Allari Naresh, whose recent films haven’t performed as expected, is in need of a strong comeback. He is now gearing up with 12A Railway Colony, directed by Nani Kasaragadda, with the story written by Dr Anil Viswanath of Polimera fame. Speaking about the film and his future plans, the actor opens up about his journey and challenges. “I am very excited and confident. This is my 63rd film, and although I feel nervous before every release, I strongly believe in 12A Railway Colony,” he says. Naresh adds that the film is predominantly driven by its screenplay. “This is the first time I attempted a thriller genre,” he shared. While many screenplay-driven films have emerged in Telugu cinema, Naresh believes this film stands out in its execution.
Naresh plays Karthik in the film, a henchman to a local MLA. “We are a four-member gang, and one day, a major incident happens that changes my character’s life. The story revolves around how he deals with that situation,” he said. For the first time in his career, Naresh recalls attending an acting workshop. “Earlier, I would go directly to the sets and return home after the shoot. But this time, I took part in a workshop, and it was a completely new experience for me,” he said. In 12A Railway Colony, Naresh also speaks in the Telangana dialect. “Since the story is set in Warangal, I had to get the dialect right. Ajay, a university student, trained me on where to stress the words and how to pronounce them. I usually finish dubbing in one day, but this film took me four days because I wanted to get the language perfect,” he explained.
While his previous film Bachchala Malli was a commercial failure, Naresh remains positive. “Maybe the screenplay was weak or my character arc needed adjustments. Though the film didn’t do well, I earned appreciation as an actor. I feel that even if a film fails, I shouldn’t fail as an actor. Something went wrong somewhere, but I don’t blame anyone. I am still proud of that film,” he says. Speaking about his criteria when choosing a film, Naresh said, “I always look at the story first. Then I calculate how to execute it within a feasible budget while giving something new to the audience. If a producer invests in me, he shouldn’t lose his money. Budget feasibility is always important.”
Having acted in more than 60 films, Naresh recalls that earlier, three to four films of his would be released every year, with many becoming hits or average performers. But the industry has changed drastically now. “OTT platforms are playing a major role. Earlier, producers and distributors chose the release date. Now OTT platforms decide the timeline. This film was supposed to release in October, but due to OTT schedules, we had to wait. If more OTT platforms come, competition will increase, and they will purchase more films. If producers agree, I can still do four to five films a year,” he explains. Naresh also points out that the audience's perception of films has changed. “Earlier, we had hits, averages, and flops. Today, it is only hits or flops — no middle ground. If a film becomes a hit, people rush to theaters; otherwise, they wait for OTT.” Naresh adds.
Talking of other changes, Naresh notes how comedy writing too has become extremely difficult. “Writing comedy has become sensitive. You can’t joke about weight, caste, or any personal subject. Films like Seema Sastry or Kithakithalu may not be made today. We think society has become broad-minded, but in reality, everything has become narrow and overly sensitive,” he says.
When Naresh did comedy films early in his career, audiences asked him to do serious roles. When he shifted to intense films, people again wanted comedy from him. Talking about this pattern, he says, “In the beginning of my career, I did serious films like Praanam and Nenu. I wasn’t very clear then, but after Gamyam, I felt the need to change direction, but I didn’t. After Sudigadu, people advised me not to leave comedy. Everywhere there is demand and supply, so I continued doing comedy films.” The actor also spoke about the ups and downs of his career. “From 2015 to 2019, I experienced the lowest phase. Even my comedy films didn’t work. Then I decided to attempt something new and break out of my comfort zone. That’s when Naandhi happened in 2021. It was a big success, and after that, I began receiving fresh stories and exciting genres,” He adds, “When I do films like Gamyam and Naandhi, the same people appreciate my performances. That encourages me to explore more.”
Naresh credits his father, the late EVV Satyanarayana, for shaping his comic timing, saying “I learned a lot from him, and working with several comedians also helped me fine-tune my timing.” He adds, “Comedy is extremely difficult to perform, and once you master it, you can pull off any character with ease. In my opinion, scaring someone is easy, but making them laugh is far tougher.”
On being approached for a web series, Naresh says, “Yes, two to three teams approached me, but the scripts didn’t excite me. I want to do a full-fledged comedy web series with eight or nine hilarious episodes. I’m open to multi starrers, web series, everything.” When asked about the genres he still wants to explore, Naresh replied, “I definitely want to attempt more versatile roles. I’ve done horror comedies but never a proper horror film, so that is on my list. I also want to do a silent film — without dialogues. It should be a comedy, and if someone comes up with a good story, I would love to do it.”
The actor has also often expressed his desire to direct a film. When asked about his plans, he replies, “It will take some time. If I become a director, I must dedicate at least one full year — from shoot to post-production.” He adds that once he steps into direction, he might become more distant from acting, which he doesn’t want at the moment. “Also, people working with me might feel insecure, thinking I may interfere in their direction. So, I will direct a film in the future, but not now — maybe after three or four years,” he concludes.
