. - Oh?
Even in school, all my friends called me Nani. Only teachers...
They used to call me Naveen. - Oh...
Nani was close to heart than Naveen.
Okay. I thought Nani was your screen name.
No, sir. That's not the case.
You are going to answer my questions now. 'Na', 'Ni'.
Oh? - Okay?
Your dad was in a job or had a business.
He used to work with Godavari Fertilizers.
And then, he quit that job
and started a few small businesses.
He ran a chit fund for a while.
None of the businesses were successful per se.
But mom was like an anchor for our family.
Mom was a pharmacist at CGHS, you know.
Since mom had a steady job, dad was able to
take risks and do businesses.
She was the only breadwinner of the family
for a few years, you know.
Dad was dependent on mom in his own way.
My sister and I were dependent on mom as well.
My dad was a big... Obviously...
He was very ambitious and very efficient.
But he used to blindly believe people.
He even made my mom sign papers, you know.
He did favours for friends.
Doesn't have to be a friend. He even helped out strangers.
'Rambabu, I need help.' That would do the trick.
He didn't mind even pledging his house to help them out.
Mom would always complain about this.
She would go, 'You did nothing for our children.'
And I keep telling her that she should stop complaining.
Because God has taken good care of their children.
Having a good heart is important. That's the most important quality.
I think because of my dad's helping nature,
we children were blessed.
I think we are doing good today because of our dad's nature.
After you turned into a hero, your mom retired from her job.
She kept saying no to me.
You know, until I did about 15 films.
Without our knowledge... I mean...
Well, we had a car of our own back then.
And I was always more than ready to take her to the office.
But mom was used to a routine.
She wanted to walk to the bus stop.
And take a bus to her office. She used to object
and go, 'You shouldn't waste petrol Unnecessarily.'
You know, I think...
The middle-class mentality never goes away. So...
With time, mom became old. But you can't
ask her to stop doing something that she loves. As soon as she goes
to the office, she gets busy talking to patients, you know,
giving them medicines.
I kept telling mom to quit.
But she never listened. I think it was 2016...
I kind of insisted that she must take care of her health.
I forced her to retire. I even went to her office on her last day.
I sat at the counter where mom distributed medicines.
And I handed medicines to the patients that day.
I took pictures with them. It was a grand retirement for mom.
We even threw a party. Finally, we talked her into it.
Very nice. Very sweet. I met them.
I met your mom... - I know.
At my house. - Yes, they visited you once.
Basically, this is my take. Mum's guidance and upbringing...
It made you a star. Of course, your passion. - Yes, sir.
If you listen to your mom, you can be the next Nani. Remember that.
Now it's your turn to give answers.
You mean, to your questions?
This isn't that kind of show.
But you said it was all about missing each other.
Okay. It's more like messing with each other. - You know...
You put that idea in my head.
Okay. I don't have a choice. Come on, go ahead.
Who were you, mama's boy, or father's pet?
Mama's boy. - As he said a while ago...
If you listen to your mom, you can be the next Jagapathi Babu.
It would be safe to conclude
that if you listen to your mom, you can be Babu.
That's our conclusion. - Yes.
True. One hundred percent.
I'm sure your dad influenced you a lot. Because, you know,
you must have seen him. - I'd say very less.
My dad is a legend in his own right.
I hardly interacted with him. So he didn't influence me much.
He must have been busy. - Yes, he was very busy.
Weren't you inspired when you heard people talk about him?
Or when someone spoke to you about him?
Kind of... - That happened quite late... Until you see...
When 'Dasara Bullodu' came out, I was twelve years old.
So I hardly knew what success was. What is...
You know, how huge it was. I didn't know.
I realised it much later. I'm still realising.
You were born in Challapalli, right?
Well, our roots are in Hyderabad.
But mom went there for her delivery.
My grandpa was an agricultural officer.
And, you know, every year he used to get...
Transferred to a new place.
I used to spend my summer holidays at different places
like Ramachandrapuram, Challapalli...
I spent my summer holidays in different cities.
And mom went to Challapalli and that's where I was born.
In a hospital named Shashank or something.
I don't remember the exact name, but...
I can help you with it. - What?
I really can.
I was born there, but I was brought up over here.
Where was your house in Hyderabad?
The first 24 years of life...
I lived in Begumpet, sir.
There's one Leelanagar between Ameerpet and Begumpet.
MCH ground is in that area, so is Satyam theatre.
I spent my youth over there.
And then, after becoming an actor,
and once I got married, I shifted from there.
Naveen Babu, let's take a walk through your house.
What? How are you going to do that?
Come on!
The last one was a picture of the house
where I grew up and lived for 20 years.
There are so many memories. There used to be a guava tree.
Well, if I wasn't around, or not to be found,
then they used to look for me in that tree.
I fell from that tree and injured myself on multiple occasions.
And that gap which you can see on the opposite side...
I used to sit over there and brush my teeth.
And my grandpa used to take a walk every morning.
If you push someone who is sitting on their feet and brushing,
they fall, right? It was my grandpa's favourite activity.
He loved pushing us with his feet.
There are so many memories.
We used to fly kites during Sankranti.
The kites used to fall on those plants behind.
There were at least five ways to go to the roof of the house.
You can go from behind, sideways,
from the front and from my guava tree.
There were so many ways, you see.
Why did you come up with so many ways?
Because I was trying to find the shortest path.
Going to the roof was like walking into the house.
Okay. - There are so many memories.
What you're seeing now is a hall. And we used to have a small TV.
And the antenna was in that corner.
Only when it is at a particular angle, you could see
the picture on TV. - Yes.
