I am prepared to be scrutinized, slashed and ripped apart

How did you land this ambitious Bollywood project?

There has been a lot of curiosity about Telugu movies of late. And I think “Magadheera“, one of the most sensational hits of my career, is one film that almost everyone has appreciated. It has been pitched to a lot of Bollywood actors and many have expressed their interest to remake it in Hindi. In fact, I got calls from Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan congratulating me. I think these good vibes spread over time and though people don’t really know me, they remember me for my work in that film. When producer Amit Mehra and Apoorva Lakhia thought of remaking ” Zanjeer“, and started thinking of young actors who could play an action hero, they thought of me.

But why wouldn’t the Mehras pitch it to an established young actor in Bollywood itself?

That was exactly my first question to them when they came to me with this film. I know they could’ve easily approached a Ranbir Kapoor or a Shahid. But I guess they had their reasons for seeking out someone who’s new, yet old enough in the business to be able to pull off a role that has acquired a cult status. An established name would have come with an image and the baggage that comes with it. But I’m different. I may be a star in the South, but when I go to Bollywood, I am a clean slate, a white paper. Whatever the director makes of me is what I will become for the audience.

Rumors are that your engagement to Upasna Kamineni, heiress of the Apollo Group which has a national presence, has a lot to do with this sudden rush to take brand Charan from local to national…

“Zanjeer” was okayed about eight months ago, and my engagement happened only in December. A good six months of pre-production work had already gone into this project. So there’s no logic to such assumptions. The only connection that Upasna has with my career right now is that she has been a lucky charm for me. Yes, we are two powerful families of the South coming together and we are complementing each other beautifully. My family never had a business background, we are artistes. My fiancee is from one of the biggest corporate families in India. But they are totally non-filmi people. It’s sad that people want to read too much into these things. Thankfully, Upasna is warming up rather well to this new world she finds herself in and is looking at only the positive side of it. She is suddenly getting invited everywhere for launches, gets interview requests and people want to know more about her. She is liking it.

It’s said that Upasna also converted your love for horses into a profitable venture by gifting you a polo team. It’s being seen as another endeavor to build brand Charan.

I agree Upasna has a strong business acumen, she sees opportunities in all my crazy ideas. She has converted my passion for horses into the polo team that I own today, but it’s not a gift. Nor is it part of any brand-building strategy. She got the offer and asked me if I’d be interested ‘cos she knew I love horses. I told her I don’t have the time for something that calls for this kind of commitment, so she was willing to help nurture it for me. We worked on it together. Polo is purely for the passion of it. It makes no profit nor is it part of any strategy.

“Zanjeer“‘s Vijay Khanna made Amitabh Bachchan the angry young man of Bollywood and gave him his first blockbuster. Those are some big shoes that you are attempting to fill…

Totally big shoes! Size 9, to be precise, if you go by Amitji’s famous dialogue from “Suhaag“! (laughs). On a serious note, I know what I’m attempting do to is a mammoth task. I keep telling my team that I wouldn’t really know the exact weight of this rock that I am carrying on my shoulder till the day I start shooting, or till the day the film releases. But the “Zanjeer” team is fantastic, they have a lot of faith in me and they have been pumping me with a lot of energy. They are keeping my spirits high.

But aren’t you feeling the pressure?

The good part is that I have tasted this once already… I have carried the burden of my dad’s image since day one. They never see me as just another guy trying to make his career in the film industry. I am always ‘Megastar‘ Chiranjeevi’s son first, and Ram Charan only later. Whether I do an original film, a dance or a remake of my dad’s hit songs, I have always been compared to him. So yes, I am used to this kind of pressure. I just want to use it as a reason to work harder without taking anything for granted.

Wouldn’t it have been easier to pick an easy-breezy entertainer or a romcom for a Bollywood debut, rather than pitting yourself against a legend like the Big B?

I didn’t plan for this, I was very happy with the way my career was shaping up in the South. The thought of entering Bollywood even in the next seven years or so hadn’t crossed my mind. But when Amit Mehra, Apoorva Lakhia and Reliance made this pitch to me, I gave it a good thought. I knew it isn’t the easiest debut, but I am not the one to chicken out of anything in life.

Comparisons with Big B wouldn’t be all. You will also have to sweat it out like an absolute newcomer, with no lineage or fans or recall value to bank on…

Yes, I am prepared to be scrutinized, slashed and ripped apart. I have all odds against me, except my confidence. I am taking on something which is very special to the Hindi audience. “Zanjeer” is in the movie libraries of every North Indian household, I’m sure. A whole generation has grown up on it. I am going to be at the mercy of an audience who doesn’t know me and isn’t used to me. I may be a big star for my fans in the South, but in Bollywood, I will be just a new guy struggling to win the hearts of his audience. I think only two kinds of people would take on something like this – either someone who is extremely confident or someone who is totally crazy. I am a bit of both. I am not expecting any frenzied premiere or fans or adulation. And I am working hard. I’ll leave the rest to God.

