~~PRINCE OF HEARTS~~ (Mahesh Babu) HUB!! pg4

Introducing the prince of the Superstar, who had ruled the Telugu film industry with more than 350 movies to his credit and then passed his legacy on'.

Enti chustunaru?? Vachadu chudandi na koduku' apatlo nenu telawalanu gajajaladiste ippudu weedu andari deema tirigi mind block aye la chestunadu' Tandrini minchina koduku anipinchu kunadu..

(Who are you looking at?? Here comes my son' Earlier in my days, I made white people shiver but these days my son blocks everyone's mind' Truly proving that he surpassed his father.

See son, seeing your achievements they have declared you the star of the week

Wondering who this fuzzy kid is' its' me in my first ever movie called Needa'

Then I have done about 7 more movies as a child artiste, which included my father as a hero and won the accolades and hearts of Telugu people.

"When I was a child, acting was my hobby. I like going to sets. It was exciting. My dad used to be there. I used to follow dad's instructions and get back. And it was an opportunity to bunk school (giggles). But, now it is changed. I was not focused when I was child. But it helped me in a way to expose me to the cinema industry. I am comfortable right from the day one as the hero, because of my experience as a child artist."

Wait' still haven't told you about my family.

Born on 9 August, 1975 to Krishna and Indira Devi. I have one elder brother, Ramesh, two elder sisters, Padmavathi, Manjula and one younger sister Priyadarsini. I was born in Madras and studied at the prestigious St. Bede's School in Chennai and later graduated with a B.Com from the famous Loyola College in Chennai. Stand tall at a height of 6'3 and I'm a cricket fan

Watch out guys... Prince is coming!!!

It was in 1999 I made a debut as a hero in'Rajakumarudu' directed by veteran director Raghavendra Rao. It was my first taste of success. Later did 'Yuvraju' directed by YVS Chowdary which did average job and then followed by 'Vamsi' which I chose to ignore.

It was during the shoot of Vamsi I met Namratha. In the year 2001, came my next film 'Murari' opposite Sonali Bendre, directed by Krishna Vamsi which will remain as one of the milestone in my career.

"Murari was an elevating experience. My dad watched the film and never said a word. But I could see his eyes turn moist, he just choked. Those reactions keep me going."

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1gKGTAVDNo[/YOUTUBE]

Then came 'Takari Donga' directed by Jayant C. Parajni

In 2003 came the blockbuster 'Okkadu' directed by Gunasekhar.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L2uLRbWOpw[/YOUTUBE]

It provided an opportunity to portray different dimension to my acting skills' i.n.t.e.n.s.i.t.y in eyes, without making hero uttering a single word.

All the hard work my dad put in and the indelible impression he created for himself in Telugu cinema has spilled over to my career.

"To be honest, in the initial stages, I had my insecurities. I was apprehensive about living up to people's expectations plus there was no way I wanted my dad's reputation to be tarnished even with a single bad performance. But Okkadu wiped away all my doubts and insecurities. Success can be a heady feeling and can throw you off balance so one needs to concentrate and be braced for any eventuality. Unfortunately the slots we are in, the budgets that revolve around us, it is imperative the film be a super hit. So it's not that easy handling all this."

Next were Nijam, Nani and Arjun which won me critical acclaim and success.

Nijam clearly facilitated the transformation of an action hero image into a solid screen performer capable of delivering quality. "Yes, it was one of my best performances to date and was very difficult as well. I did Okkadu around that time and immediately went to work on this particular role. The emotions I needed to portray were heavy and Teja molded me into the role."

Naani was a dud in the State but did well in Tamil. "Here if you have a particular image, you've got to work accordingly. I'd better stop experimenting and stick to action roles."

Arjun was a cost failure but it's close to my heart because of the standards it set.

The year 2005 brought me good luck both personally and professionally.

It was in Feb 10^th, 2005 I got married to Namratha after 6 long years of association

Next the record breaking blockbuster POKIRI' When I initially said yes to Puri Jagannath it raised a lot of eyebrows as his 3 consecutive films failed in a row.

"Puri Jagannath is one of our best directors. A few failures do not mean anything. I feel sure that our combinations can definitely yield big hits. I am sure he will make a super hit with me. Once a failure doesn't always mean a failure. My 'Athadu' has proved it."

True to the statement, Jagan gave the biggest blockbuster of my career.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cTovwxKdic[/YOUTUBE]

The dialogues of this movie became quite popular among all.

Next was 'Sainikudu',

"That was a bad film. The director is undoubtedly one of the best in the industry. Half way through the shooting of Sainikudu, I knew it wasn't going to work. But then, you can't abandon a project just because you stop believing in it, right? That has happened with many of my films that flopped."

Later released 'Athidi' in 2007, it managed to collect good openings.

