Rana Daggubati has joined hands with filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj for the upcoming Tamil film Neelira (A Long Night). The film, releasing on April 3, blends human emotions with war drama. Ahead of its release, Kartik and Rana sat down for an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, and discussed the importance of this kind of cinema. The latter also talked about the challenges he faced while playing the role of Bhallaladeva during the filming of Baahubali.
When asked which scene from Baahubali had a mental and physical impact on him, Rana Daggubati told Pinkvilla, "We shot it for about six years or something. So most of them were like that. It’s not about a scene because at that time, we were also exploring how to make that film. No, it was not that we had many war films made here. It wasn’t like the car action choreographers or the visual effects were up to that level. It was pushing everyone’s boundaries. It needed a guru like Rajamouli and a team coming together for that vision. Usually, we are not able to stay in our minds for that long in a film."
Watch the full interview here:
he adds, "Just the fact that the entire team worked for six, seven years to make this film, I think was a big milestone in itself. The reason it took so long was because we were doing something so exciting. When you go on the set and say you are doing this on screen for the first time, and it is such a high level that no one can compete with it. The fact that when you walk on the chariot for the first time or hold your mace, you know that the audience will see it on screen for the first time in their lives. I think it overshadows all the other pieces that come with it."
Furthermore, the Rana Naidu actor also opened up about whether he was afraid that he would no longer be a hottie after Baahubali. He recalled an incident in which an immigration officer identified him as Bhallaladeva several years after the film’s release. The 41-year-old said, "Not a hot guy. My physicality changed. So I was coming back from America, and I thought, will they recognize me now because I look so different from the guy who left, and the first person who recognized me was an immigration officer who was African-American. I took off my mask. He said, "Wow, that is King Bhallaldev. That’s all I said, boss. This film is aging beautifully," And this was four or five years after the film. So, I think cinema is forever. It creates an impact that never ends."
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