I used to go to the roof and my sister
would stand in front of the TV.
'Can you see the picture now?' - No.
'How about now?', 'No.' - It's still hazy.
There are so many such memories.
It feels so good to see these pictures.
Nani, now that you spoke about the house where you grew up,
I'm holding something, which will bring back childhood memories.
I'm going to show it to the audience.
Oh...
How did you find this anyway?
I didn't know it still existed. It's my school ID card.
St. Alphonsa.
I'm going to frame this, sir.
Can I take this home? Oh? Thank you.
Thank you so much. - Completely yours.
It's very special. Thank you.
For a moment, he was behaving like a kid.
Thank you, Zee. Thank you, sir. Yeah.
It's a very special memory. It is to dangle from my neck.
If there was a tag, I'm sure you would've worn it now. - Correct.
It used to stay here, you know.
It is so cute.
Where did you find this, sir?
I'm sure you have a spy living in my house.
We had to steal it. - I understand. It's all sinking in slowly.
Were you a good student? - Not at all, sir.
Well, I was the last in studies among all our cousins and in class.
'If you don't study, you'll end up like Nani.' people used to say.
I was a bad example. But I somehow, you know...
I used to get a passing score.
I somehow passed Intermediate.
And then, I joined a college.
But dropped out in my second year. By then, I knew.
I realised there was no point in studying like that.
Those certificates will be of no use and I wouldn't get any job.
That's when I decided to do something that comes
naturally to me and started pursuing it.
Were you a good student?
Please tell us about yourself.
What do you want to know? - Were you a good student?
Whose interview is this? - What?
What the heck are you doing? - Didn't you say in the beginning
it was about missing each other?
Okay. I was the worst student in my class.
Thanks for being so candid. Now, I can open up, too.
It's an open book. My schooling was a disaster.
I was demoted twice.
And I attended one class for an hour in three years of my college.
In comparison with you, I'm a good student.
Do you remember any of your school teachers?
A couple of them, I guess, who didn't whip me.
Name them, please. - Ms Gowri was my fifth grade teacher.
Okay... - I started my fifth grade
in a new school, St. Alphonsa's.
I moved from a public school to that school.
My English was very bad.
And everyone in this new school, spoke good English.
If anyone spoke in Telugu, there was a penalty of one rupee.
'What is your name?' was the only sentence I knew in English.
In my initial days at that school,
I kept to myself and never spoke with anyone.
You know, I was very scared. The person who instilled courage
in me and took time out to speak with me was Ms Gowri.
She was my class teacher.
So, that's how she became my favourite teacher.
I do remember the names of my sirs.
And also the names of other teachers. But they all
used to beat me up.
So, I'm not going to give you their names.
But I heard a different name altogether from your school days.
You mean, teachers? - Aren't you in touch with anyone of late?
Who am I in touch with lately?
There were a few tuition teachers. Binduakka and so on.
I'm not able to recall.
What about Ms Sundari? - Sorry. Ms Sundaramma ma'am.
Yes, Sundaramma... - Sundaramma ma'am...
She took good care of me.
Before exams, she used to telephone my parents
and enquire about me.
Whether I'm up and studying or not, you know.
She used to talk to my mom always.
Sundaramma ma'am. - When was the last time you spoke with her?
I think it was a year back or something like that.
I ran into her unexpectedly and I was very thrilled.
And she said her grandchildren like me a lot. I even invited her home.
I think it's been one year or something.
Shall we watch an AV of her?
Oh, my God. - Turn around.
Turn around completely.
Oh, my God!
How are you, ma'am? So good to see you.
What a surprise!
It is so good to see her. Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.
She was the one who believed in me.
She used to call my home frequently.
She used to ask if I was studying or not.
My own family didn't believe in me.
She believed in me. She pushed me forward.
I wasn't great at studies. But she believed in me.
Thank you. This is a good surprise.
You look so handsome. - Thank you. Thank you.
I don't have to specifically say anything about Nani.
We used to call him Naveen Babu.
How was he at school?
He was fine.
Was he mischievous? - He was silently mischievous.
Can I say something? - Go ahead.
He used to sleep in class.
He had a best friend. - Yes.
I am the class teacher. I will take the attendance.
He used to wake him up when it was his turn.
I remember it very well. He used to sit in the fifth bench.
It is a big deal that you remember me among all those students.
But she remembered me. She took special care of me.
It is not possible without any special connection.
How did you connect with him? He wasn't good at studies.
He wasn't super mischievous. - I sleep in class.
He sleeps in class. - That's not the case.
We analyse every aspect. Not just studies.
We care about the marks. We care about what they learn.
What did you like about him back then?
He was quiet. He was mostly by himself.
He has a friendly nature.
Faasil is his good friend. - Yes.
He used to have great fun at his place during Ramzan.
We used to give them homework.
We want them to do their homework over the holidays.
They both never did.
On top of that...
Faasil used to tell me about this.
Faasil says he was with me all day.
We are confident Mrs Sundaramma would never scold us.
Was he handsome back then? Was he cute? Was he chubby?
He was never chubby.
I have gathered a few photos of him.
He was very thin back then. - Very thin.
He was short. - Yeah.
He wasn't tall enough for tenth grade as well.
He looked good, though.
He was naughty every now and then.
Those are natural for kids his age. - Yes.
He never disturbed the class with his mischievous behaviour.
He doesn't act mischievous even now.
Now I can't do anything as such, sir.
Well, you can't get caught. - That's right. Can't get caught.
He was good at acting.
We recognised it back then.
Were you the groom when you were in tenth class?
Was it a wedding? - Yes. Yes.
Yes. Yes. - Do you remember the performance?
