How Nagarjuna convinced Mani Ratnam to make 'Geethanjali' with him
What's the story
Veteran star Nagarjuna recently opened up about his early career and how he convinced director Mani Ratnam to collaborate on the cult classic Geethanjali. Speaking on Jagapathi Babu's talk show Jayammu Nischayammu Raa, Nagarjuna reminisced about his debut film Vikram (1986) and how he relied on his father, Nageswara Rao Akkineni, for guidance in the initial years of his career.
Career start
On doing films for the sake of it
Nagarjuna revealed that his first film, Vikram, was a remake of Jackie Shroff's Hero (1983), and it worked well because people were curious to see Nagarjuna act. He admitted to doing around seven movies after that, which he did for the sake of it. His big break came with Aakhari Poratam (1988), thanks to director K Raghavendra Rao and actor Sridevi. "I was like a doll in that film," he said.
Director pursuit
'I knew he lived in Poes Garden...'
Nagarjuna revealed that he was unhappy with his films and wanted to do something he liked. After watching Ratnam's Mouna Ragam (1986), he felt he would do well in a Mani Ratnam film. "I knew he lived in Poes Garden in Chennai and that he would go on a walk every day at 6 am," said Nagarjuna, revealing that this is how he pursued the director for nearly a month.
Film success
'Geethanjali' became a turning point in his career
Nagarjuna's persistence paid off as he eventually convinced Ratnam to work with him. This led to the making of Geethanjali (1989), which was not only a commercial hit but also became a cult classic. The film narrates the love story of two terminally ill youngsters, Prakash (Nagarjuna) and Geethanjali (Girija). The music by Ilaiyaraaja remains a benchmark even today. It was a turning point in Nagarjuna's career, establishing him as a heartthrob. Meanwhile, he was last seen in Coolie.