“I place my hand on my heart and say this – ‘Shashtipoorthi’ will be a great film” – Dr. Rajendra Prasad

“We should never miss films or roles like ‘Shashtipoorthi’” – Natakiriti Dr. Rajendra Prasad

“‘Shashtipoorthi’ feels like a story from every home… it reflects the Telugu people” – Natakiriti Dr. Rajendra Prasad

The film ‘Shashtipoorthi’ features Natakiriti Dr. Rajendra Prasad in a lead role. Produced by Rupeysh under the MAA AAIE Productions banner, the movie is directed by Pavan Prabha. It stars Archana, Rupeysh, and Aakanksha Singh in prominent roles. The film is scheduled to release on May 30. A pre-release event was held on Wednesday, during which Dr. Rajendra Prasad shared several insights about the film. Here’s what he had to say:

• “My heartfelt thanks to the audience and media friends who have been supporting me for 48 years. I’ve always received good roles, and getting characters that suit my age is truly my fortune. I say this with my hand on my heart — ‘Shashtipoorthi’ will be a great film. It’s a movie that gave me deep satisfaction.”

• “Our hero and producer Rupeysh is a cousin of RB Choudary. We initially wanted to hold the film’s first function in Amaravati, but due to lack of facilities, we held the trailer launch in Vijayawada instead. The trailer clearly shows that this is a story from every household. The film will connect with everyone and reflect Telugu culture and people.”

• “I produced films once, but filmmaking has changed a lot since then. We didn’t have the kind of technology that’s available now. But at the same time, we also didn’t face today’s levels of distraction. Even now, I never look at the monitor after a shot. That’s not my habit. It’s the director’s job to say ‘once more.’ We should focus on our responsibilities. Technology should serve quality. Today, Telugu cinema has reached a global level.”

• “The decision to shut down theaters isn’t something one person can make. It has to be a collective decision. Unfortunately, the issue was communicated poorly. That’s why Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan took it seriously and ordered an inquiry.”

• “I acted in an English film called Quick Gun Murugan. It’s featured on Emirates flights. Three parts are planned, and the second part is starting soon. Some scenes will use AI technology. For three scenes, they asked me to act in a standalone film. If my presence adds value to a role, I’ll definitely do it. After watching my role in Single, Allu Aravind garu called and appreciated me. He said, ‘Who played the role is just as important as the role itself.’ I always believe that the audience should remember the character — that’s my principle. This is my fifth generation in film, and to still be offered roles like in Shashtipoorthi is a blessing.”

• “Children may not witness their parents’ wedding, but they can witness their 60th wedding anniversary. That’s why Shashtipoorthi is such an important story. Films and characters like this should never be missed.”

• “Art is like an ocean. Can we drink the whole ocean? Can we swim across it? Just like that, art is endless. I will always be hungry and thirsty for it. I still want to play many more roles. Shashtipoorthi has three distinct variations. The director wanted the modulation and look from Ladies Tailor. But because of my attitude, I could pull off the role easily. We showed three different age spans in this movie, and it felt very challenging to me.”

• “Ilaiyaraaja garu didn’t just compose music — he competed with himself to give us his best. Keeravani garu wrote a song for us. When Raja garu heard that Keeravani was writing a lyric, even he was surprised. For Shashtipoorthi, Raja garu gave us outstanding songs. Chaitanya Prasad garu also gave us beautiful lyrics.”

• “When I was new to the industry, there were many legendary actors. NTR garu once asked me, ‘What’s your uniqueness?’ That question completely blanked my mind. I thought about it for a whole week. Around that time, the Charlie Chaplin Film Festival was happening. Watching those films gave me clarity. Everyone has their own identity — romantic hero, action hero — so why not a comedy hero? I decided to pursue roles that emphasize comedy and carve out that identity. After Ladies Tailor, I never had to look back.”

• “I never checked whether my pocket was full or not. I only checked whether the job I was doing gave me satisfaction. I did 12 films a year and earned a lot. But I lost all that money too. Still, I never worried about money. The work I did, the characters I played — that’s what gave me fulfillment. By God’s grace, I still get work. For 48 years, I’ve never been without work. Right now, I have 11 projects on hand and four more under discussion.”

• “Shashtipoorthi has everything — it’ll make you laugh and cry. After watching the movie, every viewer will want to go hug their parents with love.”

• “Archana and I acted together in Ladies Tailor. After so many years, we’re back together for Shashtipoorthi. I don’t know why such a long gap happened or why we couldn’t work together earlier. She moved into different genres like Daasi and Nireekshana. I continued in my comedy space. I’ve never demanded a particular heroine for my films — that’s not in my nature. Working with her again after so many years in Shashtipoorthi feels like destiny. I hadn’t even met her during this gap.”

• “Today’s films lack comedy. The main reason is the writing. In our time, writers delivered outstanding comedy. I made everyone laugh through healthy humor. But now I don’t see that kind of timing or writing. Everyone enjoyed my track with Vennela Kishore in Robin Hood. Even I often feel sad that good comedy is missing now. After the blockbuster Aha Naa Pellanta, I was scared — would I ever get such a film again? I hope today’s comedy evolves to be even better.”