I am the bride's father.
A boy was dressed as a bride. - Yes. Yes.
I can't say yes to the wedding. It was a skit. - Skit.
He was the director.
Oh! - He wrote the dialogues too.
He got 80% in his tenth grade.
I had no idea how I managed to get that, madam.
I have no idea.
You gave your pet student to our industry and he became a star.
Pradeep. He was from our school. - Yes, he was from our school.
He is also doing very well.
Sharwanand.
Yes, Sharwa studied in the same school.
There are other students who became actors.
I can't remember their names.
The school was lucky for all of us.
School was lucky for you.
St Alphonsa School is what brought us together. - Yes, true.
I worked there when these children studied there.
As long as there are teachers like you,
you are the image of the school.
A school is defined by its teachers.
I think we are all...
"You are destined to win..."
I really want to thank the team. I don't know how you managed this.
Thank you so much, madam.
I will come home once.
We will live all those memories.
We must talk about those days.
You said you have photos. I want to see them. - I have them.
I will definitely come home. - I will show you those pictures.
Yeah. Yeah.
This is my class photo.
I don't have this photo.
The lean boy in the corner over here is me.
Everyone knows you are handsome.
Let's talk about your crushes.
Crush? - Who was your first crush?
Crush...
In a way, when I was a young kid...
When I was in third grade, I remember having a crush.
There's a photo, actually. - Which grade were you in?
Maybe third or fourth grade, sir.
Third. - There used to be a girl.
Everyone called her Sony. I won't take her full name.
I talked about this a bunch of times.
We performed a skit in which she was dressed as a princess.
Pramod, do you know who that girl is?
Who? Hey!
"Let's have the ultimate fun."
How are you calling these people? Where did you find him?
I came running to you when you mentioned that.
Did you mention any crushes?
We called him to know about your crushes.
Whom did you have a crush on?
We called you here to know the truth.
He won't know anything.
We were quite relaxed.
Why don't you say it? - Say it, man. Say it.
He is challenging you to say it.
Hey! Hey! Hey!
No! - Ready. Ready. Ready. Which one?
Which grade was it?
You don't need them after the show.
You will need me after the show. - Look at that.
Be random. Say I had a few crushes.
Just a few random crushes. - He doesn't want me to say.
He is threatening me.
He was a dream boy back then, too. - Yes.
Dreamer. My teacher said I used to sleep in class.
I used to dream about things when I slept at school.
What about Dream Girl?
There was also a dream girl.
Girls. - Girls.
Forget about the girls. He used to live in his dreams.
He told you not to say anything. You are clearly hiding something.
This is not good. This is unfair.
Sir, I will be frank. Let me tell you what.
They used to tease me with the names of a few girls.
But they must be married now.
Why bother bringing them up?
That's why I am stopping him. - Don't take their names.
We don't want the names.
If you don't need the names... - Which class was this? - Tenth.
Ninth and tenth class.
Why were you waiting for that long?
I was quite late, sir. I was super late.
I am late when it comes to this.
Nothing happened in tenth grade. It's just their teasing, that's all.
They tease me with their names. But there is nothing from my end.
He will cover up for himself.
Oh, come on.
Pramod, I have a personal question.
How many people did Nani say 'I love you' to?
He doesn't know that.
I never said that, sir. I am not brave. I am an introvert.
I doubt he ever said that.
He would never go up to someone and say that. - I doubt it, too.
I didn't have the guts to do that.
I was too shy.
I used to watch them from a distance.
A romantic song would be playing in the background.
I only ever saw them. I never approached any of them.
I never had the guts. - Are you brave now?
I was brave about one girl.
I married her.
And you never said 'I love you' to anyone after that.
Oh my! No! Not after that. - You wouldn't say it.
Now I will need the real guts if I want to do that.
Thank you, Pramod. - Thank you, sir.
Thank you. - Thanks for coming.
Thanks for not revealing too much.
What is your family's reaction to the cinema?
Not much, sir.
In a way, they must have been prepared for this.
They have been seeing me ever since I was a child.
They know I am not that great at studies.
They thought I'd work hard for this, as studies weren't working.
They believed I would put my efforts.
They agreed to it, leaving it all up to me.
You truly work hard.
Who supported you first in your family?
My sister and my aunt. - Your aunt.
My mother's younger sister.
Among all the cousins I grew up around,
everyone was good at studies.
I used to be zoned out.
I was always lost in my thoughts.
I was once considered a loser.
They looked at me like that.
Obviously, this will influence my mom and my dad.
What would happen to my future?
They started fearing for me.
My aunt always said I would be successful growing up.
She always said that.
When my first movie was released
or when I started as an RJ, every victory of mine
was celebrated by my aunt.
She used to say 'I told you so'.
She believed in me.
My sister, too.
No matter what movie I mention,
no matter the thought I share,
or the ideas I share, she gets excited.
She gave me great feedback. She believed in me.
Even to this day,
she watches my movies even when she is in the US.
She went to the premiere shows
and would wake up with feedback.
After that,
she developed an interest in writing
while watching me and discussing with me.
She directed and wrote a show called 'Meet Cute'.
She came back to India.
Now she is a co-producer.
She joined my production. Her first film was 'Court'.
And 'Court' became a blockbuster.
And maybe somewhere in the process,
she, too, discovered her interest in it,
and she's the one who trusted me from the beginning.
So, life came full circle in many ways.
Can you guess the special person who is about to come here
to surprise our guest?
It's not easy to guess. Give us a hint, sir.
Actually, let's just call them. Brothers, come on.
'Sisters' kids are generally'
'brought up by the aunts, as far as I know.'
