Some said my career is over, says ‘Pratiroju Pandage’ actor Sai Dharam Tej

The actor's latest is about the last phase in the life of a grandfather, and how he bonds with his grandson

Sai Dharam Tej looks relaxed and confident. In between his dubbing session at the studios, he tells us how he bagged Prati Roju Pandage and what connected him to the story line immediately. Director Maruti, Geeta Arts and UV Creations have been wanting to work with the actor for quite some time and during the making of Chitralahari, he heard a couple of scripts pitched to him.

Tej selected Pratiroju Pandage after he had a second narration and felt that the theme gives out a different perspective of a family genre film. It is about the last phase in the life of a grandfather and how he is being ignored.

The grandson realises the mistakes he did before and comes and stays with him. “There are circumstances that don’t allow us to meet our grandparents but we need to make sure we stay connected with them,” he says and adds, “People will take the film back home. For me if your work is your hobby and passion, you spend time with your friends then any day is a festival; You basically do what you want, it seems like a celebration. What more does one want?”

‘One day at a time’

Tej is yet to see success. His biggest achievement is people accepting him as an actor though, he feels. He observes,“Some said my career is over but there are also some who said he will come back stronger and that is my biggest success… that people having faith in me.”

He says he cannot blame one factor, “There are multiple reasons for the bad show at the box office but by the end of the day, I am responsible for it. I chose the film, the mistake is mine. I am looking to do many films without repeating mistakes and I am taking it one day at a time. I don’t say the change will happen overnight.” He took a break post Tej I Love You and went abroad to recuperate from his injuries. He is buoyed that the producers of Chitralahari didn’t lose money, though the film didn’t rake great money. Failures teach one a lot and Tej admits to working on that, and is getting better.

He adds, “It is hard to come out of such a phase. My first film took five years to release. When I have seen and survived that I can bear anything. I believe a greater good will happen to me. There will be light at the end of the tunnel. I was concerned about the commercial part, whether producers will make money or not. There are times I gave up my remuneration when the producer didn’t make money on my film. I am already down and I can’t pull people out of their problem. Let me be in a better position to bail them out.”

Tej is happy seeing the shift of taste of the audience and says the Telugu audience is very accepting be it KGF in Kannada or Lucifer in Malayalam or Khaidi in Tamil. They appreciate any unique point told in an interesting manner and hopes Pratiroju Pandage also will do well. He concurs that promotions have become an important part of filmmaking and it has to be marketed well to reach the audience. It isn’t enough if the film is made well. He recalls, “Be it C/O Kanacharapalem or Pellichoopulu, they both have been packaged perfectly.” Tej’s next is with Deva Katta and Solo Brathuke So Betteru has already hit the floors. He is optimistic that 2020 will bring a lot of cheer to him, his fans, family and the film industry.