From Digital Debut to Real-Life Inspired Love Story 'Thandel', Naga Chaitanya Opens Up

He remains missing in action for the better part of the year from social media unless he has a film coming promotion or an announcement.

But we manage to pin Naga Chaitanya down and he responds with a smile "I am quite the introvert that way, so when work is not in the spotlight, I just decide to keep it low,"

However, it has been a busy month for the actor as he made his digital debut with the Telugu supernatural thriller series 'Dhootha', and has begun shooting for 'Thandel', directed by Chandoo Mondeti.

It talks about 'Dhootha' and his turn as Sagar, a morally flawed journalist caught between the push and pull of right vs wrong. The actor says that though fascinated by the supernatural genre, he was drawn to the premise of playing a character with several shades of grey.

"One got to explore and question a lot of things, you know, not only related not just related to journalism but also on the personal front of what is ethically right or wrong. Also having eight episodes of screen time, really excited me and gravitated me more towards playing this character, because this is not something you can tell in a two-hour feature film. One needs that time to explore the character. Apart from that, it was a supernatural thriller genre, which I have never explored, so that excited me further," he said.

So does he believe in supernatural power? "I don't believe in it, but there is some supernatural energy in this world that puts everything together and makes this world go round. But, I don't know what to pinpoint it as like, is it an object is it a beat, whatever, but I know there is some energy," he answers thoughtfully.

As 'Dhootha' continues to trend on viewing charts, he feels the streaming platforms have offered actors a wide canvas to explore in terms of narratives and characters.

"OTT was something I've been wanting to explore myself. It is very liberating because your work is being watched in 200-plus territories, and countries being dubbed in so many languages. As an actor, I think it's very important to be present in both spaces. I look at the digital space like a complete alter ego where I can attempt certain things that you know, might not make it to the big screen," he stated.

Currently shooting for the love story 'Thandel' opposite Sai Pallavi, he confesses though he has been trying to shed the lover boy image, this one is far more complex.

He said, "It's a love story but inspired by real live events that happened to some Srikakulam fishermen in 2018. It's an inspiring story, which also questions the politics of the time."

Given his cinematic lineage on both sides of the family. His father Nagaarjuna and grandfather A Nageshwar Rao an acting legend in Telugu cinema. His maternal grandfather was the prominent producer D Rama Naidu, and his maternal uncle actor Venkatesh and cousin Rana Dagubatti are popular and well-known names in the industry.

He confesses that being part of an illustrious clan like his may have given him the rite of passage in the industry, but he is cautious to never let the legacy down.

So any plans to see the fam jam on screen?

He laughs saying, "it all depends on whether they get the right script. It is the script that dictates any of these projects, like when we 'Venky Mama' or 'Manam' which starred my father and grandfather A Nageshwar Rao, we were looking for a fresh script, so if something comes along why not."

The actor who also ventured into motor racing, acquiring the ownership of the Motorsport racing team "Hyderabad Blackbirds calls the sport his second love after movies.

He said, " I don't know if is it still that big in India, two people still connect to motor racing, I think we still have some more time to go, but I would love to do a script somewhere down the line on the sport".

So whose biopic would he adapt?

"I think Narain Karthikeyan has always been a very inspiring motorsport, you know athlete from India," he states.

He calls himself an actor who is still growing and reveals that though it may appear easy, the profession comes with several challenges. His personal life has been under scrutiny, and though his ex-wife Samantha Prabhu has been vocal about their split, he maintains a dignified silence on the same.

Ask him what is social media for him, it's just a tool to communicate, is his response.

So do we have 'Dhootha 2'? "Well, I need to ask Vikram Kumar," he concludes.