'So, since Nani was a kid'
'I raised him like my own child.'
'He always felt special than everyone else.'
'When children gathered,'
'he used to be the centre of attraction.'
'He used to entertain everyone, dance and make everyone laugh.'
'He used to be lively and jovial.'
'I used to feel he was a multi-talented guy.'
'One random day when he said'
'he wanted to try his luck in movies as a director,'
'I wasn't surprised at all.'
'All his family members were surprised, though.'
'Then, I said I didn't feel anything odd. I knew that he would someday'
'become a hero, or he'd become a director. I told them.'
'That's why, since he was a kid,'
'I felt he was something special.'
'Nani.'
"Eyes set on the sky."
"You march forward now."
"Nothing can stop you."
You don't know how to react? - Yes, sir. I don't know how to...
I don't know how your team...
how you got it. There's Pramod over there. - I know.
They have done a great job. - I don't know, it's a big surprise.
And hats off to your aunt from us.
For the effort you all have put in, I think I should be very thankful
because I know if there was ever
an opportunity like this to talk about me,
my Aunt Lalita was waiting.
I call aunt 'mummy', and call my mom 'mom'.
So, she is like my mother.
I should say she is my second mother.
In the movie 'Hit 3', I got a mother's photo...
The heroine talks about it. There's a scene in it.
So, they said we needed a mother's photo for the flashback scene.
When such a discussion was going on...
I told the 'Hit 3' director, Sailesh,
the photo we used in that movie was my aunt's photo.
'My aunt used to be very beautiful.'
'I will give you a black and white photo.'
I told them to use that photo.
And I used to check
if they were using my aunt's photo or not... So that is Aunt Lalita.
She's an aunt, but more like a mom.
Very nice. Very sweet.
After you became a hero, when was that moment
when everyone claimed you, like 'this is our guy', 'he's our guy'.
Sir, it didn't happen overnight.
It happened gradually, I think... For me, generally...
I worked as an assistant director for four years.
I was struggling in this line,
and all my cousins settled well in their jobs.
Some abroad, some over here,
wherever we go, when it comes to movies,
along with some fear, people also slightly look down upon it.
In the outside world.
They think you will go astray if you go to that field.
The truth is that no one really knows how it really is.
If one has to go astray, he will go astray irrespective of the field.
But whichever function or wedding my parents used to attend then...
'So, Lakshmi, is Nani still wasting his time in films?'
So, because this happened so regularly,
my mom and dad stopped going to weddings.
And I knew how important the weddings were for them.
If there's a wedding somewhere, everyone must be present there.
It's really important for them. So, they...
They wanted to attend every wedding,
but they were also afraid that people might enquire about Nani.
So from that day to this day, now when mom and dad
get any invite, whoever comes home,
when they come home,
they insist, 'you must attend it, do bring Nani along',
'make sure Nani also attends', so they feel,
they don't have to say it, but I can see the pride in their eyes.
That they are happy. They have seen the other side of it.
Them experiencing this moment as well,
gives me some unknown satisfaction, some joy.
I do feel it. Okay,
times have changed. Things are different now.
For mom and dad as well,
the struggle and the pain they went through then...
There's an answer now.
There are always those who belittle and discourage you. - Yes.
They will naturally be there, especially when you are low.
They will be there at every level. - At every level, for every person.
For every person, yeah. - We have a lot of experience in it.
We should be thankful to them in a way. Because they...
they would've driven us in some way
to be a little more... Even in our movies and in our screenplays,
in the beginning or in the pre-climax,
only if our hero goes down, does it give us the high in the climax.
So, when it's a universal formula,
we shouldn't be complaining when it's happening in our lives as well.
Even though you started from the movie industry...
we all have our stories, definitely, the barbs
or some insults that you must've faced at some point in time,
something that must've left an impression on you,
a moment that must've shaped you.
What is that, if you have to say?
It's almost similar, Nani. Everyone's life is almost similar.
Not just actors' lives, but everybody's life.
As we talked earlier, everyone gets those hits.
Those are not hits,
they are experiences. - Yes.
There are no problems in life.
We create them on our own.
Anyway, fun-wise, okay. In Aruku, I must've been 4-5 films old.
I was an iron-leg in the beginning.
Then, all the movies were flops.
In the beginning? - Yes, in the beginning.
But at one time, at a stretch... No, but...
This was after... - I am referring to 'Peddarikam'.
From 'Peddarikam'... 'Jagannatakam' was average, and then 'Peddarikam'.
After 4-5 films, I went to Aruku for shooting.
There were some people. There were 50-60 people there.
They are screaming, 'Jagapathi Babu must come out'.
I thought, 'Okay, I too have some fan following', and went out.
I asked, 'So, what is it?'
'Hey, we are not asking for you. Go and call Jagapathi Babu'.
He didn't even know who I was.
So, that was more fun. - Yeah, I know, I know, I know.
But otherwise, yeah... movies were flopping continuously.
Naturally... I have said it earlier as well.
There are people who said, 'he is good for nothing'.
'We should kick him out of the industry'. It went to that point.
If we keep that aside, dad made films with me.
He lost all his money on me.
Oh, the movies that didn't work were in your own production?
First movie dad produced.
We lost a lot of money in those days.
Later, the second film was also made by him. Then we made a couple more.
One beautiful point I would like to mention here, Nani, is...
no matter what happened, no matter how many losses, my mom or brothers
never said that I squandered our whole wealth...
They never had such a feeling ever. That's a beautiful feeling.
I mean, mine is a roller-coaster life.
But life is like that, is what I feel.
Everybody's life... How you take it is what life is about. - It is.
