Naga Chaitanya on picking a project like Vrushakarma: ‘I wondered how to pitch the role for Indian palate’

Naga Chaitanya in the film’s first look. Pics/Getty Images, Instagram, Youtube

For long, Naga Chaitanya wanted at least one larger-than-life movie in his filmography. But the Telugu movie actor was clear that it had to be a unique world, and not a spectacle film for the heck of it. Vrushakarma ticked both boxes. "I was looking for the right film to present myself in this genre. Today viewers around the world are curious about Indian folklore. What I also loved was that the mythology has been presented in a contemporary thriller format," said the actor about the film whose teaser dropped online last week.

In director Karthik Dandu's Telugu feature, Chaitanya portrays a treasure hunter who comes across a supernatural force. It's a character rarely explored in Indian films. The actor elaborated, "When the director first told me I'm playing a treasure hunter, I wondered how to pitch it for the Indian palate. We've seen famous Hollywood films with such characters, but it's new in our cinema. Treasure hunters are adventurous, edgy, and cool. So, it allowed me to experiment with physicality, attitude, and energy."

A still from ‘Thandel'

According to Chaitanya, what helped his performance further was having a supportive co-star in Sparsh Shrivastava of Laapataa Ladies (2024) fame.
With Vrushakarma, which is billed as a pan-India offering, Chaitanya is attempting a new genre. The actor, son of superstar Nagarjuna, is clear that his choices are guided by curiosity and not legacy. "Post-COVID, the audience's behaviour has changed. I'm trying to be dynamic and not hold on to what worked for me 10 years ago. It's easy to fall into a template because something has succeeded in the past. But I want to stay original and keep learning."