But yes, it’s not all easy. I shouldn’t lie. Sometimes I wish it was an ensemble cast and there was another actor to shoulder the burden along with me. On some nights, I do go to bed feeling like a bunch of nerves. I called my director at 3 am recently, because I was full of ideas and I wanted to bounce it off him. He told me, ‘Bro, it’s 3 am, I can’t even find my pen. Go to bed‘. That’s how much I am into the project right now. I am enjoying the pressure and I work best under pressure.

How different will the new angry young man be from the original one?

I don’t believe in going away too much from the original plot if it’s a remake. People don’t like it when you mess with a classic, especially if it’s being released under the same name. So keeping the original essence of the movie, and its cult status in mind, there are slight changes made to the character to suit our times. It’s a cop movie after all. Whether it’s “Dabangg” or “Singam“, a cop is a cop, with quirks and variations in the character which becomes his USP. We have such a surprise element even in “Zanjeer“, but we haven’t gone too far away from the original. But yes, you will definitely see a new Vijay, a new “Zanjeer” and for that matter, a new Ram Charan. For the first time, I will be seen in khakhi. My look is being worked on, I have two files on just hair and costume. The story board looks slick and full of action. The new angry young man will be stylish, crisp and very modern.

Are you repackaging yourself completely for this role and the new industry you are about to enter?

I am not very methodical as an actor, but at the same time, I believe in doing a certain amount of homework to make each of my roles stand out. I am working with a very famous diction trainer to train my voice and dialogues. I’m not learning Hindi per se, but more of the accent, the modulation, etc. Being a Hyderabadi, I can speak Hindi. Well, it’s the Hyderabadi Hindi of course. But as of now, Apoorva loves my voice and wants me to dub for myself. I am working hard on my body too. I was in Miami for a good three months to get into shape and I’m following up my regime here. I’ll take the rest as it comes.

They’ve still not managed to find a leading lady for you…

Yes, the leading lady of “Zanjeer” is a big question for me too. But I have consciously stayed away from getting involved in casting. They keep me informed whenever they are approaching someone. I too heard Priyanka Chopra was approached, apart from that, I don’t know much.

The film was barely announced and it has already ruffled a few feathers. Javed Akhtar, who wrote the original, has alleged that no one sought his permission for the remake. There were talks about taking legal action as well…

I am not aware of that. If there is an issue, I am sure it will be sorted out. There was only one permission that I was bothered about – Amitabhji’s. If he wasn’t happy with the idea of “Zanjeer” being remade, I wouldn’t have gone ahead with the project. Amit Mehra assured me that Amitabh Bachchan was the first person whom he went to when he decided to remake the film. He gave a green signal and has wished the team well. I have seen the messages and the blessings he’s given in writing to the team. Getting a go ahead from the man himself was a must for me. In fact, I will be speaking to him one of these days to seek his blessings myself.

How receptive do you think people in the film industry will be towards you?

My dad taught me that there are no best friends or worst enemies in this industry. So I always approach people with an open mind. But I do have a few friends there already. I did meet saif and kareena over dinner, I was at srk’s house for a Christmas party, Salman Khan is an old friend of dad’s, so I chilled out in his house when I was in Mumbai, bipasha is a very good friend of mine. Contrary to the belief here, Bollywood is a warm place. In fact, just the other day, Karan Johar called me and said, ‘charan, you are like family. Tell me if you need anything in the city.‘ I already feel welcome.

Whether it’s veterans like Kamal Haasan, Venkatesh or Nagarjuna, or even Madhavan in recent times, Southern ‘superstars’ who crossed the border to enter Bollywood have never really managed to achieve stardom outside their home ground. Is that something that bothers the ‘star‘ in you?

I’m not chasing stardom. And I don’t think that’s the intention with which actors before me went to Bollywood either. At the end of the day, Telugu is my mother tongue and the Telugu film industry is where I belong. That will always remain my home, my base. So with “Zanjeer”, there is no pressure to recreate the stardom I enjoy at home. It’s okay if it doesn’t make me a Bollywood star. I will try another script there. I just want to enjoy my work.

How far have the wedding and honeymoon plans come along?

Frankly, this year is a bit of a rush. I have three back-to-back Telugu releases, “Zanjeer” is on the anvil and my wedding is slated for July. I have no time for a bachelor’s party. I’ll be able to sneak out just five days for my wedding, and squeeze in a 3-4 day honeymoon. I’ll make it up to Upasna by asking SRK if he can meet her on our wedding day. She is a huge fan of his and that would be the best gift I can give her.