How you view it is what's important. - In your own way, yeah.
Everyone has their own set of struggles.
In their set-ups, they have their own stories.
Yes, everyone has a story. - Yes.
After coming to the industry, obviously...
We from the outside must've heard many stories, and many rumours.
Of course, there's a lot you must've heard.
You tell us a story or about a crush
you strongly felt about.
I am really, really decent. I never had such things.
I don't even know what you are talking about.
The rule on this show is that the guests should open up,
but you won't open up at all.
Leave about me, my story is over.
When I went to shoot in Banjara Hills,
I used to see you a lot in the 'Mocha' restaurant.
Yes. - Coffee shop. What's so special there?
Nothing really, sir. Script discussions.
Script? - Yes.
At the same time.
Earlier, you were talking about Nandini coming to visit you.
No. - At that time, Nandini, Anjana Ali Khan,
and a couple of times... Anju...
Anju and I weren't married then.
When she came here from Vizag, she would come with us.
She used to come there, that's what I am getting at.
And it was at the centre of everything,
and it was somewhat peaceful.
To sit outside there and talk about stories and scripts etc.
That's all. There's nothing more than that there.
Eating 'seekhs' on Vizag beach.
That and all... after that our love story began.
Yes, it was the love story. - By then, I was one film old.
So, I used to tie a kerchief and used to go to Vizag to meet her.
I used to pick her and...
She used to say,
'This is famous in our city, this is famous in our city...'
So, I should experience them when I come to your city, right?
First one is seekhs.
'We have to eat it, it's ultimate, it's tasty,'
'and we have to eat it only on the roadside to enjoy it the best.'
So, there were a few such sentiments she had.
She asked me to come to her college area once.
I used to cover all those.
With a cap and a kerchief.
Those days, very few recognised me, because I was only 2-3 films old.
Still, we are outside...
Also, I didn't even tell anyone back home that I was going to Vizag...
But those are fun moments, those days, that time...
"This raindrop and that cloud would unite eventually."
"They would unite with the help of the sun."
Actually, both of us have a lot of similarities.
Both of us. In whatever you said till now,
there are a lot of similarities.
This is one among them.
I, too, like to stop on the streets,
and eat the street-side food. Even now.
And one incident I heard is,
even at airports, you walk around without any entourage.
You go an hour before, without any masks,
and stand there quietly in the queue,
and take the boarding card,
you just walk inside as a common man, which we are.
Yeah. - I, too, have just one person as a protocol.
But you don't have that as well, which I really have to appreciate.
I genuinely believe that the more we get into movies,
when we achieve a bit of stardom...
When we get it, it takes us away from our life, from our sentiments.
It could take us away from our basic joys.
There's a very high likelihood. There're so many ways it can happen.
If we can somehow keep them all at a distance,
we can live our life happily.
If we are drawn towards those distractions,
it's one-way route. - Yes. - There's no going back.
You are asking me about it. There is one video I...
I happened to recently watch. After we watch it, I'll ask some...
So you guys are giving me a shock in return! - Check it out.
"Come on, come on! Come on, come on!"
That is called freedom, sir.
No, has anyone disturbed me? - No.
I am minding my own business.
If you had an entourage with you,
they would've surely disturbed you. - There would've been a crowd.
That is my security.
I am secure. My guys were asking me, 'Sir, how can you just go alone'?
I said, 'Hey, come on, let me see'.
What's the worst that could happen?
There'll be a bit of a crowd. We'll see then.
The movies that we make tomorrow, or the roles that we do in future,
we should stay connected, which is very, very important.
It is such a beautiful feeling for me to watch
films on that first day, morning show,
with everyone. Along with everyone.
That's all it is for me.
Beyond that, the numbers, whether it became a success, a hit,
what it did for my career...
My whole high comes from watching that first day, morning show.
And during our first film we think,
we feel really happy when someone recognizes us.
After we are 30-40 films old,
if we complain that they are recognising us,
that's also not quite right, sir.
If we wanted that, if we wished for it so strongly,
it is a blessing. Wherever we go, everyone's coming to us,
they want to talk to us, they want to take a photo with us...
It's a blessing.
If we hire too many people and intimidate them, push them away...
Let's hope and try our best that it doesn't come to that.
In some circumstances,
where you think it's not possible, you can have that
entourage or security is what I believe.
"Brightness like the sun, calmness like the moon..."
Among the things that are worth appreciating, Nani...
You talked about national awards,
you know what the repercussions could be.
What can happen to that? But you were prepared for it.
That is hero. That is being a hero. Not movies.
I understood one thing, sir. Basically,
when were kids we were told, 'this is good, and this is bad'.
There was a clear distinction, sir. - Correct.
If you make a mistake, you'll get some flak.
If you do something right, you will get some appreciation.
What is happening today is, you will get some flak for both good and bad.
We will get flak whether we say something straight
or say it tactfully.
We will get flak whether we tell a lie or tell the truth.
On social media, whether you put just a photo or a statement,
and you explain it, a few people will see your explanation,
but there'll be some out there who won't see your explanation,
misjudge you and talk trash about you,
and a thousand people will hear them.
So, at every instance, for every minor thing, if we keep updating,
'Hey, that's not what I meant', we can't keep explaining.
But then, we can't be completely silent as well.
If we want to mention something, say we genuinely felt it.
'If we put it this way,'
'how they are going to take it, how they would perceive it...'
That's not how we can live, either. It'll be hell. - Correct.
So, there's only one thing we can do. Ignore everything.
Our conscience should be clear.
We should do what we feel is right.
Ten years later, we shouldn't regret, 'I should've spoken then,'
'but I didn't'.
