Nagarjuna Akkineni is celebrating more than just the success of Lenin. For the actor, it is an emotional victory as a father, with Akhil finally delivering the much-needed commercial success after a series of setbacks. Speaking at the film's success meet, Nagarjuna shared several personal incidents from their family life, revealing how a serious accident changed Akhil's outlook and eventually led him to Lenin.
"About one and a half years ago, Akhil met with a freak accident. A glass piece slashed the nerve in his hand, and he lost sensation in it. It was a terrible phase for all of us at home. Amala and I couldn't even tell anyone what had happened. It took nearly six months of physiotherapy and treatment for him to recover," Nagarjuna revealed.
The actor said the difficult phase brought a major transformation in Akhil's personality. "After that incident, something changed in him. He became calmer and started thinking differently. He also found a life partner, and that brought more stability into his life. I generally don't speak about personal matters, but I felt this was the right time to share it with all of you," he said.
Nagarjuna recalled encouraging Akhil before he signed Lenin. "I told him that his good time was about to begin. I asked him to do this film with complete determination. Reaching the goal doesn't require only energy; it also needs the right thought process. Life is like a game, and finally he achieved what he was striving for. I am extremely happy for him," he said.
The actor expressed hope that Akhil would continue with the same mature approach in the future. "I wish he continues this mindset and doesn't take impulsive decisions anymore. He has a fantastic future ahead of him," Nagarjuna added.
Speaking about Akhil's journey in cinema, Nagarjuna said his son had never lacked commitment.
"Akhil has always put in the same hard work for every film. He is an achiever and someone with incredible energy. Every time he set a goal, he worked tirelessly towards it, but somehow couldn't reach the final destination. This time, with Lenin, he finally succeeded," he said.
Nagarjuna also shared an interesting incident from Akhil's childhood. "When he was just four or five months old, a doctor told us that our son had too much energy. He advised us to let him sleep on the floor so that the energy would get grounded. From then on, Amala used to leave him in the lawn to play for hours. I'm saying this because Akhil has always had boundless energy. Earlier, he would reach the goalpost but somehow fail to score. This time, with Lenin, he finally found the net," Nagarjuna said.
The actor concluded by thanking everyone associated with Lenin for contributing to the film's success. He made a special mention of senior actor Eswari Rao, who played a pivotal role in the film.
"I had never worked with Eswari Rao before, but after hearing Akhil speak about her, I definitely want to. He told me how she treated him like her own son throughout the shoot. Thank you for giving him that warmth and affection," Nagarjuna said.
