Riding high on the success of superhero film HanuMan. In an recent interview with an entertainment portal , Teja Sajja opens up about his festive plans and upcoming work, reflects on the success of HanuMan and more.
HanuMan was a game changer for him
Through the years, Teja might have gone from the little boy in Chiranjeevi’s Indra to the young blood in Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s Oh! Baby to becoming a household name with films like Zombie Reddy and Adbhutham, and finally, a recognised actor nationwide with Prashanth Varma’s HanuMan, with even Home Minister Amit Shah lauding the film’s team. Much like his most recent character, Teja is the underdog who reached new heights. But surprisingly, he says nothing much has changed.
He says this success won’t change anything
He explains, “This success can’t change anything for me. In the sense that I believe it’s every film for itself, I have to prove myself with my next film. So, it doesn’t make a difference. I have to sustain what I’ve been given.” But prod him that there must be something he enjoys post HanuMan’s success and he admits, “I enjoy that I have a bigger audience now…that I have more credibility. Most importantly, I’ll now have better budgets.”
Teja says numbers doesn’t affect him
HanuMan might have grossed ₹330 crore at the box office, emerging as the highest earner in Telugu and the second-highest earner in India this year, but these numbers are just that for Teja. “For me, what gives me more satisfaction is that the film was an eye opener for India; for a non-star hero to do this well, it’s quite rare,” says the actor, adding, “It proves that as long as there’s a great idea, there’s scope for anyone.”
He is happy after delivering a blockbuster
And while Teja is happy he has such a blockbuster film in his career, he says, nothing matches the satisfaction he got from watching the film’s first show with the audience. “We had a premiere on Thursday evening. I remember the audience staying hooked to every scene. Halfway through the film, I knew we had a hit on our hands. By the time the film was done, I was already worried about what I would do next,” he laughs, adding, “Nothing since has matched the high I felt at that moment.”
He spoke about his next Film
Teja is currently shooting for a project that’s yet to be announced. Buzz is that it’s a multi-starrer, I ask. “The film has another Telugu actor playing the antagonist, and I play the lead, so it’s not a multi-starrer,” explains Teja, adding, “My next film too is backed by a grand idea and is an ambitious project; it’s an action-adventure film. I will also be a part of Jai Hanuman (the sequel of HanuMan). The film will be all about Lord Hanuman, but I will be a part of it.”
He will not be part of romantic movies at list for now
Ask him if he’s clear now on what kind of projects he wants to say yes to and he replies, “I noticed that kids like me a lot more now; I feel like they’re my target audience. I want to make exciting films, that families can watch together without feeling conscious of what’s happening on-screen. Romantic films are not at the top of my list right now. Age and time are on my side; I plan to make the most of it. I want to continue making films that leave a mark.”