It's enough if we did our best in what we set out to do.
The rest are out of our control anyway.
Apart from that, you are generally the first ones to appreciate others.
Whenever any movie is a hit, whoever is the maker,
the first message, call or meeting personally...
That is another beautiful quality you have.
I really love cinema, sir. - You love cinema.
Yeah, I love cinema, and I love everybody in cinema.
And I genuinely... anybody it could be...
Sir, many keep saying that if we have a release now...
There are two or three films releasing simultaneously.
They see it as a competition.
Many of them.
I have been watching this since I was an assistant director.
Many people, even within the industry, the fans,
many of them think...
Our guy's film should work, his shouldn't. Something of that sort.
And even in the industry, they... 'Our movie should work, not theirs'.
What no one gets is,
cinema is a momentum, sir.
If everything else is working, yours will also work.
If nothing is working, yours will also not work.
So, we should hope that every movie works.
On the Friday when my movie is releasing,
and if there is another movie,
or, generally I don't leave home without praying.
I first pray and then eat something and then leave home.
I put the names
of all the movies that I remember at that moment in my prayer,
so that all turn out great.
Not just... It's an ecosystem.
Only if everyone is doing great, will we do great.
If we only pray for our success,
neither will we succeed, nor will it be good for others.
So genuinely, I feel, if we can all develop that camaraderie,
cinema will evolve so much that it will bless us all back.
It will bless us so much that we will get as much as we want,
and everyone else will also be happy, everyone around.
This pointed, closed thinking should change.
But I wish that changes. I wish it...
Beautiful. Beautiful.
"Look at the sky. And march forward."
"There's no stopping you now."
"March ahead now."
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Let's start our rapid fire round, sponsored by Jar App.
In this round, I'll ask you
five different questions back-to-back.
You must also give the best answers honestly.
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Okay, let's go for a rapid-fire round.
What has Hero Nani learnt after becoming Producer Nani?
Life was better as Hero Nani.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."
Being a producer is always a stressful thing, sir, but it is...
When you deliver a good film, it is extremely satisfying.
You get that in the end.
But the process is definitely a stressful thing.
Acting every day, with every shot, I enjoy.
There is a constant excitement, this adrenaline.
So, I realised after becoming a producer
that I was meant to be an actor.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."
So, at your home, are you afraid of your mom or your wife?
I am afraid when they attack me together.
Okay.
Separately, I can handle them.
Among the rumours till now, which rumour did you wish was true?
Sometimes we hear I am cast in a certain movie.
That I am also doing a cameo in one of our stars' movies.
When I hear such rumours,
I feel, 'Yeah, it would've been great. I would've enjoyed it'.
Okay.
Which director would you say 'yes' to with your eyes closed?
Undoubtedly S.S. Rajamouli.
"You are destined to win!"
Most underrated movie of yours. - 'Ante Sundaraniki'.
I don't think it's underrated. - Yes, now it gets all the love.
Let's begin Country Delight presents
High Five with Zee5, real answers only.
"You are destined to win!"
Who is your friend in the industry who you can call
at any time of the day or night?
In the industry, sir? - Hmm.
In the industry, it will be Rana.
Adi. There's a friend named Neerja. - Okay.
Do you prefer positive roles,
or are you okay with negative shades as well?
I love negative shades, sir.
I thought so. I thought that was coming. - Yeah, yeah!
Absolutely, sir.
Positive roles, we can get away with even decent writing,
but only great writing can make the negative roles stand out.
So, I am waiting for a role with solid writing.
Everyone calls you a natural star.
Who in your view is a natural star apart from you?
Can we go back to the old days? - Any time.
Mr S V Ranga Rao. He is the OG natural star.
Mr S V Ranga Rao. Okay.
What's the dessert that comes to your mind when we say 'Sankranti'?
'Palathalikalu' or 'Payasam'?
It's not about the item.
It's about a certain item.
We know that this is made by mom.
The comfort that food gives, nothing else gives.
I know. I know.
What's your favourite festival, Nani?
I like Sankranti a lot, sir. - Sankranti.
Apart from that I like 'Diwali' a lot. I mean, the buzz
and the lights and everything during Diwali.
You will love a lot of people in the same context.
There might be people in your house.
It is a joint family. In a world full of nuclear families,
your family is different.
People who live in my house are Anju
me, Junnu, my mom, my dad
Anju's mom, Anju's brother, my grandma.
My grandpa.
My grandpa visits the farm occasionally, for a few days.
All of us live together.
My house should be filled with people all the time.
I don't like it when my house is quiet.
The kitchen must always be active. Someone is cooking all the time.
All the children should run around. I like it that way.
I will show you a photo. Let's see if you recognise it.
Please put it on the AV.
I had to get a few pictures taken for my first film, 'Astachamma'.
I was called for a quick photo shoot.
When I was asked for this,
I was in the field of RJ.
I agreed to do it.
It was a park somewhere near Jubilee Hills.
They made me pose in the park. A few pictures were taken.
One of my first photos, basically.
Is this it?
Where did this come from?
Who could have given this to me?
I know who the culprit is.
I know you are doing this with the help of Anju.
She has this t-shirt. I remember it very well.
She kept it safely.
This is the first... When I met her for the first time
I wore this t-shirt.
That is a precious t-shirt, sir.
It might not be branded. But it is precious for us.
Do you want to tell something you haven't said to Anju in our show?
There is nothing that I haven't told her.
She finds out things I don't tell her.
There is literally nothing I can say.
But if she had anything to do with today's surprises,
I want to say thank you. It was so wonderful.
Can you say 'I love you' to the camera for her?
Of course, I can say that.
