Nithiin: Extra has no sentiment, only entertainment
Right off the bat, Nithiin nonchalantly mentions that Extra is not a film that takes facts seriously. Answering a question on his observations of junior artists in the industry, given that he is playing one in his recent film, the actor quips, “No, no. This is a film made with creative liberty. And it is also a lighthearted film, it is not like we are shedding a light on their lives or something. Who will even come to the theatres if we make something so serious?” The actor then goes on to delve deep into his film and his career.
Excerpts:
On being approached for Extra
I was narrated the story two and half years ago, but it took Vakkantham Vamsi sir a year to write it entirely and figure out its nuts and bolts from start to finish. We started shooting for the film in November 2022, and the shoot took another year. In the year he spent writing the film, I was taking ‘extra’ care to ensure that it was being written well, considering how my previous film did not work out. Make no mistake, the film is Vamsi’s brainchild but I have given my inputs here and there in the process and he was kind enough to incorporate them as well. Since our film is about a junior artist working in the Telugu film industry, there will be a lot of tongue-in-cheek references to contemporary heroes.
On balancing a variety of elements
A cinema needs to be filled with entertainment for sure, but it must also be more than just that. Extra has a novel screenplay with an interesting interval block. The lore of Maisamma Thalli lies in the heart of the film. Vakkantham garu is known for heroic characters in his films, be it in Race Gurram (2014), Temper (2015) or Oosaravelli (2011). You will witness a unique protagonist here as well. My character in the film is on par with the best characters he has written in the past. The films we have seen released so far are either tentpole films or high-octane action entertainers. It has been a while since we saw a light, breezy entertainer, which Extra happens to be.
On working with Rao Ramesh
This might be the season for father-child sentiment films (referring to Hi Nanna and Animal), but there is no sentiment here, only entertainment. Rao Ramesh plays my father in the film. If you saw a son terrifying his father in Animal, you will witness the opposite in Extra. Our scenes together are hilarious.
On Sreeleela
Sreeleela’s role in Extra is similar to that of a commercial film heroine. You will not see her do anything out of the box here. I am working with her again in director Venky Kudumula's next. Rashmika was originally supposed to play the role but she left the project due to scheduling conflicts. Sreeleela’s role in that film will be a lot more interesting and unexpected. I did a lot of comedy in Extra, she will be doing the honours in the next film.
On Rajashekar’s cameo in the film
Rajashekar makes an entry in the film’s second half. His entry takes the film up by a few notches. Anybody else in that role would have been unmemorable. Vakkantham sir set his sights on Rajashekar for this role ever since he wrote this role. I was not sure whether he would join, considering how he is still playing the protagonist. But he liked the role. Even his daughters (actors Shivani and Shivathmika Rajashekar) liked the story and convinced Rajashekar to take on this role. The Jeevitha line you see in the trailer was improvised on set, and he took the joke sportively.
On Harris Jayaraj’s re-entry into Telugu cinema
It was my father's (producer N Sudhakar Reddy) idea to have Harris Jayaraj on board for Extra. Despite scoring some memorable music for films like Sainikudu (2006) and Orange (2010), he does not have a huge hit in Telugu. Maybe that is the reason why he did not get more Telugu offers over the years. More than the songs, it is his BGM in Extra that takes the cake. He has elevated the film with his music. For the comedy scenes in particular, he approached them uniquely, instead of just going with these oft-repeated tracks added to induce laughter.
On the inspiration
I particularly look up to Venkatesh (Daggubati). He is a huge inspiration for me in terms of playing a role without any inhibition. He has always played these self-deprecating roles in the most beautiful way. If you work without any ego, the audience will accept you even more. I approached my role in Extra with this spirit.
On facing failure
The films I have done in the past, be it Maestro (2021) or Check (2021), were not necessarily bad films, but they have not done well at the box office. I am now scared to attempt something new or take a risk. But there is that gula (passion) in me deep down to do something interesting and if a story catches that gula’s fancy, I might just do it.