Then there was a break of about three years in my career during which

"I saw my son grow up. I also went through deep pain. I lost my grandmother, who I was closest to and also lost my in laws. I spent loads of time with my family. I also discovered my inner strength through spiritual reading. Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now and New Earth have influenced me a great deal. I have, however, always been a very balanced person from day one, largely because of my father. He was a huge star with an unbelievable fan following when I was growing up. But at home, he was just my father. No star treatment, no starry airs. I think the best gift parents can give their children is grounding. I hope I can demonstrate to my son what my father did for me. I can't thank him enough. You know, my being here today, in films is entirely due to him. Every year, we would go to Ooty for summer vacations. Every summer, he would get me to do a film. Before I realized what was going on, I had become a child star with a fan following and popularity! It is easy to get carried away and lose your head. But I have been lucky to have had a normal upbringing."

Then I did 'Khaleja' opposite Anushka directed by Trivikram

"The years that I didn't act are the ones that helped me grow as an actor. I took a break for three years. I can feel the evolution in me. Trivikram's been echoing my sentiments ever since we began shooting for Khaaleja"

"I've played subdued, understated yet powerful roles. This is the first time my character is loud, brash, funny as hell and yet very realistic. Very natural, very convincing. I can never do anything that I'm not convinced about."

This character has opened me completely. That's why I'm talking a lot now.

This outstanding performance from Mahesh was possible only due to Trivikram's direction. I just performed in his style since he wrote the dialogues and directed the film. I really liked the way he narrated the story. The film has a very good theme, 'if we help a stranger he sees God in us'.

We all know that Anushka is a star heroine. But on sets she behaves very normal, so it's very comfortable to work with her. I'm very happy about it. She used remain on sets even after her shot was over.

"I believe the gap that I had taken prior to Khaleja is the main reason for its failure. Expectations rose to peak as my film is hitting the screens nearly after three years. First thing, such a long gap is not right for any star to take. I did the wrong thing and it affected the film."

Next projects in hand are Dookudu opposite Samanta directed by Sreenu Vaitla, with my blockbuster Pokiri director, Puri Jagan "The Business Man" -Guns don't need agreement, Ponniyin Selvan directed by the ace Indian director Mani Ratnam.

Talks are on with Shankar regarding the remake of 3-idiots but nothing is finalized yet due to Dookudu schedule.

Personally I don't like to act in remakes since there's nothing new to do.

~~

"It has been a learning experience. I never involve my dad in work and have always strived to make it on my own. I think I'm mature enough to select good stories but earlier, had I taken advice from my father, I am sure the outcome would have been better. But 10 or 15 years down the line, I would have to do everything on my own. So being independent was a conscious decision. I do one film at a time because that way, I can have better focus. I wanted to do different films simultaneously but that didn't work."

Working relationship with his directors has been very fruitful. All these men have different styles and it has been a tremendous experience learning the nuances of the trade.

Music:

Mani Sharma had given a fantastic background score for almost all my films and he remains my favourite.

Action Image:

"As a beginner I tried to do something new with every film, but the BO returns were equally diverse. It all changed with Okkadu where I came into my own as an actor. I figured you just cannot do without action and that's a given. I still try to come up with something believable in the melee of high voltage and that is a real challenge I must admit. I would love to try something different with someone like Shekar Kammula, but I will have to come back to the action fold because that is what the people want."

Flops:

Flops do affect me. I get depressed, dejected, I go through a huge turmoil. But I have become better at handling it now. Three years of break helped me immensely.

Multi-starrer:

I'm open to do mutli-starrer, though I have my doubts if anybody can come up with a befitting story. My favorite co-star would be Pavan Kalyan.

I've earlier rendered my voice as background for his movie 'Jalsa' directed by Trivikram.

other areas of filmmaking:

Once an actor, always an actor. I'm passionate only about acting. I haven't done anything else in my life, you see. From age 4 to now. I can't think beyond acting."

On Namratha

"She's just unbelievably amazing. She's made my life so much easier. Besides being a great wife and mother, she also handles all aspects of my work. I only look at the creative's. She's also influenced my dressing. Earlier, I would be comfortable only in checks shirts and jeans but she introduced me to T shirts. Now, I quite enjoy experimenting with my look."

Son: Goutham Krishna

At four, he shows all signs of becoming an actor. His birth has made me value my life even more. He's precious. He's my life. You're not a complete man until you become a father.

New Home:

Finally moved in2 my new house:):)stunningly beautiful:)thanx2my wife:) Always wanted 2 walk in2 a fully finished home..:)

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtTlMbhx6kU[/YOUTUBE]

On Holidays:

I love holidays. My current favorite destination is Malaysia. All time favorite is New Zealand. Love Goa too'

On People:

I hate liars. I disconnect instantly with people who mess with me. I look for commitment and excellence in people I work with.

