'Nagabandham' stars Virat Karrna, Nabha Natesh tease Shiva-Parvati roles; makers recall Mahesh Babu's support
New Delhi, June 8
'Nagabandham' actors Virat Karrna and Nabha Natesh opened up about their characters as Shiva and Parvati in the upcoming mythological magnum opus 'Nagabandham', teasing a major switch from their usual characters.
Speaking to ANI, lead actor Virat Karnna shared, "I am playing a dual role in this movie. The first character is Rudra, and the second character is Shiva. My character gets deeply pulled into the ancient mystery. They serve as a bridge between the modern world and these hidden temple secrets."
Karrna also shared deets about the intense preparation that he went through for the role.
"There is like a lot of transformation in my body language. The way he walks, the way he talks, the way he looks into the character. The stunts workshop and the training were incredibly intense to get this. There are also heavy action sequences in the film," he added.
Nabha Natesh, who plays the female lead in 'Nagabandham', went on to share how her character of Parvati brings a lot of layers within herself.
"She is somebody who is emotionally very potent, and there are a lot of layers to her. In this specific character, I have kind of gotten to explore multiple roles of women in terms of how much value they add to the story. As women, we are daughters, we are sisters, we are friends, we are lovers, we are confidants. We carry all of these roles very effortlessly. In comparison to the characters I have done before, this one gave me that kind of space to explore in terms of writing itself," Nabha shared.
The actress continued that the audience will be treated to something different from her usual characters.
"The vulnerability of the character. The decisions that Parvati takes in each step of the movie actually serve in a larger picture. It is definitely completely different from anything the audience has seen me in," she explained.
Producers Kishore Annapureddy and Nishitha Nagireddy shared their thoughts on the growing popularity of mythological films in the contemporary market, noting that audiences are showing renewed interest in stories rooted in cultural heritage, epics, and legendary characters.
"Nagabandham is a socio-fantasy-based mythological action-adventure based film. We have taken into consideration a lot of historical events that have happened in the country when the Afghans attacked India. We also took certain cinematic liberties to give those great experiences to the audience," Nishitha said.
Producer Kishore Annapureddy further explained how there has been a rise in the trend of mythological films, enabling the makers to strike a balance between creative liberties and traditional narratives.
"We have taken any inspiration to the core, to the soul of the story. To appeal to the modern audience, we have taken a few liberties to be able to show it in a modern narrative," he said.
The makers also reflected on having received support from many industry figures, including superstar Mahesh Babu, who earlier unveiled the teaser of 'Nagabandham'.
While Annapureddy recalled how Mahesh Babu congratulated director Abhishek Nama after watching the film's teaser, Nishitha continued, "Mahesh Babu is not a person who would support any kind of movie. He's very picky and choosy in terms of promoting a movie. We spent around a week convincing him to see the film's teaser and promote us. Eventually, we got an opportunity."
Directed by Abhishek Nama, Nagabandham cast includes Virat Karrna, alongside Rishabh Sawhney, Nabha Natesh, Ishwarya Menon, Mahesh Manjrekar, and Jagapathi Babu.
A poster of the film was unveiled earlier this month, featuring Virat Karrna at the top of the mountain, portraying the role of Lord Shiva in the movie.
The poster reinforces Nagabandham's promise of delivering a cinematic experience rooted in India's rich mythological traditions while embracing cutting-edge storytelling and visual effects.
Nagabandham is produced by Kishore Annapureddy and Nishitha Nagireddy of NIK Studios and Abhishek Pictures and presented by Lakshmi Ira and Devansh Nama.
The film aims to celebrate India's cultural diversity, mythological legacy, and spiritual heritage.
It is set to hit theatres on July 3.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a Telugu cinema fan, I'm really excited about this! Nabha Natesh's comment about exploring multiple roles of women resonated with me - we need more films that show women as complex beings, not just decorative pieces. Also, Mahesh Babu supporting this speaks volumes about its quality! 🙏
Hope they don't whitewash history by showing Afghans as villains. Our country has a complex past - we should show it respectfully. But I'm keeping an open mind. The dual role concept sounds interesting - Rudra and Shiva, modern and mythological. Let's see if they pull it off well.
As someone who moved from the US to work in Hyderabad, I love how Indian cinema is exploring its roots with modern storytelling. This blend of mythology and action-adventure is something we don't see enough of globally. Mahesh Babu's involvement is a huge stamp of quality!
Dual role as Rudra and Shiva? That's a big responsibility! Shiva's role needs immense grace and power. Hope Virat has done his homework on the Puranas. Also, July 3 release - perfect for summer vacations. Will definitely watch in theatres for the visual experience! 🎬
I appreciate the producers mentioning 'cinematic liberties' - that's important. Mythology shouldn't be a rigid textbook but a canvas for imagination. The Bangladeshi in me is also curious how this will be received across the border. Good luck to the team!
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