Actor Nagarjuna is making headlines as his cult classic Shiva prepares for a re-release on November 14. On the same day, he graced the pre-release event of Gatha Vaibhava, the Kannada-Telugu bilingual starring Dushyanth and Ashika Ranganath, with Simple Soni as the director.

Speaking at the event, Nagarjuna shared his fondness for films based on past lives. “My father’s film Mooga Manasulu revolved around past life, and since then, I’ve been fascinated by such stories. That’s why I acted in Janaki Ramudu, which turned out to be a big hit,” he said.

The Shiva actor added that Gatha Vaibhava explores four generations of past lives. “After watching the trailer, I could see the hard work put in by the team. This is Dushyanth’s debut, and I understand the pressure he must be feeling. Seeing Ashika perform reminds me of her talent. I wish the team all the success,” Nagarjuna said.

Dushyanth, who hails from a political family, revealed why he chose acting over politics. “I completed my law studies in London and now I want to create my own identity. Even in my application, I mentioned that my father is a farmer because I didn’t want his influence to shape me. That’s why I chose a film career — to make a name for myself,” he said.

On the occasion, meanwhile, Ashika spoke about the challenges of her role as Deva Kanya. “I wore nearly one crore worth of gold every day from morning to evening until my role was completed. Out of the four roles I played in the film, this was the most challenging,” she shared.