'How does it help actors?': Rana Daggubati joins nepotism debate
What's the story
Actor Rana Daggubati, best known for his roles in Baahubali and Rana Naidu, recently opened up about nepotism in the film industry.
Daggubati, whose father is producer D Suresh Babu and uncle is Venkatesh, acknowledged that having such connections can provide more opportunities and a better understanding of the industry.
However, he also emphasized that ultimately, an actor's success depends on their performance.
Industry insights
'How does it help an actor...'
In an interview with ANI, he said, "Any industry that your family is from, you understand it more than somebody who's not."
"How does it help an actor? Ultimately, you have to stand in front of the camera and act. There'll be a lot more opportunities for you."
"There'll be an ecosystem that you understand. It's like if your family is from chemical industries or sugar factories, you'll understand how a sugar factory works and all the byproducts of sugar."
Family influence
Early exposure to the film world
Daggubati, whose mother worked in a film laboratory and his father in a studio, said, "My mother worked in a film laboratory, so I understood what a film laboratory looks like and how it functions."
"My father worked in a studio, so I understood its function, and my uncle was an actor," he said.
Legacy
On the pressure of continuing the family legacy
Daggubati also spoke about the "pressure" of continuing his family's legacy. This motivated him to start his own production house, Spirit Media, in 2005.
He said, "Pressure, in that sense, it was self-inflicted in some manner. You want to do something that is unique, new and stands out and should stand for a long period of time."
Film advocacy
Actor supports contemporary, art house films
Daggubati, a staunch supporter of contemporary and art house films, has used his production house to back such projects.
"Cinema is one, language never mattered to me when I was watching it as a child," he said. "So growing up and working, it didn't matter which language it was, and I feel there's a voice to all kinds of stories."
Future endeavors
Daggubati to return as Rana Naidu; series out soon
Daggubati will next be seen in the second season of Rana Naidu, directed by Karan Anshuman.
The series also stars Surveen Chawla, Arjun Rampal, and Kriti Kharbanda in prominent roles.
It is set to release on Netflix on June 13.