But she will say I said it very badly.
She won't buy it. She will be embarrassed, I said it on camera.
Let me see you try.
It is pretty hard, sir.
It is hard to say it in real life.
I know. I understand. - But I love you, Anju.
I am supposed to meet Junnu.
I never met him. Smita told me about him.
I heard he is charming. - Yes.
Anything to talk about Junnu?
He doesn't want anyone to be upset because of him.
Let it be anyone.
He doesn't pick a side.
He talks on behalf of everyone.
He doesn't pick someone when you ask him who he likes the most.
He is a very sensitive child which is good.
I hope he stays that way.
Luckily, he is fond of music.
Whenever you enter my house,
there will be music or an instrument playing.
Something related to music will be happening.
You could hear the piano.
We didn't teach him anything. He genuinely developed an interest.
He developed an interest long ago. He loves songs.
He catches on small beats.
Anirudh is his favourite music director.
He met Anirudh. He attended the concert and had a great time.
In a way, I might have a music director for my future films.
We will have to wait and see.
Right now, he is very much into music.
This is such a cute age. In the next two to three years,
he might start hanging out with his friends more.
I am trying to spend as much time as I can with him.
I heard that when he fractured his leg,
you really went through a lot of pain.
When Junnu fractured his leg. This was a year ago, sir.
When the children hurt themselves or fall sick,
we cannot bear to see them like that. - Yes.
It is a scary feeling. - Yes.
He is a small kid. It was this bone right here.
He fell from the cycle and broke his bone.
He couldn't move. He couldn't get up.
It hurts even if he moves by an inch.
He needs help with the washroom.
For quite a few days,
Anju and I had no sleep. We tended to his needs.
He used to move a little in his sleep.
He cried in pain. We kept waking up for him.
One day, he woke up in the middle of the night and held my hand.
He said, 'Sorry, dad'.
I asked him why he was apologising.
You are not sleeping well because of me.
It took me by surprise.
A small kid was speaking in such a mature manner.
In my career, there is one movie that I regret not doing. Jersey.
Your movie.
To be honest, my judgement was completely wrong.
First, I thought it would be a flop.
That's what I thought.
They asked me for 40 days.
40 days.
I thought there would be nothing much to do.
Let it be for whatever reason. I failed with that.
Only one regret in my career. It is Jersey.
After that, I told her.
In a movie acted and produced by Nani...
Let it be any movie. Let it be any character.
I will definitely do it without turning it down. - Thank you, sir.
This is what happened.
I have given my word to her.
Thank you. - I didn't tell you that.
Thank you.
When there is a solid movie
with good roles, and we get the chance to work together,
I will be looking forward to that experience.
I am looking forward to that. - That is different, Nani.
This is not a hint. This is not anything else.
It is just my passion to work in your production or with you.
Very, very soon, sir.
There's another beautiful thing. You made a bold statement once.
If this movie doesn't run successfully,
don't watch my next movie.
I must agree that was bold. - Yeah.
If you say the movie will be a hit
and everyone must watch it, that's different.
The next movie was under your production.
I was able to say it because of that. - Exactly.
If you had said it in another situation...
No, it was another producer.
After that, don't watch the cinema produced by me. -Yes.
It takes guts to say that. I appreciate it.
It's more than just guts; it's trusting my team and their work.
Regardless of whether I say it or not,
after watching the film or during promotions
after watching the film or during its promotions,
if I feel the film didn't turn out well.
I can't conceal it; it becomes evident.
While I may ask people to watch my film,
I do so half-heartedly.
I can't say it sincerely. - Oh.
I can't put on the charade of genuineness.
When I genuinely like my film,
why would I make a half-hearted request
for people to watch my film?
I'd enthusiastically ask them to watch my film.
That doesn't mean I'd go overboard. - Yes.
Or go so far as to call my film a blockbuster.
It's my belief; it's my confidence.
How can I make people see that I'm not pretending?
If I tell people not to watch my upcoming film,
it speaks about my confidence. - Yes.
Because I genuinely don't want them to miss out on the film.
I personally think
you're a silent killer.
Firstly, while acting in movies,
you don't confine yourself to particular roles
because there is nothing like personal image.
We create it. - Indeed.
Secondly, you don't bring up film revenue.
Revenue isn't your criterion.
It's never about money.
It's about heart and soul. - Yes.
That's what movies are about.
That is what you follow. - Yes.
Like a fish in water,
you've grown tremendously, but you don't flaunt it.
Nor do you feel it. - Yes, sir.
I can tell you don't feel it. - Yes.
Yes. - You feel normal.
When you landed at the Goa airport and got into the taxi. - Yes.
Despite being tanned,
you went about it unconcerned. - Yes.
This is how you live. - Yes, sir.
Actually, it scares me.
The more we grow,
the freer we should feel. - Yes.
In the film industry,
as we grow, we find ourselves locked from all sides.
Yes. - We find our freedom being gradually eroded. - Yes.
I try my best to ensure
that my professional work
doesn't define who I am
or how I wish to live my life.
While I might not fully succeed in it,
I try to minimise it
to the greatest extent.
In that process,
new directors and actors... - Yes.
They continuously encourage you. It shows a passion for movies.
The belief in oneself that they will thrive with their talent.
Your self-belief... Because you're an editor, a director...
You have everything in your mind.
You have good music in your mind. Of course, acting.
Yes. - You're also a producer.
You're doing everything. - Yes.
Let's see an AV on that.
While I have a lot to say about Nani,
the one defining thing about him is
he's a wild card, a dark horse.
He will always surprise you.
He might just sweep it all, and you'll be left watching.
