You emerged winner for this Sankranthi with your release ‘Krishna’. How are you enjoying the success?

Excellent. I am enjoying this Sankranthi with complete satisfaction. Though we are confident of hit, none of our unit members had expected such a huge success. We did not except such massive revenue for my film and I not even dreamt that the flick would remain my career best and is getting record collections. My director had good relationship with almost all the distributors. Whenever they call him up and reveal the collections’ record, Vinayak in turn is calling me and giving me those details. It is a marvellous experience. Let me tell you one thing. In a centre like Kadapa, there were mild lathi-charges at the theatre as the audiences are vying with each other for tickets, which is really great. Literally, I learnt the sweetness of success with ‘Krishna’. Not only me, our entire unit is enjoying this Sankranthi on a grand scale.

Whom do you name for the success of Krishna?

The success credit would totally goes to my bava and director of the film VV Vinayak. Because, he involved in the shooting from the day one to the till finish of the movie. He used to think twice for betterment of each and every scene, even when he was asleep. We just followed his instructions and performed before the camera. We did not intentionally contribute anything for the success of the movie in any angle.

What is the main reason behind taking Vijayawada in its backdrop for ‘Krishna’?

You have to pose this question to our director. Of course, Vijayawada is my native place and I dream of acting in my native place as a hero in one movie. That wish was fulfilled that too in the form of a blockbuster. I am very happy in this regard and I sincerely thank director VV Vinayak and producer Akula Siva.

How did you enjoy acting while perform on the soil of your native place, Vijayawada?

I enjoyed a lot while performing in Vijayawada. I invited all my childhood friends to the location and spent my time with them after a long gap. I went to watch a film in a theatre along with my friends. I met many of my relatives. I really spent a vacation there, after all it is my native place.

What are the highlights behind the success of this movie? Tell us your opinion…

As the director named Brahmanandam as Bobby, his character became a highlight even before going to sets. My combination scenes with Brahmanandam are ultimate. In fact 50 per cent of the success was due to the combination scenes between me and Brahmanandam. The scenes with Venumadhav as childhood friends, the capful of liquor scene between me and Jayaprakash Reddy, MS Narayana’s scenes, comedy by Sunil and Chitram Sreenu, added salt and pepper and made the film spicy. The last dialogues in the climax before the action scene — ‘Asalu Rowdyism Anedi Start Ayyindi Vijayawada Lo Ne Raa…’ is another highlight. Performance by Trisha, the twist that comes through Kota Srinivasa Rao’s character, music composition by Chakri could also be claimed as highlights. These are only to mention a few. Really, the entire film came out in a marvellous way.

How far, Chakri’s music helped for the success of the movie?

Yes it helped for the success to a major extent, because this is my eight film in his combination. All the films that came in our combination were big musical hits. Moreover, Chandrabose scripted lyrics in a fantastic way. Basically, Chakri knows well about my body language and he scored tunes keeping it in mind.

How did you feel working with Trisha? Is she cooperative?

She is a very cooperative girl. She did not trouble anyone in the unit and had never showed any ego during shooting, though she is one among the top heroines of Tollywood these days. She really did well.

Did you find any real life incidents in this film?

There is nothing like that. We strongly believe that a movie is to entertain the audiences and we have to narrate a good story which should like a lullaby in giving comfort to the average audiences. You know, we can’t get a real life incident for every movie. It was the magic done by Vinayak and Akula Siva.

So you converted the tagline of your movie ‘Power of Indrakeeladri’ as the ‘Power of Sankranthi’ as you are going to celebrate your birthday and did you treat it as a birthday gift from Vinayak and the audiences?

Definitely I am celebrating my birthday this year in a grand and successful manner. There are good directors and actors in Krishna-Godavari water itself. So, we are enjoying the power and success completely once again.

What are your future projects? Who will be the producers?

After playing hero in ‘Dubai Seenu’ produced by on the banner of Danayya, again I played hero in ‘Krishna’ in their immediate next flick. This proves how good our producers are. Kasi Viswanatham made his debut as producer with this movie. He needs a success and he achieved it. Coming to my future projects, the regular shooting of my film on the banner of Suresh Productions would start on February 1. Anushka is playing opposite me as heroine, after our successful combination in ‘Vikramarkudu’. No other projects were finalised so far.