The story is the hero Mahesh Babu : TOI

The story is the hero

On his birthday, superstar Mahesh Babu speaks about his first multistarrer with Venkatesh

Christina Francis

Sitamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu, touted as contemporary Telugu cinema's first multi-starrer, has been creating buzz ever since it went on the floors. And why not? The project brings together two of Tollywood's most celebrated stalwarts — Venkatesh and Mahesh Babu.
The first look of the film is just out and Mahesh Babu is clearly super-excited about it. But would he be just as excited about signing on a multistarrer if he was to act alongside a younger star who's considered his contemporary? "Why not? In fact, Venky is a legend himself... so if you are hinting at insecurity or ego, then acting with Venky would have been a much tougher call to take. I have always said that I am open to acting with other stars."
So, is he now open to taking risks when it comes to his roles and films? "Maybe yes, I don't want my films to be cliched. But this one's no risk. If at all there's a safe project that I've picked, it has to be SVSC. More than the fact that it's a multistarrer, it's the story that got me excited. When you see the film, Mahesh or Venky won't come to your mind. The story is the hero. It will be a landmark cinema."
Would he rather have his fans walk in to see the character he plays than come to theatres just to see superstar Mahesh Babu? "Obviously, I want them to want to see me, but then I want to stand out as an actor too. I don't want to just do any rubbish. If you see Dookudu, it's a commercial film, but it's gone on to win almost all the awards this season. That's something that makes me really happy."
christina.francis@timesgroup.com

First look of the Venkatesh-Mahesh Babu starrer Sitammavakitlo Sirimalle Chettu