Nani, who was last seen in the relationship drama Hi Nanna, is gearing up for his next big release Saripodhaa Sanivaaram. The upcoming action-thriller marks his second collaboration with Vivek Athreya — their previous film together, Ante Sundaraniki, was not a box-office success. During a recent interview, Nani spoke about the possible reasons for the film’s failure, and why he thought he was partially responsible for Ante Sundaraniki not working at box office.

Speaking to online portal Galatta, Nani stated, “I reason Ante Sundaraniki didn’t work was me. I was the wrong choice for the film.” Elaborating on his statement, the Jersey actor talked about how, while he continues to love the film as a well-made, beautiful movie, his presence in the film set a certain set of expectations among the audience. He added. “The movie lover in me got excited listening to the story, but I forgot my journey as an actor and the image I carry. What I understood, on the release date, that everyone was getting restless to see the hero and heroine. For them, it was a star film. Since it had an actor who is promising something and you are coming with a preconceived notion, then you are constantly waiting for hero to appear the screen, rather than enjoying the entire narrative.”

Nani concluded his thoughts about the film, adding that he is extremely proud to have the movie in his filmography. Ante Sundaraniki, which starred Nazriya Nazin as the female lead opposite Nani, released in 2022.