Balakrishna says Shiva Rajkumar’s Mufti was the inspiration behind his Veera Simha Reddy look

When Nandamuri Balakrishna considers someone a friend, his association with the individual is permanent and he’ll do whatever it takes to help them in the need of the hour. It was indeed a heartwarming gesture from the star to have attended his good friend Shiva Rajkumar Vedha’s pre-release event in Hyderabad on Tuesday. The Telugu version of the Kannada hit is set to release on February 9.

“Most of the stars of the yesteryear era were younger to my father and hence I addressed them as ‘Chinnanna’ (uncle) and Kannada legend Rajkumar was no exception to it. It’s not easy to fill the shoes of Rajkumar to another generation; it’s a responsibility and one has to go beyond the star’s shadow to take his legacy forward. Shiva has done that to perfection,” the Akhanda star stated.

The veteran remembered Shiva Rajkumar’s Mufti and said that the latter’s look in the film was a key inspiration for his elderly avatar in Veera Simha Reddy too. “I appreciate Shiva’s gesture to introduce his wife Geetha as a producer with the film and it’s an important step towards women empowerment. I am confident that the film will be a hit in AP, Telangana and on a pan-Indian level.”

Balakrishna regaled audiences with his speech in Kannada, while taking help of Shiva Rajkumar on the stage. He called the technicians the backbone of a film. “They can even help a bad film shape up better on the screen. Their efforts can make or break a film,” he added, while also appreciating director Harsha, composer Arjun Janya and Vedha’s editor, cinematographer too.

On a poignant note, Balakrishna felt that though Puneeth may not be around us physically anymore, he’ll forever reside in the hearts of audiences through his films and social initiatives. “He’s someone who cared for the society genuinely and didn’t seek attention out of it. Puneeth is very much with us,” he signed off, while wishing the Vedha team for the Telugu version.