Nani comes across as someone with a true passion for cinema.
Being around him makes you appreciate cinema even more.
That's one of the greatest qualities of Nani.
His love for cinema is very infectious.
Whether cinema is important to him or not,
he is important to cinema.
I truly believe he is indispensable to cinema.
That's what defines him.
As far as cinema is concerned,
everyone recognizes him as a great artist and brilliant actor.
He is the apple of every producer's eye.
But for debutant directors like me,
he's a blessing.
Telling someone's story
after years of struggle isn't a tale.
It's the reality.
Nani was the driving force behind my debut film's success
and the one who put my career on track.
You earn the trust of directors and make sure they succeed as well.
I'll never forget the moments we spent together.
Thank you so much, Nani. Love you.
Nani is like God to me.
Only he understands what I'm trying to say.
Only he understands its true emotion
and meaning.
Nani is the epitome of a cinema enthusiast
turning into a superstar.
It is rare to come across an actor
who gives a free hand to his director.
In my opinion,
Nani defines freedom.
That's my opinion.
What makes Nani so unique to everyone he's worked with,
whether it is co-actors, producers, or directors,
is that
even if something is not there yet,
he won't doubt it.
He will work to make sure it reaches there.
Be it a story, an idea,
or a dialogue,
he polishes it
and makes sure he gives the final touch
which the director wants.
I think he is a true lover of cinema.
There are very few people in the Indian film industry
who are such unfiltered
or pure lovers of cinema.
While everyone loves cinema,
for actors who love it to that extent
to go the extra mile...
Because we went the extra mile to scale the Himalayas.
So there are very few people like that
and I'm lucky to be in the era of Nani.
So sweet of them all.
They are all scared of the camera.
But they spoke confidently.
It's only because of love.
Only... Only pure love.
Who do you hang out with?
I hang out with Smitha's husband. I call him 'Bhava'.
Shashank. - I know him.
Bhava, Subbu, Swapna, Pavananna.
And then, there's Nithin. He's a friend.
Deva. Director Deva and...
And then, there's this regular gang, Samanth,
Sindhu. We all, you know... - Okay.
We live more or less in the same area.
So every evening, we literally run into one another.
Every evening we kind of meet. Yeah...
Let's talk to him. Hello!
I have a lot of friendships from childhood and I...
I really deeply cherish them.
But this one friendship is very special.
Nani became my friend when I turned 40.
And I learnt so much from him. Because...
Especially, about consistency of character and clarity of thought.
And it really helps me and inspires me every day.
And we look forward to spending time with each other.
Whenever possible, almost every day we hang out and watch movies.
And watching movies with Nani is so much fun.
It's a very special bond I hold closely to my heart.
I love you, Nani.
That's the first name I mentioned.
He's a universal 'Bhava'. So, we call him 'Bhava'. - I know.
You know him well, right? - Yes.
Whenever I get some free time, I immediately
send him a message. 'Where are you?'
I'll send Bhava a message.
You know, when we are together,
we don't talk much, but we enjoy each other's company.
I mean, when you are comfortable despite being quiet
in someone's company, I think that is
true friendship and company.
Bhava talking on camera is a big surprise for me.
One more stunt the team has pulled off.
Finally, I would like to tell everybody that
this world is mostly filled with selfish people. But we do run into
rare gems like Nani, who have a heart of gold.
From this episode of 'Jayammu Nishchayammu Raa',
if you can take away one thing, that is, love.
If you can love everyone like him, then it'd be great.
"We are destined to win."
Sahana, please come.
My mother. Can I call her?
Yes. - Mum...
I have seen people who are stylish and, you know, who are natural.
But you are the natural star who looks quite stylish.
From 'Ashtachamma' to your latest film, 'Hit 3',
you've tried a lot of styles.
We are going to talk about your style quotient now.
Let's go to Oaksmith style studio.
Definitely. Let's go, sir. - Come on, then.
Out of all your films, which were you most stylish in?
Out of all my movies, I think it's 'Hi, Nanna', sir.
'Hi, Nanna'. - Yes.
Who's your inspiration in style?
I think it has to be Kamal sir.
There's a lot of style within the body language itself.
More than trying out different styles and following trends,
I think what's within you is more important. That's style for me.
Who is the most sophisticated heroine in the Telugu industry?
The most sophisticated heroine, sir?
Almost everybody. - Okay. Stylish.
When it comes to style, I will have to say Ms Sridevi.
Ms Sridevi? Okay.
Someone from the previous generation, who is
killing it even today, is you.
Oh, my God! - I genuinely feel that way.
That everybody will agree.
I'm going to mention three names now.
You have to define their style.
Mahesh Babu. - Running.
Running style? Okay. Very good.
Nagarjuna. - I think it's his hair.
When 'Rakshakudu' came out, he had that hairstyle.
Well, effortlessly stylish is Nag sir.
All right. Good. Prabhas?
For me, Prabhas's style would be...
I think it's his humbleness.
I think being grounded and humble is also extremely stylish.
That is... - In its own way.
I think that is... - We want to see your signature move.
My signature move, sir?
I don't have one, sir.
Is your smile your signature move? - Maybe.
I can have it as much as I can, so...
I use it lavishly.
Thank you very much. - Wonderful, sir.
Wonderful evening.
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We know about your love story. It has been thirteen years, right?
I covered my face and went to Vizag to see her in person.
I was one or two films old. We went around the city together.
She used to tell me so much about famous spots in her city.
I wanted to experience them all.
One of them was 'Cheekulu'.
And then, she asked me to come to her college.
I used to do that, you know,
wearing a cap and covering my face. But those were fun moments.
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"We are destined to win."