OTTplay Awards 2022: I thank the younger generation of directors for introducing me to the digital space, states

There's no high that veteran actor Rajendra Prasad hasn't experienced in his 45-year-long tryst with cinema. Yet, the OTTplay Awards 2022 ceremony will hold an important place in his heart for a reason. The April 1 Vidudala actor had made his OTT debut with aha's crime drama Senapathi in the previous year. The event honoured the versatile actor with the OTT Performer of the Year award, his first-ever recognition in the digital space.

"The award is very prestigious for me because it shows the power of good content and how it can be appreciated by audiences regardless of the medium. I must however tell that the director of Senapathi, Pavan Sadineni came very prepared with the script. I had no second thoughts about entering the OTT space with a film like this. I always keep telling people that it's important for actors of all generations to embrace the OTT space and enhance its value and reach," Rajendra Prasad shares.

"I have been to venues where I have spoken in front of five lakh people but I will honestly say that the applause that South Indian content received at OTTplay Awards was something else. It shows that good content travels beyond borders and I was happy to see that some of the most happening artistes and content creators were rewarded at the same venue. OTT is the future and I am happy to be a part of the digital wave that takes content into the homes of audiences," he states.

The veteran was bombarded with selfie-requests from all corners at the awards venue and the validation he had received from the Mumbai fraternity made him feel all the more special. "Many of my films have either been dubbed or remade here over the years and it's great to see love pouring in from many corners. I truly appreciate OTTplay for the idea to honour people from all parts of the country at the same venue."

Even after completing over 45 years in cinema, the role he had played in Senapathi, reportedly gave Rajendra Prasad the scope to discover a new side to his repertoire. "It's only because of the younger generation of storytellers that I have made myself relevant to audiences in the OTT era. I will always be thankful to my director Pavan Sadineni and my producer Sushmitha Konidela for backing me in Senapathi. This is my first award for my first film in the digital space. This will be special."

Senapathi, directed by Pavan Sadineni, premiered on aha on December 31, 2021 and also starred Gnaneswari Kandregula, Naresh Agastya, Rakendu Mouli and Pavani Reddy, to name a few. Aadukalam Kishore and Aishwarya Lekshmi had presented the award to Rajendra Prasad during the award-ceremony. At the event, the veteran also hinted at a sequel to his comedy, Quick Gun Murugan, soon. The first instalment was directed by Shashanka Ghosh.