Shy Guy:

"Contrary to perceptions, I am not a recluse. You could call me a private guy. You could even call me shy. Even when Pokiri became this huge massive hit, I felt shy and nervous with all the attention I was getting. But calling me a recluse is a bit far-fetched, you know. The fact is I like my space. I still get uncomfortable with attention though I'm getting better with handling it thanks to Namrata. I'm not a guy who's ever been into socialising or hanging out at night clubs. That's not my scene. I love being at home with my family. Namrata has definitely brought out the best in me. My son has totally transformed my life. When I hear my four year old son talk, it's like a miracle. It's difficult to put it into words,"

"I am a very private person. I'm here to work in films. If my films are good, the audience will watch it. I don't need to give interviews and attend talk shows to push my film. I am uncomfortable talking about myself. I love my fans. They have been there throughout. It is just that they expect too much. In a way, that's good because I am working towards keeping to their standards, learning from my mistakes."

I am a simple guy who has his set of friends and I like to do my thing. I do not understand the media, so I prefer to stay away from it. When I got married there were reports, which claimed I got married secretly, against the wishes of my family, when in fact it was a quiet family affair. After the episode, I just opted to stay out of it all to avoid unnecessary issues.

Icon:

"I have barely done a few films and even if some of them did not work, the majority of the audience always felt that I came up with good performances. Also, I feel that all the hard work my dad put in and the indelible impression he created for himself in Telugu cinema has spilled over to my career. I'm not sure if I would have had such a following on my own. By virtue of being his son, the legacy of the image was passed on to me."

"I would also credit the success of his childhood films to my current screen image. I'm also lucky to have a lot of people who love me and are constantly behind me, giving solid support. All I need to do is work hard, give a good film and make them happy. The amazing thing with the fans in Andhra Pradesh is that once they become your fan, they always remain your fans"

Apparently I'm ranked as d 12th most desirable man in India...a bit shy n embarrassed.. Anyways a big thanks 2 d times group n above all a bigger thanks to all my loving fans:):)

Advertisements:

"I love the recognition, money, fame, love, success but what I love most is the creative aspect of this profession. No two days are the same. There is no scope for monotony or boredom. Yes, I love the endorsements that come my way too. At the end of the day, endorsements are based on an actor's popularity. Having said that, I must tell you that I accept only the products I believe in. My criteria for accepting Univercell, for instance, was based on the founder's humble beginnings and his conviction that helped his company succeed in a big way. Thums up, the other brand I have been endorsing for some time now, is a household name and so is Amrutanjan, the newest brand in my wagon. The Provogue campaign is out. Soon Idea and Vivel in are added in the list.

Looking Ahead:

I want to entertain people for as along as possible. I find myself in a very dangerous position at the moment, especially after Pokiri. The expectations have shot up and I am faced with the challenge of pleasing the masses and the classes at the same time. That's a real challenge for me. What I would really love to do, is to win a national award and see Telugu films adapted into other languages.

Namrata Ghattamaneni on mahesh

As an actor I think he is by far one of the best actors we have in our country. I say country because that's how I feel truly. He is a consummate actor and gives his all to the character he portrays each time. He is totally committed to his craft. As a husband, he's incredibly loving and truly understanding. We are the best of friends. Meeting and marrying him have been the best things that have happened to me. I am going through the happiest phase of my life. Do I have to say more? As a father, he's the best dad in the whole world. At least that's what Gautam and I think. He's Gautam's idol and nothing matters more to him than waking up in the morning and see Gautam smile.

Namratha about Mahesh

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZjD0zHy4sk[/YOUTUBE]

Trivikram (director of Athadu n Khaleja)

Lot of people talk about passion. Mahesh Babu lives it. I remember an incident during the shooting of Athadu. At 2 midnighs, after Mahesh had left the set, I wanted him to come back for a retake. He had almost reached home but came back. And then he went about his work with a smile, effortlessly. There is no pressure of working with a star when you work with him. He doesn't take his star status seriously at all. That's his best quality as an actor. As a person, he has undergone a 180 degree transformation. Marriage has done wonders to him. He used to be extremely shy with romance before. Now he's opened up much more. If he can speak truth he does, otherwise he doesn't bother. The birth of his son has matured him a great deal. It has actually helped him as an actor. He's so sure of himself now that he's confident of his first take. His technical knowledge is superb. I think five years from now, he may be ruling Bollywood. He is a reservoir of acting stamina.

Favourites:

My favourite films r okkadu, atadhu, pokiri n murari...this is pretty much the order in which i like them...

Heroine- Sridevi

Twitter:

Namrata and Blah, the celeb management company that handles my endorsements were instrumental in getting me on Twitter. They made me realise that this is the only platform where I could have a direct connection with people. Now, I really enjoy tweeting

So if you guys want to follow me, you can

http://twitter.com/urstrulyMahesh

AMAZING work on the thread Kavya. Just way too good and creative 👏👏👏👏👏 Amazing!

pichekinchav kavya! fan anipinchukunnav....amazing!

I'm gonna second that. Keka :D

how abt sporting an MB siggy this week?

Great Job Kavya 👏👏👏👏 Our SOTW got kick started superbly... ⭐️⭐️⭐️ will shortly read through and comment hun