PremiumI want HanuMan to reach every nook and corner of India, says Teja Sajja
Teja Sajja speaks about the film's success, making the film on such a small budget, the Sankranthi release, and future projects.
Teja Sajja
Last Updated: 06.33 PM, Jan 19, 2024
HanuMan is a surprise smash hit at the box office. Basking in the success of his film, the main lead, Teja Sajja, spoke about the film's success, making the film on a small budget, competition from biggies, and future projects. Here are experts from a freeflowing candid chat...
Did you ever expect such a huge response to HanuMan?
From day one, we were very confident that HanuMan would do well at the box office. But we never imagined that the film would make close to Rs 150 crore. This is surreal and I thank the almighty and the audiences who have loved the film and watched it on the big screens along with their families. The numbers are unheard of and all the credit should go to director Prasanth Varma for his execution and belief in the project.
How much did Chiranjeevi's association with the project help HanuMan?
It helped us big time. We all knew that Chiru sir is a huge HanuMan devotee. When we went to his house to invite him, he did not think for a minute and agreed to grace the pre-release event. Chiru Sir's speech and his mere presence at the event gave HanuMan a lot of exposure right before the film. He has always been there for young actors like me and as I have worked with him as a child actor in many of his films, he did not think one bit of being associated with the film.
Take us into the making of the film...
HanuMan has been a dream project for our director, Prashanth Varma. After working on Zombie Reddy, the moment he narrated the script, I fell in love with the scale and thought process behind the film. We started the film with a minimal budget and faced so many issues during its making. I should thank my producer, Niranjean Reddy, who supported us throughout the film. Though the VFX was taking a lot of time and the film got postponed multiple times, we never lost heart, and the result is there for us to see.
How did you prepare to play the lead role?
As I am an upcoming actor, working on HanuMan has been a dream come true. Working with a director like Prasanth Varma is like going to a film school. I learned the basics of VFX and worked on a green mat extensively in this film. I went on sets with an open mind and played my part religiously. Doing action sequences was difficult and I even injured my eye while shooting an action sequence. But my hard work has paid off and the way the film is being appreciated, I have forgotten all the pain I went through.
Waht was it like to collaborate with someone like Prasanth Varma?
He is a genius director, as I noticed when he made his first film, Awe. He is different from others and will go a long way in his career. The way he has imagined HanuMan, executed it on such a small budget, taken the release pressure, and lined up multiple parts in this franchise in such a short span shows what kind of determination he has. I am eager to collaborate with him on his future projects as well.
What about the competiton from other big releases over the Sankranthi weekend?
We were the first ones to announce the release date of HanuMan for Sankranthi 2024. The festival season is such that it can hold multiple films. Whichever film has the potential will hold its fort and I am happy that HanuMan came out with flying colours. All I want is that HanuMan should reach every nook and cranny of our country, as the film is about his own superhero.
Tell us about your future projects...
I have just started shooting for my next production at People Media Factory. Also, I have two other interesting projects lined up, which will be announced soon in the days to come. For now, I am enjoying the pan-India success of HanuMan and want the film to go deep into the audience.